In short: These presentations comprise 'Psychology, Science, & Pseudoscience', my 2011/12 class for undergrads at the National University of Ireland, Galway. The first message is: science isn't always what it seems

1. PS409
Psychology, Science,
& Pseudoscience
Dr Brian Hughes
School of Psychology
brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie @b_m_hughes

2. Our arrangements
Lectures
Tues, 4-5 p.m.,
O’Flaherty
Theatre
Thurs, 9-10 a.m.,
IT250
• Lecture presentations
– To be placed on Blackboard some time after classes
– Insufficient on their own as study aids

3. Readings
– Schick, T., & Vaughn, L. (2010). Hughes, B. M. (2011).
How to Think About Weird Conceptual and Historical Issues
Things: Critical Thinking for a New in Psychology.
Age, 6th edition. Boston: Harlow: Prentice Hall
McGraw-Hill.

4. Readings
http://thesciencebit.net

5. So what is this thing called
“Pseudoscience”?

6. So what is this thing called
“Pseudoscience”?
“A practice that has the superficial
appearance of a science but which fails to
meet the quality standards normally
required of sciences”
-- Hughes (2011)

7. The wonder of crystals
Crystals are solids that form by a
regular, repeated pattern of molecules
connecting together
Their apparent complexity results from
the repetition of simplicity
According to some experts (e.g., the
Mineralogical Society of America)…
Silicates, a type of crystal, make up
the great bulk of the rocks in the
Earth's crust
The geometric patterns of crystal
faces reflect the internal atomic
arrangements of the crystal
structure

8. The wonder of crystals
According to other experts (e.g., mysticalsoup.com)…
When held close to the human body, crystals can do
the following good things:
Reduce cholesterol (ruby)
Prevent nosebleeds (sapphire)
Improve hearing problems
(sapphire)
Deal with kidney stones
(malachite)
Enhance the reproductive
system (coral)
Enhance the circulatory system
(carnelian)
Enhance the immune system
(aquamarine)

9. The wonder of crystals
According to other experts (e.g., mysticalsoup.com)…
When held close to the human body, crystals can do
the following good things:
Increase happiness
(aquamarine)
Reduce anger (amethyst)
Increase confidence (citrine)
Amplify thoughts (diamond)
Expand knowledge (jade)
Deal with shyness (lapis)
Ensure monogamy (emerald)

10. Crystals can even cure cancer*
*not really

11. And
crystals are sexy!

12. What would happen if you
concocted your own mystical
crystal ‘power’?
Derren Brown, “Messiah”, Channel 4/E4, January 2005
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah_(Derren_Brown_special)
for more information

13. PS409
Psychology, Science,
& Pseudoscience
Dr Brian Hughes
School of Psychology
brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie @b_m_hughes