Dr. Scott Lilienfeld, professor of psychology at Emory University in Atlanta, visited Belmont on Feb. 11 and 12 and gave a talk titled “Science and Pseudoscience in Everyday Life: A Field Guide for Evaluating Extraordinary Claims.” Lilienfeld is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and a recipient of the 1998 David Shakow Award for Early Career Contributions to Clinical Psychology from Division 12 of the American Psychological Association. His research interests include personality disorders, psychiatric classification, and pseudoscience in psychology. The author of numerous scientific articles and books, his most recent book, a co-authored volume titled 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior (2010, Wiley-Blackwell), is widely acclaimed for its ability to communicate complex ideas to the public.
In his formal talk on Friday, Lilienfeld highlighted the challenges of telling the difference between scientific and pseudoscientific claims in everyday life. In a world saturated with pop psychology ideas, it is increasingly important to distinguish truth from fiction, he argued. By adopting an attitude of open-minded skepticism, Lilienfeld encouraged the audience to become scientifically literate and offered rules of thumb for distinguishing scientific from pseudoscientific claims. Using examples such as the Rorschach Inkblot Test, extra-sensory perception, and UFO sightings he illustrated how pseudoscientific claims masquerade as scientifically sound ideas, when in fact they do not hold up under scientific scrutiny.
Guest Speaker Lilienfeld Analyzes Pseudoscientific Claims
Literary Journal Staff Offer Custom-Written Poems for Valentine’s Day
Belmont Literary Journal managing editor Logan Franks, poetry editor Emmie Futtrell, creative nonfiction editor Lauren Paxton and art director Greg Privett offered custom-written Valentine’s Day poems in the Beaman Student Life Center on Fri., Feb. 12. The one-of-a-kind poems, composed on the spot and typed on a 1936 Royal Portable typewriter, were available at no cost to the Belmont community (although donations were gladly accepted). Proceeds will benefit the 2010 Belmont Literary Journal, a student-edited, student-written, student-produced annual journal of art, poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. The Poetry Stand, whose purpose is to offer the larger community a way to create and delight in the creation of poetry and word-based art, was designed and donated to Belmont English students by Bret and Meg MacFadyen, founders of Nashville’s Art and Invention gallery.
Adjunct Authors Book on History of Pittsburgh Radio
Media Studies Adjunct Instructor Ed Salamon recently authored a new book about the glory days of Pittsburgh radio, starting with the great KDKA-A, where Salamon started working in 1970. The book, published by Arcadia Publishing, will be available March 8 at retail and online outlets.
Senior Helps Organization Win Grant
Social Work senior Jimmy Smith interned last fall at The Contributor, Nashville’s “street newspaper” that focuses on the issues surrounding homelessness and poverty and is sold by homeless and formerly homeless individuals on the street as an alternative to panhandling. During Jimmy’s internship, he helped nominate The Contributor’s volunteer Executive Director Tasha French for the 2009 Titans Community QB Award. French recently won the award which resulted in a $10,000 grant from Tennessee Titans owner K.S. “Bud” Adams Jr and the Tennessee Titans Foundation to the organization. Signing up The Contributor for this award was one of Jimmy’s final duties at his internship last fall. Click here for video of the event.
Registrar’s Staff Present Sessions at SACRAO Conference
Staff from Belmont’s Office of the Registrar presented two sessions at the annual conference of the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO) recently held in Chattanooga. Ginger Kuechle, assistant registrar, and Steven Reed, university registrar, presented “Planning and Implementing a ‘Paperless’ Registrar’s Office.” Associate Registrars Matthew McCrickard and La Kiesha Armstrong presented “Assessing Staff and Departmental Strengths through Appreciative Inquiry.”
Parry Agrees to Serve in Bridging the Gap Mentor Program
Pam Parry, associate professor of journalism, has agreed to serve as a mentor in the Bridging the Gap Mentor Program of the Nashville Junior Chamber. The program matches young professionals in Nashville with community leaders who help to provide leadership development for people in their 20s or early 30s. “Within the Middle Tennesse area, there is no other community-based program similar to this,” according to the chamber.
Belmont Announces Homecoming 2010 Schedule of Events
Playing off the university motto “From Here to Anywhere,” Belmont’s 2010 Homecoming week invites alumni, friends and family to come “From Anywhere to Here” Feb. 21-27 for a week’s worth of special events. Highlights include an alumni art exhibit, two basketball doubleheaders, “Belmont at the Bluebird” and numerous program reunions. Click the more button below to view events that are open to the public. For a complete list of all Belmont Homecoming 2010 events and an opportunity to register, visit http://alumni.belmont.edu/.
Students Receive Multiple Awards at Southeast Journalism Conference
Belmont students won five awards in the 2009 Best of South competition of the Southeast Journalism Conference, including first place in Best Magazine for Connect, an annual publication that targets an audience of new freshmen and transfer students.
“I found this to be the exact kind of guide students need when they enter campus for the first time,” the judge for Best Magazine wrote. “This is a top-notch job all the way.”
Students Jessica Walker and Abby Sheldon were winners in the onsite competition, where students participate in deadline-driven news, feature and multimedia categories, at the conference Feb. 11-13 at Southeastern Louisiana University.
These winners were chosen from 330 entries from 32 SEJC member schools, which include Auburn, Emory, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and other large universities.
The SEJC contests and the annual conference function as journalism teaching tools. Not only are all entries given a rating, but the judges, chosen from outside the conference region, are encouraged to provide comments and professional advice.
Awards received were as follows:
Best of South Competition:
Best Magazine: Connect, First Place
Journalism Research Paper: Jessica Walker, Third Place
Magazine Page Designer: Kristin Clements, Third Place
Newswriting: Erin Carson, Fifth Place
Sportswriting: Pierce Greenberg, Seventh Place
Onsite Competition:
Health Reporting: Jessica Walker, Second Place
Media Ethics: Abby Sheldon, Second Place
Alumnus Bob Schatz Publishes New Book
Belmont alumnus Bob Schatz (’77), a commercial photographer, recently released his fifth book, Nashville by Design: Architectural Treasures. The book is the first released under his new publishing company, and it is already getting rave reviews. Among the interesting architecture that is featured is one of Schatz’s favorite places, the Belmont Mansion.
Click here to read a review from The Tennessean, and click here to read a profile of Schatz from NCompass magazine.
Hoogestraat Presents at AAHPERD Conference
Fran Hoogestraat, assistant professor of sport science, presented “Can Sport Teams Solve Social Problems?” at the Southern District of the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) conference, which was held in Myrtle Beach this week.
