Rob McEntarffer
Maria Vita
rmcenta@lps.org
Twitter = @rmcenta
maria.vita@pennmanor.net
Twitter = @marivita1
http://teachinghighschoolpsychology.blogspot.com/
Friday
4:15pm - 5:10pm - Room 109 ID 408 - APA/TOPSS Psychology Standards: Deepening
Scientific Inquiry & Literacy. Aligned with C3 framework? Let Teachers of Psychology
Secondary Schools (TOPSS) and the American Psychological Association (APA) enhance
student inquiry, literacy in social science. Includes demonstrations, digital tools, formative
assessments. Presenters: Maria Vita, APA TOPSS, Washington DC, DC, @mariavita1;
Rob McEntarffer, Lincoln Public Schools, Assessment Specialist Lincoln, NE, @rmcenta
Teaching Social Studies as Inquiry
Aligned with C3 framework? Let Teachers of Psychology Secondary Schools (TOPSS) and the
American Psychological Association (APA) enhance student inquiry, literacy in social
science. Includes demonstrations, digital tools, formative assessments.
APA TOPSS STANDARDS
http://www.apa.org/education/k12/national-standards.aspx
SPORCLE GAME
http://www.sporcle.com/games/mariavita/apa-topss
INQUIRY – C3 is focused on crafting questions that spark and sustain inquiry
 Are feature detectors part of “sensation” or “perception?”
 How do humans detect shapes, angles, movement?
 Ancillary: Can humans can have “perfect eyesight,” yet have trouble with visual
perception?
 Is everything LOST when it comes to Alzheimer’s/dementia?
 Should insurance companies be required to provide coverage for music or animal
therapy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s/dementia?
 What is life like with only half a brain?
THE SEVEN DOMAINS – recommended for any psychology course
The part of the visual system many fail to see
APA TOPSS STANDARDS
http://www.apa.org/education/k12/national-standards.aspx
Biopsychosocial domain
Standard area: Sensation, Perception
1. The processes of sensation and perception
2. The capabilities and limitations of sensory processes
3. Interaction of the person and the environment in determining perception
Content Standard 2: The capabilities and limitations of sensory processes
Students are able to (performance standards):
2.2 Describe the visual sensory system.
1. Teacher presents inquiry: What part of the human visual system is often ignored
and misunderstood? What insight can be gained from motion aftereffects?
Ancillary: To what extent is vision “innate” or “acquired?” Which parts of visual
system assist in “top-down” and “bottom-up” processing? Is it possible to have
eyesight, yet be unable to perceive?
Spiral-illusion DEMO (This demonstration included in the Sensation and Perception Unit
Lesson Plan distributed by Teachers of Psychology Secondary Schools, TOPSS/ American
Psychological Association, APA.)
Find the evidence: How do humans detect shapes, angles, movement?
This lesson and activity come from Charles Blair-Broeker and an exercise written by Douglas
A. Bernstein and Sandra S. Goss of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It is published
in the APA/TOPSS unit lesson plan of Sensation and Perception. This particular activity was
also presented to me by Michael Hamilton at the APA TOPSS Clark workshop in 2010.
Concept
Visual perception is an intricate collaboration between the brain and eyes. The work of
David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel prove that vision is not restricted to the eyes alone (1981
Nobel Prize). This lesson includes a hands-on demonstration where students can decide if
feature detectors (neurons that detect shapes, angles, movement) are in the brain or
eye. Case studies like the one presented in Oliver Sacks’ Anthropologist on Mars show that
perfect or restored vision does not always result in accurate visual perception.
Resources
Storify https://storify.com/MariaVita1/david-hubel-and-torsten-wiesel
Anthropologist on Mars, Oliver Sacks (1995) - Chapter entitled “To see and not see”
Review or pretest on KAHOOT https://play.kahoot.it/#/?quizId=8d49445b-f503-4d0da760-5d12ba4529ac
How brains learn to see: NEWish research – congenitally blind adapt minutes 9-12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeFl0RE31x0
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Big idea: Feature detectors in the visual cortex
Misconceptions
1. Visual information is restricted to the eyes
2. Humans detect shapes, angles and movements the same way they detect color and light: in
the receptors of the retina - including fovea where cones are clustered (again, the eyes being
the primary organ for vision)
3. The retinal images of shapes, angles, or movement must be upside-down to be recognized
and then “seen” by the brain right side up
4. The brain responds to visual stimuli with random cortical cells firing
5. Humans somehow “see” objects (rather than seeing reflected light)
6. Information passes through our senses without being altered (misunderstanding
transduction)
Which of the following is the best explanation of the “Waterfall Effect?” (Brief explanation: if a
person stares at a waterfall, with constant water flowing down, long enough and then stares
at the ground beside the waterfall, the person will experience the illusion of the ground
moving upward)
A) If motion detectors in our eyes fire too rapidly over time, the opposite motion detectors
overcompensate (Misconception #1)
B) Cones in the retina detect complementary (opposite) colors and movement (Misconception
#2)
C) The visual sense depends on images being “flipped” upside down in the eye, and the
constant downward motion interferes with this process. (Misconception #3)
D) Neurons distributed across the cerebral cortex (association areas) fire in response to
different visual stimuli, like downward motion. (Misconception #4)
E) Downward motion detectors in the occipital lobe become fatigued by constant firing
(possible right answer)
F) The waterfall is seen as a stationary object and the our visual system gets confused when
the stationary ground is suddenly presented (Misconception #5)
G) Light reflected from the waterfall passes through the eyes to the visual cortex, and is
misinterpreted because of neural fatigue over time (Misconception #6)
Ancillary/Excerpt from Oliver Sacks’ Anthropologist on Mars
Knowing the brain’s integral role in visual perception, students might consider the case study presented in
Dr. Oliver Sacks’ book Anthropologist on Mars. A man named Virgil was given surgery at age 50 after lifelong
blindness. By age 6 Virgil attended school for the blind and learned Braille. He spent his whole life without
visual perception. Like most blind people, Virgil perceived the world through touch. At age 50, surgery
helped Virgil see: When the bandages were removed he felt he only saw “blur” and was confused as to the
“light...movement...color” around him (Sacks, 1995, 114). Eventually Virgil could “see colors and
movements…” but he could not “identify large objects and shapes…” (115). When he saw birds they would
often startle him. He had no idea how to judge “distance” and he often thought the birds got too “close”
(119). A month after the surgery, Virgil felt more “disabled” than when he was blind (121)! He was more
afraid to cross the street now that he could see all the cars and movement. Virgil could not tell the difference
between his beloved dog and cat: “Both animals...were black and white, and he kept confusing them...until he
could touch them” (121). Once he touched the cat’s “head,...ears,...paws,....tail” then he knew it was “Tibbles”
the cat, not the dog (121-122). Virgil had to do this over and over and never could “recognize…” the cat by
visual perception alone (122). The first time Virgil saw a gorilla in a zoo, he thought it was just a large
man. But after he was able to touch a “life size bronze” sculpture of a gorilla, Virgil could visually distinguish
gorilla from man: “knuckles touched the ground...the huge ridge on the head….” (133). As an ancillary activity,
have students write why Virgil’s practically perfect eyes had such trouble with visual perception. Students could
include evidence from Hubel and Wiesel’s research as support - as well as facts from Sacks’ text.
More Ancillary materials found at: http://ncss2014.wikispaces.com/%2AAncillary
Maria Vita
Maria.vita@pennmanor.net
vitaappsych.wikispaces.com
ALZHEIMER’S: EVERYTHING’S NOT LOST
APA TOPSS STANDARDS
http://www.apa.org/education/k12/national-standards.aspx
Cognition Domain
Content Standard 2: Storage of memory
Students are able to (performance standards):
2.2 Identify and explain biological processes related to how memory is stored.
2.3 Discuss types of memory and memory disorders (e.g., amnesias, dementias).
Development and Learning Domain
Content Standard 7: Adulthood and aging
Students are able to (performance standards):
7.1 Identify major physical changes associated with adulthood and aging.
7.2 Describe cognitive changes in adulthood and aging.
Alzheimer’s Research: Everything’s not lost
1) Teacher presents inquiry: Is everything lost when it comes to
Alzheimer’s/Dementia? OR Why should insurance companies provide coverage for
music or animal therapy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s/Dementia?
2) Teacher distributes resources electronically or hard copies/ visual demos to whole
class http://ncss2014.wikispaces.com/3Memory
a. U of Iowa study - reading
b. Role of hippocampus, cerebellum – video clips(s) or website
c. Animal robot – PARO– video, website
d. Music therapy through iPods – documentary video
e. Smell Test from Sensonics International http://www.sensonics.com
INQUIRY: Is everything lost when it comes to Alzheimer’s/Dementia? Why or why not?
and Why should health insurance companies provide coverage for music or animal therapy
in the treatment of Alzheimer’s? In your answer, define and apply the BOLD terms and
incorporate evidence from
I) Clive Wearing or H.M.
II) University of Iowa study
III) PARO
IV) Alive Inside documentary;
V) Other sources/demos
o
o
o
o
o
Destroyed? Temporal Lobe
Destroyed? Hippocampus or episodic memories
Destroyed? Semantic Memories
Destroyed? Cerebellum – at least ONE implicit memory
Explanation of music therapy or animal therapy or the concept that “all is not
lost”
Acceptable responses
POINT 1
Temporal lobe regulates functions of short-term memory and smell. One can imply
destruction of the temporal lobe as both short-term memory processing and smell
detection are weak in the Alzheimer’s/dementia patient. According to experiments by the
University of Pennsylvania, the loss of smell may be an early detection sign of Alzheimer’s
or dementia.
POINT 2
The hippocampus processes explicit or declarative memories. When H.M. had his
hippocampus removed, he would forget that he had just eaten a meal. He was unable to
make new memories of his personal events or episodic memories. OR According to the
University of Iowa study, patients with Alzheimer’s did not demonstrate declarative
memories of the films. The Alzheimer’s patients showed no recollection of the film and
some even forgot watching any films at all! This is a sign that Alzheimer’s/dementia
patients lost the ability to process new, explicit or declarative memories with the
destruction of hippocampus. OR Some students will say that music has the capacity to
trigger personal or episodic memories: In the case of “Henry” from Alive Inside, he was able
to recall that he personally loved certain types of music and singing. Before the iPod was
placed in his ear, he did not explicitly share these thoughts. It is as if the music triggered
the memories from other areas in his brain outside.
POINT 3
According to the University of Iowa study, patients with Alzheimer’s did not demonstrate
declarative memories of the films. This could refer to semantic memories or
general/non-personal facts regarding the details of the film. The Alzheimer’s patients
showed no recollection of the films’ details and some even forgot watching any films at all!
This is a sign that Alzheimer’s/dementia patients lost the ability to process general
knowledge with the destruction of hippocampus. As long as students express example(s)
regarding non-personal facts.
POINT 4
According to the University of Iowa study, patients were able to retain emotions after
watching sad or happy films. Although they could not talk about these details (explicitly),
they felt the emotions strongly (implicitly). Implicit emotions are processed
unconsciously. The Alzheimer’s/dementia patients empathized with the plot of the story,
even if they could not remember the details or remember what exactly they watched!
When it came to sad films, there was a moderate negative correlation: The less declarative
memory, the more sadness. One can imply that the cerebellum is not the first part of the
brain to be destroyed in the Alzheimer’s brain since patients can still express emotions. OR
One could also give an example from the music or animal therapy cases: The
Alzheimer’s/dementia patients were still able to express happiness or dance toward
songs/animals, despite losing other faculties. The cerebellum controls instincts, emotions,
and routine muscle-movements. OR The cerebellum allows one to feel emotions and
perform muscle-memory tasks like singing and dancing. Clive Wearing, who experienced
destruction of his hippocampus, still had a functioning cerebellum. He was able to play the
piano, although, he could not speak explicitly of his abilities.
POINT 5
According to the University of Iowa study, Alzheimer’s patients may still have emotions or
implicit memories toward staff members or family members. Although they may be
unable to explicitly talk about people, they can trust and feel. Everything is not lost if
Alzheimer’s/dementia patients still have a cerebellum and/or the ability to feel. OR
Insurance companies should provide music or animals as therapy because the University
of Iowa study shows that patients still retain the ability to feel. If emotions and routine
muscle-memories are one of the last capabilities of these patients, music could help them
sing or dance or feel happy.
RESOURCES:
a. Role of hippocampus, cerebellum
o H.M. Ted Lesson -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkaXNvzE4pk
o Online Psychology Laboratory web-demo (American Psychological Association)
Distinguish hippocampus, cerebellum in “storing memories”
See progression of Alzheimer’s in “forgetting”
http://opl.apa.org/contributions/NGM/memory.htm (takes time to load)
Other OPL resources http://opl.apa.org/Resources.aspx
b. University of Iowa: Concluded that emotions present after declarative memory
faded
Use one of the following articles (as would be appropriate for your students’ reading level)
o University of Iowa - http://now.uiowa.edu/2014/09/alzheimers-patients-can-stillfeel-emotion-long-after-memories-have-vanished
o Original research http://journals.lww.com/cogbehavneurol/Fulltext/2014/09000/Feelings_Without_
Memory_in_Alzheimer_Disease.1.aspx
o Neuroscience news http://neurosciencenews.com/alzheimers-emotion-memorypsychology-1357/
c. Animal therapy
Animal seal-robot, PARO – possible clips to show related to animal therapy
o PARO video with patients https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZUn9qtG8ow
o Makers of PARO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJq5PQZHU-I
o PARO WEBSITE
d. Music therapy
o Clip from documentary Alive Inside – Dementia patient Henry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgNLLelQYwI
e. Role of Temporal Lobe
Use one of the following (as would be appropriate for your students’ reading level)
o Smell test - http://sensonics.com/smell-products/smell-identification-testinternational-versions-available.html
o Scientist article that references University of Pennsylvania/Sensonics Smell test http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/37603/title/Smell-and-theDegenerating-Brain/
o Olfactory test, Alzheimer’s http://www.jns-journal.com/article/S0022510X(13)00311-0/abstract
Further enrichment
a. Students can compare empirical research of Iowa study with anecdotal research of Alive
Inside documentary. What conclusions that can be drawn from each?
b. Students can assist as volunteers to distribute iPods in nursing homes Music and
Memory Volunteer http://musicandmemory.org/get-involved/for-volunteers/
c. Students who are well-versed in the “Scientific Inquiry Domain” can describe the design
of U. of Iowa study using the abstract or details below
a. Identify experimental group
b. Identify control group
c. Describe the operational definition(s) of the independent variable(s)
d. Describe the operational definition(s) of the dependent variable(s)
e. The researchers ran additional analyses of data and found a correlation between
the variables: r = -0.37 and P<0.05. Describe the type of correlation and what it
suggests.
f. What can the researchers conclude if there is statistical significance in the
correlation?
g. Why is this only a quasi-experiment? What component is omitted?
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
…Tested 11 women and 6 men with probable Alzheimer’s disease. …Recruited 13 of the
patients from the Benton Neuropsychology Laboratory at the University of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics.
…Also tested 11 women and 6 men as healthy comparison participants. …Recruited
this group from the Cognitive Neuroscience Registry for Normative Data at the
University of Iowa.
…They watched film clips intended to induce feelings of sadness or happiness
Participants took …memory test 5 minutes after they finished watching each set of film
clips. This test had 3 sections: free recall, verbal recognition, and picture recognition.
Additional SPSS correlation test run. Across all participants, the correlation between
memory performance and sadness during the final rating was …r=−0.37, n=34, P<0.05
SHOWS THAT MEMORY IS NEGATIVELY CORRELATED to SADNESS. (That is, as
memory increases, sadness decreases OR as memory decreases, sadness increases).-NOT CAUSE AND EFFECT
If p<.05 then the inverse or negative relationship was not by chance. Even if it was a
moderate prediction, those results or stronger ones would not be by chance
Quasi-experimental because the participants were not randomly assigned to control
and experimental groups – random assignment would make the control and
experimental groups statistically equivalent and this was not the case (one group with
Alzheimer’s, the other a comparative group); One could also argue that the
researchers did not manipulate the variable of Alzheimer’s – hence a quasiexperimental design
Rob McEntarffer
rmcenta@lps.org
Twitter = @rmcenta
http://teachinghighschoolpsychology.blogspot.com/
Maria Vita
Maria.vita@pennmanor.net
Twitter = @marivita1
vitaappsych.wikispaces.com
INQUIRY: What part of the human visual system is often ignored and misunderstood?
What insight can be gained from motion aftereffects? http://ncss2014.wikispaces.com/
Notes on feature detectors
Prediction where are feature detectors located?
How does the Spiral Illusion Demo illustrate the location of feature detectors?
Which of the following is the best explanation of the “Waterfall Effect?”
A) If motion detectors in our eyes fire too rapidly over time, the opposite motion detectors
overcompensate
B) Cones in the retina detect complementary (opposite) colors and movement
C) The visual sense depends on images being “flipped” upside down in the eye, and the
constant downward motion interferes with this process.
D) Neurons distributed across the cerebral cortex (association areas) fire in response to
different visual stimuli, like downward motion.
E) Downward motion detectors in the occipital lobe become fatigued by constant firing
F) The waterfall is seen as a stationary object and the our visual system gets confused when
the stationary ground is suddenly presented
G) Light reflected from the waterfall passes through the eyes to the visual cortex, and is
misinterpreted because of neural fatigue over time
Pre-post formative assessments
KAHOOT https://play.kahoot.it/#/?quizId=8d49445b-f503-4d0d-a760-5d12ba4529ac
POLL http://ncss2014.wikispaces.com/2poll
INQUIRY: Is everything lost when it comes to Alzheimer’s/Dementia? Why or why not?
OR Why should health insurance companies provide coverage for music or animal therapy
in the treatment of Alzheimer’s? In your answer, define and apply the BOLD terms and
incorporate evidence from
I) Clive Wearing or H.M.
II) University of Iowa study
III) PARO
IV) Alive Inside documentary;
V) Other sources/demos
Sources found at: http://ncss2014.wikispaces.com/3Memory
o Damaged? Temporal Lobe
o Damaged? Hippocampus or episodic memories
o Damaged? Semantic Memories
o Damaged? Cerebellum – at least ONE implicit memory
o Explanation of music therapy or animal therapy or the concept that “all is not
lost”
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