APA Awards, from page 1western University Medical School for seventeen years where heserved as Associate Professor and Chief, Psychiatry Outpatient Services (1973-1981) and Professor and Chairman, Division of Psychology (1981-1990). Dr. Sheridan also was an Adjunct Professorof Law (1982-1990) and a member of the guest faculty in the Kel-logg Graduate School of Management (1988-1990). From 1990 to1995, Dr. Sheridan was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences atthe University of Central Florida. Since 1995, he has been Provostand Professor of Psychology at the University of Missouri - Columbia.

Dr. Sheridan’s major federally funded research has been in the areaof alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization for the seriously men-tally ill. He has been chair of both the APA Committee on Accredita-tion and the APA Board of Educational Affairs and he has served onthe Executive Committees of the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology and the Association of Medical School Professors ofPsychology. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of ProfessionalPsychology.

In nominating Dr. Sheridan, Joseph D. Matarazzo stated, “As aleader in higher education, a pioneer in the development of HealthPsychology, academic innovator and organizer, Edward P. Sheridandemonstrates the finest in our field. With vision, thoughtfulness,and perceptive appreciation for diverse viewpoints, Ed has chairedAPA’s Committee on Accreditation and the Board of Education Affairs. He was instrumental in developing and leading nine

national conferences on undergraduate, graduate, internship, andpostdoctoral education.

From his innovative research on alternatives to psychiatric hospi-talization to his prescient recognition of changing venues for careersin psychology and the training necessary to anticipate these chal-lenges, Edward P. Sheridan continually offers his wisdom, experience,and perspective. For his leadership in educational initiatives and dedication to the future of psychology, we honor Edward P. Sheridan.For his spirit, grace, generosity, and respect for all exercising thatleadership, we thank him.”

Psychology Teacher NetworkEducation DirectorateAmerican Psychological Association750 First Street, NEWashington, DC 20002-4242

NonprofitUS Postage PaidWashington, DCPermit No. 6348

Psychology Teacher Network is published by the EducationDirectorate of the American Psychological Association.Subscriptions are free to High School Teacher Affiliates of theAPA and APA Members and $15 a year for all others. Addresseditorial correspondence to Psychology Teacher Network,Education Directorate, APA, 750 First St., N.E., Washington, DC20002-4242. Address inquiries regarding membership or affilia-tion to the Membership Office, APA, at the same address.

Senior Editor ...........................................................Julie GoldsteinTOPSS Editor..................................................................Mary SpilisCommunity College Editor ...............................Martha Ellis, Ph.D.APA’s Pre-College and

Undergraduate Officer.......................................Peter Petrossian

January-February 1998•Volume 8•Issue 1

APA EDUCATION DIRECTORATEFor Teachers of Introductory Psychology

Inside:Briefing . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Career Choice: Human Factors . . . . . . . .

Adolescent Suicide:Recognition and Prevention . . . . . . . . . . .

TOPSS Election Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

New TOPSS Members . .

Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Announcements . . . . . .

Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PTNPSYCHOLOGY TEACHER NETWORK

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5

6

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The Board of Educational Affairs and the Educa-tion and Training Awards Committee of APA hasbestowed the 1997 Distinguished Career Contri-butions to Education and Training Award to Ge-offrey Keppel, Ph.D. and to Edward P. Sheridan,Ph.D. Recipients of this award are recognized fortheir major contributions made to education andtraining over the course of their careers.

Geoffrey Keppel re-ceived his B.A. fromthe University ofCalifornia at Berke-

ley (UCB) in 1957 and his Ph.D. fromNorthwestern Uni-versity in 1963. Hetaught at UCB be-tween 1963 and1994, when he ac-cepted early retire-

ment. In the first third of his career, Dr. Keppelwas an active contributor to the field of humanlearning and memory, publishing over 60 research articles. Since 1973, he has devoted hisattention to the teaching of applied methodology,through his classes at UCB and his several books,including the classic research handbook, Designand Analysis, currently in its third edition. Hisadministrative service has included serving aschair of his department, dean of the social sci-ences, and director of two research institutes. In1993, Dr. Keppel received the DistinguishedTeaching Award and a year later, the UCB Cita-tion for significant university service. He has

been president of the Midwestern PsychologicalAssociation and of the Experimental Division(Division 3) of APA.

In nominating Dr. Keppel, Sheldon Zeddicksaid of him, “Geoffrey Keppel has been devoted tothe data, analytical training, and education of colleagues and students. Geoff has influenced researchers in the ways they design, analyze, andinterpret research paradigms. His patience, goodhumor, and insistence on rigor are legendary inthe classroom and his office, where he has ‘con-sulted’ with researchers as if he were on their research teams. His texts on data analysis haveshaped the way researchers think about analyzingplanned comparisons and influenced our psycho-logical knowledge base. For his commitment toexcellence in research, and for fostering that com-mitment to others, we honor Geoffrey Keppel.”

Edward P. Sheridanreceived his Ph.D. inClinical Psychologyfrom Loyola Univer-sity in Chicago in1968. He was SeniorPsychologist for theOakland CountyMichigan CommunityMental Health Ser-vices (1967-1968)and Assistant Profes-

sor and Coordinator of Clinical Training in theCounseling Center at the University of Illinois,Chicago (1968-1973). He then went to North

See APA Awards, back cover

1997 APA Education and Training Awards

Edward P. Sheridan, Ph.D

PHOTO BFPO

Geoffrey Keppel, Ph.D

PHOTO AFPO

2 Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998

BRIEFING

Today’s pediatric psychologist wears a number of different hats.While previously defined as a practitioner who worked on a pediatricfloor, modern day pediatric psychologists are recognized as providersof a number of diverse services in both inpatient and outpatient settings. They consult not only with pediatricians and medical staffbut with parents, school systems, state and county welfare depart-ments, juvenile courts and health and social service agencies. Theywork in hospitals, outpatient clinics, pain centers, dialysis centers andas consultants in private practices. A typical day in the life of a pediatric psychologist may include such tasks as meeting with a childand family to help prepare them to cope with the child’s upcominglung transplant, working with a family around issues related to anadolescent’s failure to seek medical care for a failing kidney, helping achild with leukemia cope with the pain and anxiety related to an up-coming procedure, responding to a consult about an infant who hasfluid around his brain and may be suffering from shaken baby syn-drome, checking on a research project, and testing a mentally retarded oncology patient’s capability to understand information regarding a bone-marrow transplant. While this field incorporatesmuch of the background and techniques from the more traditionalfields of clinical child and developmental psychology, characteristicsspecific to working in a medical setting create special issues and prob-lems. This article will present a discussion of some of the differentareas that compose the field of pediatric psychology today.

Consultation and LiaisonAs opposed to the more standard 50 minute hour utilized in clin-

ical psychology practice, pediatric psychologists often are involved inconsultation and liaison services within various medical settings. Differences implicit in the demands of the medical situation resultfrom operating within an environment in which the disease model isutilized. When requesting a consult from a psychologist, physiciansoften expect quick, practical answers to what can often be extremelycomplex questions. Whereas there are frequently specific tests thatcan be run to diagnose a physical condition, the psychological functioning of an individual is often much more difficult to assess. Insuch a setting, pediatric psychology is not the primary care agent so itis important to deliver services in such a way so as not to disrupt thepatient/physician relationship. As there are usually other professionalsworking with the child the pediatric psychologist must be able tofunction in a multidisciplinary setting, and be prepared to interveneat multiple levels through multiple types of personnel. In addition,children in a hospital setting may be admitted for a few days whichmakes lengthy assessment and psychotherapy impossible. Finally, there is also the need to be responsive to the special needs ofthe medical staff as well as to the stressors they encounter. Workingwith medically ill children can be difficult for the caretakers. Helpingthem to respond adaptively to their own emotions and concerns canbe an important role for the psychologist in this setting.

The consultation liaison model can function in a number ofways. Psychologists may serve as independent specialists who providediagnosis and sometimes treatment for patients referred by the physician. Generally, this serves as a means of answering a particularquestion such as “Why is this 5-year-old not talking?” or “What isstanding in the way of this child complying with his medical treat-ment?”. While this can be a cost effective means of answering somequestions it frequently does not encourage integrated patient careamong professionals. Another approach which addresses this issue isa collaborative team model. The team approach focuses on the shar-ing and integration of information about the patient gathered by eachmember of the team. The team may consist of psychologists, socialworkers, physicians, nurses and school personnel each of whom hasdifferent information and ideas about what is happening with thechild. This allows for a more complete picture to be formed about theproblem. Each member also has input regarding the treatment plan.Treatment plans are reviewed regularly and altered as necessary bythe entire team. Unfortunately, while this is often an extremely effec-tive means of treatment, it can be difficult to find time and fundingfor such approaches.

Pain and Procedural DistressAll children at some point will have to undergo a painful medical

procedure or will experience a painful condition. This may entail morecommon childhood experiences such as broken bones or immuniza-tions or such things as surgery, lumber puncture or painful crises asso-ciated with sickle cell disease. There has been much effort put forthtoward investigating what helps a child cope with pain along with at-tempts to decrease the distress associated with painful experiences.

Research indicates that a number of factors are associated withcoping and distress during painful situations. Investigations havedemonstrated the importance of the parent’s responses to their child.Parent behaviors that have been demonstrated to cue distress in thechild during invasive medical procedures have included reassurance,empathic comments, and apologies to the child while non-procedurerelated talk, humor, and commands to use coping strategies were associated with child coping (Blount et al., 1989). Thus, pediatricpsychologists have focused on training parents to engage in morecoping-related behavior and less distress-related behavior when in-teracting with their children during medical procedures.

Cognitive behavioral treatment is also frequently used by the pediatric psychologist to aid a child in coping with painful experi-ences. Often such programs are put in place before the distressing situation in order to prepare the child and parent. These interven-tions usually combine the use of several techniques including hyp-nosis or relaxation, information provision, coping skills training,modeling, and behavioral rehearsal. One of the best known prepa-ration programs for children was developed by Susan Jay and hercolleagues (Jay, Elliot, Katz, & Siegel, 1987). This program involves

The Role of Pediatric Psychologists in Health Care SettingsBy Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D., George Washington University

Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998 3

watching a video of a child who is undergoing a procedure andteaches the child breathing exercises and use of imagery and dis-traction. In addition, incentives, rehearsal of responses expectedduring the procedure, and a therapist’s coaching during the actualprocedure are incorporated into the treatment. This treatment pro-tocol and others like it are frequently utilized in medical situationsto help children cope with painful and invasive procedures.

Medical ComplianceCompliance with medical regimens is a major concern in

pediatric populations. Failure to comply with medical advice has beendocumented in the literature in a wide range of pediatric patients including children with diabetes (Varni & Wallander, 1984), asthma(Eney & Goldstein, 1976), ear infections (Dickey et al., 1975), andrheumatic fever (Gordis, Markowitz, & Lilienfeld). Estimates of non-compliance for short term treatment such as use of antibioticshave been reported to be around 33% (Becker& Maiman, 1975), while compliance withlonger term, more complex regimens, such asthe protocol for hypertension have been re-ported to be as high as 50% (Sackett & Snow,1979).

There have been a number of factorswhich have been demonstrated to be associatedwith non-compliance in children with medicalconditions. These factors often work in combi-nation to help determine whether a child willadhere to their medical regimen. Treatment andillness characteristics are one group of variablesthat have been shown to be important in pre-dicting non-compliance. Children who are required to take a large number of medications frequently, take medication that is difficult toadminister (e.g. shots vs. liquid) and do notperceive an immediate health benefit of takingthe medication, and have a number of side effects have more trouble with compliance than their counterparts(Becker & Maiman, 1975). In addition, illnesses that are asympto-matic are more likely to result in compliance problems than illnesseswith multiple symptoms since the child often does not perceive theimportance of treatment (Rapoff and Christophersen, 1982).

Other factors associated with child non-compliance include a difficult behavioral style as well as the inability to utilize social peernetworks effectively (Rapoff & Christophersen, 1982). In addition,the coping literature suggests parent and child use of approach vs.avoidance coping precipitates less non-compliance behavior (Overholser & Fritz, 1990). The stress and coping literature alsodemonstrates the importance of optimism and perceived self-effi-cacy in coping with many stressful situations such as medical illness(Lazarus, 1980).

Another factor shown to be related to child non-compliance is parenting style. Parental warmth and reasoning in discipline has beenassociated with more mature medical decisions by the child evenwhen they are not in the presence of their parents (Kucynski, 1978).Clear, consistent limit setting has been shown to decrease child non-compliance behavior (McMahon, Forehand, & Griest, 1982). A

consistent parenting style may also be reflected in the parents’ com-pliance in helping the child follow medical directions. This is impor-tant as child compliance is often strongly influenced by the parent.Parental efforts may interact with the child’s behavioral style andcoping style and become especially important in children with difficult temperaments or impulsive behavioral styles.

Case ExampleJeremy was a 17-year-old male diagnosed with nephrotic

syndrome. He had undergone a kidney transplant and was sufferingfrom chronic rejection at the time of consult. Jeremy was referredfor increasing acting out behavior and non-compliance with hismedical regimen.

According to parental report, Jeremy had a long standing historyof non-compliant behavior. This included difficulty getting him to follow routines as a child and failure to comply with limits as he grew

older. Jeremy was described as a difficult baby.He did not appear to self soothe and was diffi-cult to comfort. Mother described Jeremy asbeing “moody”, having a temper, and prone todepression when facing difficult situations. Je-remy stated that he had always had difficultycoping with stressful situations preferring toavoid other people and sit in his room aloneduring such times. Jeremy had previously beenhospitalized for Meningitis, a tonsillectomy, andplacement of ear tubes. Mother stated that heexhibited great distress during each hospitaliza-tion and had difficulty with procedures in gen-eral. Problems with general non-compliance in-creased after diagnosis and Jeremy subsequentlydropped out of school. Medical compliance de-teriorated after the transplant. Post-morbid ad-justment was characterized by depression and ageneral inability to cope. Jeremy made a suicideattempt shortly after diagnosis. When he began

experiencing rejection the depression worsened and non-compliancewith his medical regimen increased. Jeremy made little effort togather information about his illness especially after the transplant.After the possibility of re-transplant was raised he refused to complywith any medical recommendations including biopsies that wouldhelp in diagnosing the problem. Regardless of the outcome of medicaltreatment, Jeremy did not expect his life to improve.

The mother’s parenting style was generally controlling and combative, and she alternated between acting detached and acting emotional. In general she was not able to enforce limits. She felt thatshe was unable to do anything to decrease Jeremy’s non-compliantbehavior. Regarding adjustment, she alternated between feelings ofanxiety, depression, and anger. She displayed an approaching copingstyle and frequently responded to stress by attempting to take controlof the situation. The parent-child interaction was characterized byconstant conflict. Their opposing coping styles also set them up forfrequent battles.

Illness characteristics related to Jeremy’s renal failure includedlethargy, nausea and edema. Related treatment characteristics included multiple post-transplant medications for rejection, and BP.

Working with

medically ill children

can be difficult for the

caretakers. Helping

them to respond

adaptively to their own

emotions and concerns

can be an important role

for the psychologist in

this setting.

4 Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998

In addition, Jeremy was fearful that re-transplant would greatly interrupt his life style. The previous case study illustrates the complexinteractions of parent, child and medical factors which can influencechild compliance. Child and parent pre- and post-morbid adjustment, previous non-compliance behavior, illness, and treatmentcharacteristics including previous medical experience and under-standing of illness, parent and child coping, child temperament andbehavioral style, optimism, worries and expectations, influence eachother on multiple levels. Thus, it is important for the pediatric psychologist to remember that medical compliance is not merely afunction of the child’s behavior alone.

Adjustment to Chronic Illness and Quality of Life

Due to improved medical technology, children with chronic ill-nesses are living longer and their adaptation and quality of life are be-coming an increasing concern. Research has de-lineated a number of factors which have beenshown to influence the adjustment of chronicallyill children. One of the more recent models ofadaptation, the Disability-Stress-Coping Model ofChronic Illness (Wallander et al., 1989) focuses onrisk and resistance factors. Risk factors includeDisease/ Disability Parameters (e.g. diagnosis,handicap severity, cognitive functioning), Func-tional Independence, and Psychological Stressors(e.g. handicap-related problems, major lifeevents, daily hassles). Resistance factors includeIntrapersonal Factors (e.g. temperament, problemsolving ability) Social-Ecological Factors (e.g. so-cial support, family members’ adaptation) andStress Processing (e.g. cognitive appraisal, coping strategies). These riskand resiliency factors interact to influence adaptation. According to thismodel, adaptation consists of three areas; mental health, social func-tioning and physical health. Thus, a child who has many risk factorsbut few resistance factors will likely have more difficulty coping than achild with few risk factors but many resistance factors.

Quality of life is also an area that is drawing increasing attention.Although the life spans of children with chronic illness can now oftenbe increased this does not necessarily mean that the quality of lifethey experience is adequate. Quality of life has been defined in manydifferent ways but is generally thought to encompass three elements:illness status, functional capabilities and psychosocial status (Spieth& Harris, 1996). Illness status refers to the course of the disease,physical health and wellbeing. Functional capacity refers to thechild’s ability to fulfill developmental and age specific activities. Finally, psychosocial status includes the areas of social, emotional andpsychological functioning. One example of a pediatric chronic illnesswhere quality of life has been carefully examined is growth deficiency.Regarding the area of illness status, children with multiple pituitary deficiencies have been shown to suffer from greater cognitive deficitsand psychosocial difficulties than children with fewer biological deficiencies (Pilpel et al., 1995). In addition, children with growth deficiency have been shown to act more immaturely than other chil-

dren, refusing to engage in age appropriate tasks such as dressing,toileting or feeding. This is frequently compounded as adults mayperceive growth deficient children as younger than they actually aredue to their height and physical appearance (Rotnem et al., 1977).Finally, growth deficient children have been shown to suffer fromshyness, anxiety, somatization and depression (Meyer-Bahlburg,1985). Further, these difficulties may persist into adulthood, evenafter successful treatment with growth hormone therapy (Dean et al.,1986). Thus, although there is a successful treatment for this disorder,the long term quality of life of these individuals may continue to bepoor. Simply curing the diseases does not therefore always equatewith improved adaptation in children with chronic illness. Continuedpost-treatment assessment is important to improve the quality of lifeand overall adjustment of these children as medical technology con-tinues to become more effective in curing disease.

Prevention and Health PromotionPediatric psychologists spend much time

and effort attempting to restore chronically andacutely ill children to previous levels of func-tioning. However, another field these practi-tioners are becoming increasingly involved in isillness and injury prevention and health promo-tion. As opposed to helping children adjust afterthey have become ill, this field involves helpingchildren to avoid the risk to begin with. In otherwords, it helps healthy children remain healthy.This includes such areas as nutrition, dentalhygiene, wearing seatbelts and bike helmets,and drug abuse and smoking prevention. Although the needs of ill children often predom-

inate, there is increasing awareness of the need for primary preven-tion efforts in the field of pediatric psychology.

Sometimes it is necessary for psychologists to become involved inlocal and national politics in order to help develop mandated methodsforprevention. Examples of this method of intervention include thelawsrequiring placing children in car seats and some local communi-ties’ use of curfews for children under 18 years of age. Another type ofintervention involves educational methods such as the “Just Say No toDrugs” campaign and AIDS education programs. Some of these inter-ventions may be nationally based such as those listed above or theymay be specific to communities such as certain states that requirechildren to wear helmets when they ride bicycles. In addition, inter-ventions may be individually based. This may involve educational efforts by primary care physicians regarding such issues as childhoodobesity, pregnancy prevention or infectious diseases. Psychologistsmay become involved at any or all of these levels and often providetraining for practitioners within community settings to allow them tocarry out such interventions individually.

Summary and ConclusionsThis article has summarized some of the major areas in which

pediatric psychologists are involved. As a relatively young field, the See Pediatric, page 7

Simply curing the

disease does not

therefore always

equate with improved

adaptation in children

with chronic illness.

Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998 5

In the mid- to late-1960s when I was a graduate student at the Labo-ratory of Comparative and Physiological Psychology at Ohio State, I would never have predicted the career path that I have had the goodfortune to follow. Although rats, cats and monkeys offered interestingopportunities for research, somewhere along the line I discovered thatpilots were even more interesting as subjects, and my professional lifehas never been the same since!

My original intent upon entering Bowling Green State Universityin 1960 was to become an engineer, however, a course in IndustrialPsychology showed me that scientific principles and methods could beused to study human behavior, and completely and forever changedmy career plans. Shortly thereafter, I switched majors and transferredto The Ohio State University. Ray Miles guided me during my under-graduate studies, and steered me to Don Myer who headed up thephysiological psychology program. Many rats, cats and monkeys later,I entered my final year as a graduate student, and realized it was timeto make some important career choices.

I became aware that the field of “human factors” offered someopportunities. Many large aerospace companies and government lab-oratories were looking for human factors psychologists to work on var-ious programs funded by the Department of Defense and NASA, thenin its halcyon Apollo days. Although the Aviation Psychology Labora-tory at OSU had one of the preeminent programs in the country, I hadnever taken a course in human factors - too busy with rats, cats andmonkeys, I guess. In spite of this, I had rekindled a long-smolderinginterest in aeronautics and space technology, and accepted an offer tobecome a research psychologist at the Naval Training Devices Centerin Orlando, Florida. In the Fall of 1969 my wife Susan (whom I hadmet in the lab at OSU), my stepdaughter (born in University Hospi-tal), and I were off to study pilots.

Although I was worried that my lack of exposure to the humanfactors world would prove to be a stumbling point, I quickly learnedthat the fundamentals of experimental design, statistical analysis, andreport writing applied equally well to my new research setting. Oneproject I was assigned to involved the Lockheed P-3C Orion, one of theNavy’s front-line antisubmarine warfare aircraft. This project oftentook me to Moffett Field, California, where I discovered that NASA’sAmes Research Center was not in Iowa, a misconception apparentlyshared by others. On one of my trips, I met Ed Huff, then Chief of theMan-Machine Integration Branch, an organizational name that failspresent-day tests for political correctness. I was fascinated by the facili-ties and the research underway there, made a casual inquiry about theprospects of a job, and was told there were none, much to my disap-pointment. However, about a month later, Ed asked if I was really in-terested in moving to Northern California, I said yes, and in early 1973I began studying pilot performance in a civil aviation setting.

Those were exciting days: the airline industry was beginning torecognize that the control and management of human error was criti-cal to improving an already-outstanding safety record. Ames had

attracted a very bright, creative group of scientists who, with the aidand assistance of Pan American and United, among other airlines,were able to conduct human performance research using high fidelityflight simulators supplemented by naturalistic observation of line op-erations. Many of the ideas now in common use in airline training andoperations had their origin in the work of this group with whom I hadhad the good fortune to become associated.

In 1985, I was appointed by President Reagan as a Member ofthe National Transportation Safety Board. Being a Member of theBoard gave me an opportunity to help shape national policy in mattershaving to do with transportation safety. I served two terms on theSafety Board, and believe that I was able to help transform the con-cept of human error accidents from events that someone must be pun-ished for (“blame and train”) to events that challenge systems engi-neering. Rather than point fingers, we were able to establish that thecritical questions were how to design systems, say airplanes and airtraffic control systems, in such a way that the occurrence of humanerror is minimized, and when it does occur, to mitigate its effects onsystem safety.

After the end of my second term at the Safety Board, I joinedDelta Air Lines as Vice President, Corporate Safety and Compliance.Instead of conducting scientific research or advocating changes in national policy I was faced with the very real problem of putting intopractice that which I had be preaching in my earlier careers. But theunderlying, fundamental, problem was still the same: how to achieveeffective human performance in a complex, dynamic, demanding, andsometimes dangerous operational environment. Infusing a corporationthe size of Delta with a safety culture that affected the performance ofevery individual in the company, from the Board Room to the cockpit,cabin, ramp and maintenance hangar was a psychologist’s dream-come-true. We were able to put into place a top-notch safety programincluding a very wide-ranging human factors effort that is paying div-idends throughout the organization.

After slightly more than two years at Delta, I was presented withan opportunity to join Airbus as Vice President - Training and HumanFactors. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse since it gave me an opportu-nity to exercise virtually all of my interests in one job. My primary responsibility is to manage the Miami training center which supportsAirbus customers throughout the Americas. However, I also have broadresponsibilities in safety and human factors, working closely with Air-bus people in Toulouse, France, the headquarters of Airbus Industrie.Effective human performance is critical to safe and efficient operationof our air transportation system, and each of my job functions is concerned in one way or another with achieving such per-formance. It is a long way from rats, cats, monkeys and SkinnerBoxes to pilots and Fly-by-Wire cockpits, but psychology - the study ofbehavior, spans the entire distance. NOTE: This article originally appeared in Psychological Science Agenda(1997), Vol.10 (6) . Reprinted with permission.

Career Choice: Human FactorsBy John K. Lauber, Ph.D., Vice President-Training and Human Factors, Airbus Industrie

6 Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998

Over the course of the past three decades, suicide andsuicidal behavior has become increasingly commonamong adolescents. The rate of suicide completionsin youths, age 15-19, was 2.7 per 100,000 in 1950(Berman & Jobes, 1995). In 1992, the correspondingrate was 10.8 per 100,000, an increase of over 300%(National Center for Injury and Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention, 1995)! Also, it has been esti-mated that for every adolescent suicide completion,there are approximately 100 suicide attempts (National Center for Health Statistics, 1996). More-over, surveys have found that about 9% of adolescentshave attempted suicide at least once in their lifetime(Berman & Jobes, 1991). Given that suicide is cur-rently the third leading cause of death in adolescents,it warrants concern for any people working with ado-lescent populations.

Although adolescents have a high risk for attempt-ing suicide, they are actually less likely to complete suicide when compared to other age groups. King(1997) has stressed that the ratio of suicide attempts tocompletions is the highest during adolescence whencompared to any other period in the life span. Eventhough an occurrence of an adolescent suicide comple-tion or attempt is often alarming, and can be overwhelming for those involved, there exist some clear demographic risk variables that can help us gain a better understanding of this multifaceted phenomenon.There are notable differences in gender, race, affectivedisorders, substance abuse, and conduct disordersamong suicidal versus non-suicidal adolescents.

Specifically, adolescent males are about fourtimes as likely to commit suicide when compared tofemales (Smith, 1990). On the other hand, suicideattempters are three times more likely to be female(Smith, 1990). Thus, females are more at risk for attempting suicide, whereas males are more likely tocomplete. Additionally, racial differences also exist;the Caucasian-to-African-American ratio of suicidecompletions in 1990 was 2.3:1 (Berman & Jobes,1995). Thus, in general, Caucasian adolescents are atgreater risk of completing suicide when compared totheir African-American peers.

Suicide risk among adolescents has also beenclosely linked with psychopathology. More specifically,

the presence of an affective disorder has been associ-ated with an increased risk of both suicide attemptsand completions (Smith, 1990). Active substanceabuse, especially when present in depressed adoles-cents, has been posited as an additional risk factor forsuicide (Berman & Jobes, 1995). Finally, the presenceof a conduct disorder in adolescents has been identifiedas an additional risk factor (King, 1997).

Taken together, these risk variables provide usefulinsight into the characteristics that one might see insuicidal adolescents. It must be stressed that suchvariables when present do not necessarily mean thatan adolescent is suicidal, but only that he or she maybe at increased risk. Given their contact with teens,teachers are uniquely positioned to identify at-riskadolescents. This proximity is also shared by an at-risk student’s peers. Fortunately, much can bedone by teachers and peers in the recognition and ultimate prevention of an adolescent suicide.

In addition to the above risk variables which canhelp identify groups of adolescents who may be at riskfor future suicide, four main warning signs can helpteachers and peers to recognize a student who may becurrently considering suicide. It is important to keepin mind that most suicides are crisis acts that occur ina crisis context. The Suicide Prevention and CrisisCenter of San Mateo County, CA (1997) has summa-rized the following warning signs:

• Before committing suicide, adolescents often directly state their intentions to end their lives orsay that others would be better off without them.

• Adolescents who have previously attempted suicide are at higher risk of committing suicide inthe future, even if their attempts did not appearserious.

• Extreme changes in behavior (e.g., an outgoingperson becomes withdrawn, unfriendly, or disin-terested; a shy person becomes a thrill-seeker;etc.) especially in the absence of an apparentreason are clues to an impending suicide.

• Making final arrangements (e.g., giving awaysignificant personal possessions, including a favorite book, compact disc, etc.) is often an indicator of an imminent suicide attempt.

See Suicide, page 7

Adolescent Suicide: Recognition and PreventionBy Aaron M. Jacoby, M.A., Jason B. Luoma, and David A. Jobes, Ph.D.

Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998 7

Pediatric, from page 4area will continue to develop and change as the mem-bers define and redefine how they will be useful toboth ill and healthy children. Towards this end, prac-titioners are beginning to put together an empiricalresearch data base from which they hope to drawconclusions as to the most effective manner in whichto intervene. The Journal of Pediatric Psychology, theprimary journal for the Society of Pediatric Psychol-ogy, publishes recent research findings on a bimonthlybasis. In addition, many training programs are begin-ning to include specializations in pediatric psychologyas a sub-specialty within clinical child psychology.However, while this article provides information re-garding the pediatric psychologist as an individual

practitioner, it is important to note the push by many for a more integrative approach to child health care(e.g. Peterson & Harbeck, 1988). As such the pediatric psychologist would be a member of an interdisciplinary team aimed at providing holistichealth care to children. Thus, the social, emotionaland educational needs of children would be moni-tored continuously throughout development, in addi-tion to their physical needs, and psychosocial inter-vention would be utilized in conjunction with medicalintervention as appropriate. Continued research andcommunity and political involvement will be neededto make this a realistic goal for the future.References available upon request to PsychologyTeacher Network

Suicide, from page 6In cases in which adolescents do communicate

(either directly or indirectly) that they are suicidal, anumber of steps can be taken. First, one shoulddemonstrate a willingness to discuss students’ feelingsaround suicide in an open, non-threatening manner.Doing so allows suicidal students to feel understood,conveying the idea that they are not alone in theirstruggle. One should specifically inquire whether ornot suicidal students have formulated any specificplans and if they have acted upon any such plans. Tryto be a concerned listener, resisting the urge to pro-vide reassurances that tend to make them feel morehopeless and guilty (e.g., “Things can’t stay this wayforever;” “You have so much to live for;” or “Thinkabout how your parents will feel”). Active questioningaround the topic of suicide is a crucial means for un-derstanding adolescent suicidality. However, manyteachers and peers may feel uncomfortable askingquestions about suicide, believing that talking moreabout suicide will ultimately precipitate the suicidalact. To date, there exists no research that supportsthe belief that talking about suicide necessarily leadsto higher rates of suicide. Actually, prominent suici-dologists have asserted that just the opposite results;talking about suicide can actually reduce the overallrisk of an individual committing suicide. Fundamen-tally, there is no prospect of intervention without anawareness of the problem.

Although teachers and peers can help recognizeand identify an adolescent’s suicidality, they shouldroutinely seek outside professional help. Many re-sources are available, ranging from immediate 24hour crisis intervention to short and long-term clinicaltreatments. It is essential that teachers and peers

obtain assistance from mental health professionalswhen dealing with a suicidal adolescent, and as a bot-tom line they should strongly encourage the adoles-cent to speak to his or her school guidance counseloror some other trained professional. Appropriate recog-nition of suicide risk and professional intervention canliterally help save a life.

For more information or the number of a localcrisis hotline contact:

American Association of Suicidology4201 Connecticut Ave. NW , Suite 310Washington, DC 20008Phone #: (202) 237-2280Website: http://www.cyberpsych.org/aas.htm

REFERENCES

Berman, A. L., & Jobes, D. A. (1991). Adolescent suicide: Assessment and intervention. Washington,DC: American Psychological Association.

Berman, A. L., & Jobes, D. A. (1995). IV. A populationperspective: Suicide prevention in adolescents (age 12-18). Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior,25, 143-154.

King, C. A. (1997). Suicidal behavior in adolescence.In R. W. Maris, M. M. Silverman, and S. S. Canetto(Eds.), Review of suicidology, 1997. New York: TheGuilford Press.

National Center for Health Statistics. (1996). Advancereport of final mortality statistics, 1994. NCHSMonthly Vital Statistics Report, 45 (Suppl. 3), 63.

National Center for Injury and Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention (1995). Suicide in theUnited States 1980-1992. Violence SurveillanceSummary Series No. 1. Atlanta, GA: Author.

Smith, K. (1990). Suicidal behavior in school agedyouth. School Psychology Review, 19, 186-195.

Suicide Prevention and Crisis Center of San MateoCounty, CA. (1997). Suicide in youth and what youcan do about it [Brochure]. Westpoint, PA: Author

A record number of ballots were cast in the 1997 Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) ExecutiveBoard elections. An incredibly strong ballot was put forth, as high school psychology leaders from around thecountry agreed to run for office.

After all the votes were tallied by the APA Governance Affairs Office, the following TOPSS member wereelected to the Board:

Carol Dean, Ed.D., Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL—Chair-ElectCraig Gruber, Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda, MD—Secretary-ElectKristin Hibashi Whitlock, Viewmont High School, Bountiful, UT—Member-At-Large

The future of TOPSS is bright, given the strength of these newly-elected, dynamic leaders. During theirtenure, many of you will be called upon to assist with TOPSS’ projects. If you would like to get more involved inTOPSS please contact Peter Petrossian, APA Officer for Precollege and Undergraduate Programs, at (800) 374-2721 x 6076 or via email at pjp.apa@email.apa.org.

Special Note: Charles Brewer, Ph.D., of Furman University, was named Faculty Consultant to the TOPSSBoard at the September meeting.

8 Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998

NEWS FROM TOPSS

TOPSS Election ResultsBy Randy Ernst, TOPSS Past-Chair

CaliforniaLeslie Hays, Helix HS, La MesaVera Johnson, Cathedral City Sage Sprankle, Mission ViejoJames Veit, Orange

ColoradoSharon Aguiar, Summit HS, Frisco

IllinoisTeresa Quarles, Rolling Meadows

IowaRon Turner, Charles City HS,

Charles City

KansasLarry Blazer, SterlingMatt McKee, Andale HS, Andale

KentuckyAnne Gray, RichmondMaryland

Martin Berger, RockvilleCarolyn Henckler, Baltimore

MassachusettsKimberly Dunn, RandolphMary Lynn, SaugusMillie Skinner, Braintree

New HampshireGary Colby, Northwood

New JerseyRobin Bauer, EdisonRobert Dougherty, Somerset

New YorkRobert Shafer, Gansevort

OhioRod Lake, Claymont HS,

Uhrichsville

OregonJoan Kvita, Portland

UtahWilliam Noble, SandyLark Woodbury, Layton

VirginiaAnita Best, Bethel High Sch, Hampton Phyllis Eastman, Newport News Patricia Reese, Chesapeake

WisconsinRoger Kuckkan, PewaukeeDiana Mastalski, West BendMike Sauer, Oak Creek Sr HS,

Oak Creek

New TOPSS Members

Carol DeanChair-Elect

PHOTO CFPO

Craig GruberSecretary-Elect

PHOTO DFPO

Kristin Hibashi WhitlockMember-At-Large

PHOTO EFPO

Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998 9

Highlight on Utah State Coordinator InitiativesBy Christine Johnson, APA Education Directorate

Introducing the first of a series of articles that willhighlight TOPSS State Coordinators’ efforts to net-work, set initiatives, and conduct outreach with otherpsychology teachers on the high school, 2-year, and 4-year levels, and local psychological organizations.These articles are informational, but more importantlyare a tool for psychology educators to use as a frame-work in developing similar initiatives in their states oreven abroad. We encourage and support any initiativesthat foster the expansion of psychology and HighSchool Teacher Affiliate outreach/recruitment. Articlesubmissions and ideas for future articles are welcomed.

Kristin Whitlock, State Coordinator of Utah, andTOPSS’ new Member-at-Large, provides wonderfulmodels for creating linkages, networks, and outreachwith local psychological associations, universities, andpsychology teachers. Her efforts have been supportedby Irwin Altman, Ph.D., of the University of Utah,Robert Hill, Ph.D., of the Utah Psychological Associa-tion and the University of Utah, and NancyMatthews, State Social Studies Specialist of the UtahState Board of Education.

With the help of a core group of dedicatedTOPSS members: Pamela Coburn (Davis HighSchool), Marilyn Greer (Layton High School),Stephanie Farnsworth (Bountiful High School), andMarcia Miller (Brighton High School), Kristin hasaccomplished much as Utah State Coordinator. Hernetworking efforts have included sending a mailingto principals encouraging them to pay for the mem-bership of their psychology teachers to TOPSS. Her principal and District Area Director wrote amessage of support for TOPSS for this mailing. Additionally, to develop a current listing of all psychology teachers, she contacted district curricu-lum specialistsand principals by phone. She has alsofollowed up on her endeavor by contacting the principals through email.

Two other mailings were sent to teachers that included general information on TOPSS, membershipinformation, and the newsletter “Utah News”, whichprovided unit lesson plan ideas, an announcement ofthe University of Utah’s Psychology Day in Spring1997, and information on the workshop and booth tobe sponsored by TOPSS, UPA, and the Utah Associa-tion for School Psychologists at the Utah EducationAssociation Conference. This successful workshop, heldin October, was coordinated by Pam Coburn, Marilyn

Greer, Stephanie Farnsworth and Kristin. For a $5.00registration fee, which paid for copying costs, teachersreceived a workbook of activities and participated in a“swap meet” where they brought activities to trade.

The Utah State Board of Education’s State Social Studies Specialist was instrumental in helpingto assess the needs of the psychology teachers in Utah.At the request of Kristin and other TOPSS members,they distributed a survey to every district asking suchquestions as: What sort of psychology course istaught?; What area of psychology would they wouldlike workshops on?; and Would they desire network-ing opportunities with other psychology teachers andif so from what areas of psychology? The majority ofrespondents reported that they taught general or Ad-vanced Placement psychology. Most helpful was thefinding that respondents desired opportunities to network and welcomed more psychological materials,specifically unit lesson plans on the brain, learningstyles, computers in the classroom, and stress reduction techniques.

Working with Irwin Altman, Ph.D., of the University of Utah and Robert Hill, Ph.D., of theUtah Psychological Association, Kristin met with theUtah Psychological Association (UPA) to propose theestablishment of Teacher Affiliate Status for UPA.Consequently, the motion was unanimously approvedby the UPA last spring. Presently, Dr. Hill is workingto establish membership benefits for these Affiliatemembers.

In the spirit of networking and creating linkageswith those at all levels, Kristin has been very effective.We encourage you to do so as well and welcome theuse of the networks that the Precollege and Under-graduate Programs has in place (e.g. listings of all TOPSS members, listings of all of the psychologyteachers in the country, 2-year colleges/universitypsychology professors, psychology websiteinformation, listings of organizations associated withpsychology outside of APA, etc.). Please do not hesitate to call the central office with any ideas thatyou may need assistance in implementing. Shouldyou need further information on developing initiativessimilar to the ones in this article or others please feelfree to contact APA’s Precollege and UndergraduateProgram at (800) 374-2721, extension 6076 or via email at cej.apa@email.apa.org. Also, feel freeto contact Kristin Whitlock atkwhitlock@admin.vhs.davis.k12.ut.us.

ACTIVITY

10 Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998

Inquiries, Demonstrations, Experiments and Activities

Concept:

Materials:

Instructions:

Discussion:

WritingComponent:

Variation on Operant ConditioningBy Rob McEntarffer, Lincoln Southeast High School, Lincoln, NE

When starting a lesson or unit on operant conditioning, most psychology teachers will operantly condition a studentto perform a task. This demonstration can be easily extended to show how ineffective punishment can be when usedto train an organism to perform a task. This extension of the operant conditioning demonstration will show studentsdrawbacks of using punishment to train an organism to perform a task. Students will see that training can takelonger and how the organism’s behaviors may be suppressed in general.

Student volunteer, stopwatch

The activity starts with the traditional operant conditioning demonstration many psychology teachers already use intheir classrooms. Ask for two student volunteers and send them out of the class so that they cannot hear you talkingwith the rest of the class. Discuss with the class what you are going to do— use operant conditioning to train thevolunteers to perform a task. The class needs to choose a task that the volunteers won’t stumble upon, but won’t beso difficult that the exercise will take more than the class period. Examples: move a desk, make a mark on theblackboard, turn on the overhead, etc. When the task is chosen, explain the conditioning procedures:

First volunteer - Reward (Positive Reinforcement) - the class should applaud when the subject gets close to the desired behavior.

Second volunteer - Punishment - the class should “boo” when the subject moves away from the desired behavior.

Gather hypotheses about what will happen from the class - which method do they predict will be most effective? Invite the first volunteer in, start the stopwatch, and begin the positive reinforcement conditioning, applauding when the volunteer gets closer to the desired behavior. Time how long it takes for the volunteer to com-plete the task. Then invite the second volunteer in, and repeat, using punishment, “booing” when the subject movesaway from the desired behavior. Compare the times, check with the class about whether their hypothesis was provenor disproven, and discuss some of the reasons why the demonstration turned out the way it did.

This activity usually generates a good class discussion about the effectiveness of positive reinforcement vs. punish-ment in conditioning a desired behavior. Conditioning the second subject takes much longer, and sometimes is un-successful because the subject only knows what not to do, not what the desired behavior is. You can discuss the sec-ond subject’s behaviors with the class (e.g. Was his or her behavior suppressed in general? Did he or she seemstressed?). You can ask the class: “Should punishment be used to train an organism to do a desired behavior or tostop an undesired behavior?” and use the results of the demonstration to show why punishment is not effective inencouraging a desired behavior.

A possible extension of this activity is to include a third subject to be conditioned with negative reinforcement.Instruct the class to “boo” continuously until the subject moves closer to the desired behavior, pause the booing, thenresume until they make another move closer to the target behavior. The three different methods of conditioningcould then be compared.

After the class discussion about the demonstration, students could write about examples from their lives of situationsin which positive reinforcement and punishment were used, and which method was more, or less, effective in thesesituations. Students could go on to write about how they might use conditioning in their lives: Raising children, con-ditioning pets, or interactions with peers or family members. The subjects in the experiment could write about theexperience of being conditioned and what it felt like to be a “subject.”

References and Suggested ReadingsMyers, David G. (1986). Psychology (4th ed.) New York: Worth Publishing, Inc.

Psychology Teacher Network is looking for good ideas, activities and experiments to share with our readers. Please submit any activities to Psychology Teacher Network, Education Directorate.

Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998 11

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Northern Kentucky UniversityJuly 5-31, 1998

Sponsored by the Department of Psychology atNorthern Kentucky University with support from theNational Science Foundation & The Northern Kentucky University Foundation.

The Department of Psychology at Northern Ken-tucky University will host a summer institute forhigh school psychology teacherswho wish to improve the scien-tific content and methods oftheir courses. Participants willwork in small groups under thedirection of noted psychologyfaculty and high school masterteachers to enhance their un-derstanding of the content andmethods of psychology as a scientific discipline. Teacherswho complete the institute willreceive free room and board(individual dorm room), text-books and other teaching materials, a $1200 stipend, and some financial assistance with travel.

Institute Format and ObjectivesThirty-two participants will learn how to teach

the science of psychology by learning how to do thescience of psychology. With emphasis on classroomdemonstrations and other active learning methods,the primary topic focus will be on content areas oftenunder-represented in high school courses (researchmethods, biological bases of behavior, sensation andperception, principles of learning, memory, and cognition). Faculty will also cover recent researchfindings in abnormal, social, and developmental psychology. In addition, participants will work insmall groups under the direction of nationally recog-nized high school master teachers to design, conduct, analyze, and report on their own psychological research studies. Microcomputers will be utilizedthroughout the institute, and participants will betaught how to access teaching resources on the Internet and communicate with each other and insti-tute faculty via e-mail. Master teachers will provide

training in how to conduct effective in-service programs so that participants may share their newknowledge with colleagues in their home regions. Important Note: Participants are not expected to bewell versed in the science of psychology before the institute. We will teach you all you need to know!

Institute StaffParticipants will be guided by award-winning

high school and university teachers chosen for theircontent expertise and teachingexcellence. The institute directoris Dr. Perilou Goddard; co-directors are Mr. Charles Blair-Broeker and Dr. George Goedel,Northern Kentucky University.

Located just 10 minutesfrom downtown Cincinnati,NKU provides an ideal locationfor the institute. All campus facilities are modern, air condi-tioned, and completely handicapaccessible. Participants will behoused in new apartment-styletwo-and three-bedroom dormi-

tories. Although educational activities will occupy themajority of participant’s time, social and recreationalpursuits will also be available.

EligibilityEligibility criteria include the following (call for

application form for more details):• expressed interest in learning to teach psychology

as a science• at least two years of experience teaching high

school psychology • successful completion of at least one college-level

psychology course • expressed intention to continue to teach high

school psychology • submission of a copy of the syllabus of the partici-

pant’s current psychology course• expressed willingness to arrange and conduct

in-service programs for other high school psychol-ogy teachers in their school district and region

• expressed willingness to participate fully in theevaluation of the institute

See Summer Institutes, page 15

Teaching the SCIENCE of Psychology: SummerInstitutes for High School Psychology Teachers

Northern KentuckyUniversity

July 5-31, 1998

Nebraska WesleyanUniversity

June 21-July 3, 1998

12 Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998

REVIEW

Introducing Psychological Research:Sixty Studies that Shape PsychologyAuthors/editors: Philip Banyard and Andrew GraysonPublisher: New York University PressDate of publication: 1996

Price: $20.00—paperback $50.00—clothReviewed by: Dr. Steve Rose, Simpson College, Indianola, IAReviewer’s affiliation: Dept. of Education, Simpson College

Introducing Psychological Researchhas considerable potential, whetherused in a college or in a high school introductory course. It could be usedas a resource for students or teachers,but I see it as being more valuable asa primary text. Thus, Banyard andGrayson have put together a differentsort of book than traditionally encountered. It is a great book for instructors who want to put the text,their students, and themselves towork; it is a poor choice for “teach-ers” who expect the text to do theirwork for them. Unfortunately, it alsohas some flaws that could diminish itsuse, especially at the secondary level.

Each section focuses on a majorfield of psychology, not unlike a traditional text. There the similaritieslargely end. After a brief but nicelyphrased discussion of a particular fieldof psychology, (e.g. developmentalpsychology), the authors/editors in-clude a number of studies that developed certain aspects of that field(e.g. attachment and moral develop-ment). The studies have beenabridgedand adapted for a simpler read, butoccasionally this summarization can beconfusing. The presentation of thesestudies are as one might expect: intro-duction, overview, design (sometimes),results, and discussion. The method-ologies of the studies are alluded to inthe “design” section, but are more fullydeveloped throughout each piece. Afterthe discussion of each article, the au-thors provide some discussion questions and a list of “key words.”

I would love to use this text if I were teaching high school or collegeintroductory psychology, although I would prefer a revised edition, givensome of the criticisms that follow.Why would I like to use it? It wouldassist in my students’ understandingthat psychology is a scientific disci-pline, albeit an emerging one. Thebook focuses on seminal studies whilegenerally acknowledging the limita-tions and criticisms of each study. Itdevelops a sense of experimentalmethodology, both generally and in

terms of specific types, e.g. “doubleblind.” This in itself makes the textworthwhile. If we want to develop acritical and scientific understanding ofpsychology, beginning students needto get a strong grasp on how method-ology is both central to and a limitingfactor in the results and inferencespsychologists realize. True, it is shorton bells and whistles—no test question data bank, no packet oftransparencies, and so on—but this initself is a blessing. Without theseitems the teacher must fully engagehim or herself with the text and develop resources that best fit his orher style and the needs of the students. Most importantly, thesestudies are engaging. They addressimportant issues, e.g. B.F. Skinner’swork in animal intelligence, the workof Lawrence Kohlberg and CarolGilligan on moral reasoning, and thefamous “Three Faces of Eve” study,to mention a few. The prose style isgenerally vigorous and precise. Theauthors manage to use the languageof the field without drowning fledglingstudents of psychology in its jargon.

On the down side, the “Discus-sion” sections strike me as a bit uneven, as do the auxiliary questions.For instance, the criticisms in thepiece on social pressure are clearlyphrased, but several other discussionsfail to clearly delineate the appropri-ate limitations or criticisms, or do so in needlessly abstruse language.The questions that follow each piecevary widely in their pedagogical usefulness. Each selection is also fol-lowed by a “Word List,” an addition I find odious, given that high schoolstudents are often assigned such listsas mindless seat- or homework. Theauthors rarely suggest field work thatstudents can devise in order to actu-ally do psychology. This would seema natural complement to these pieces.

None of the above criticismsshould be considered particularlydamning. Good teachers could (andshould) develop their own inquiryitems. Ideas for student-initiated field

work could be generated; word listscan be ignored. It is the unevennessof the criticisms in the discussions thatconcerns me. Two other issue arise:First, it is doubtful that this text contains all the “necessary” informa-tion needed to prepare high schoolstudents for the Advanced Placementexaminations. The second issue concerns me more. On pp. 76—77,one of the authors alludes fatuously tohis own overuse of alcohol. Thisshould serve as a red flag for instruc-tors at the secondary level, becausethey may be called on the carpet toexplain the use of a text that could beperceived as promoting inebriation.Those of us who work extensively inor with the public schools know thatthis criticism is not a petty one

All things considered, this bookcan be a great tool for students andinstructors as they enter into a part-nership to discover psychology. Aftera close analysis of each piece, the instructor could draw on other resources to help summarize findingsin and ideas about a given field. Students could construct, when appropriate and possible, and carryout similar studies. For a standards-driven curriculum, this text is an excellent fit. Its organizational struc-ture aligns nicely with the standardspresented in APA’s “The Teaching ofHigh School Psychology.” For the instructor who uses the NationalCouncil of Social Studies (NCSS)standards as a framework, this textmatches well with the themes “Indi-vidual Development and Identity”and “Individuals, Groups, and Insti-tutions.” Introducing PsychologicalResearch does not lend itself to easypreparation for an instructor; rather itforces that instructor to create a seriesof experiences that downplay the triv-ial and embrace the experiential, research-driven components of psy-chology. I enjoyed this text and intendto incorporate it into the curriculumnext year, however, the fairly minorrevisions suggested would result in amuch improved text.

PUBLIC POLICY ACTION NETWORK(PPAN) SIGN-UP FORM

The Public Policy Action Network (PPAN) of the American Psychological Association (APA) offers a means for psychologists to learn about relevantpublic policy initiatives and advocate for their discipline. If you are interested in helping psychology by contacting federal policymakers on criticalissues, APA’s Public Policy Office will provide you with the information and logistical support to make your efforts a success. PPAN is an e-mail net-work: When you sign up, you will receive periodic action alerts and information updates electronically on major policy developments. PPAN is a com-bined effort among the Public Policy Office and the Science, Public Interest, and Education directorates.

To join PPAN, please complete the short form below. Then, fold and tape or staple this flier closed and send it to the address onthe back (no postage necessary), or fax it to (202) 336-6063.

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Psychology Teacher Network January-February 1998 15

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Division 20 of the American Psychological Associationand the Retirement Research Foundation are sponsoring an award program to stimulate interest inthe Psychology of Adult Development and Aging inhigh schools. An award of $1000 will be made to ahigh school teacher in psychology to develop a RESEARCH OR EXPERIENTIAL PROJECT thatwill enhance students’ awareness of psychological issues related to adult development and aging. It isexpected that a large portion of the funds will be usedfor project development (e.g., materials, transporta-tion, or equipment), but some portion must be re-served to reward excellence in one or more studentprojects. The award will be made in the Fall of 1998so that the project may be implemented during the1998-1999 school year.

High school teachers who apply for this awardwill be asked to develop a 5-8 page proposal (about

1500 words) that (1) describes the project or range ofprojects that s/he will ask students to do, (2) lists theeducational goals of this activity, (3) is specific aboutthe product the student is expected to complete, (4) isspecific about the criteria by which the student projects will be judged, and (5) outlines how a reviewcommittee (e.g., of other teachers and/or communityvolunteers) will be formed to judge these student projects. Submissions will be judged by the StudentAwards Committee with respect to their clarity andtheir potential for stimulating student interest in thepsychology of adult development and aging. Deadline: July 1, 1998.

For a cover sheet and more information, pleasecontact Elizabeth A. L. Stine-Morrow, Department ofPsychology, Conant Hall, University of New Hamp-shire, Durham, NH 03824, (603) 862-3806,eals@christa.unh.edu.

Psychology of Aging Teaching Award

Summer Institutes, from page 11• submission of a written commitment from the

appropriate school administrator(s) to provide access to a microcomputer and at least $250 forequipment (including a modem if one is not already available), supplies, and other materialsneeded as start-up costs for an inquiry-based psychology course. Northern Kentucky Universitydoes not discriminate on the basis of age, race,creed, color, sex, national or ethnic origin or handi-caps asdefined by law.

Application ProcessFor more information, please feel free to contact

Perilou Goddard or George Goedel at 606-572-5310(phone), 606-572-6085 (fax), e-mail(goddard@nku.edu or goedel@nku.edu), or mail:Department of Psychology Northern Kentucky Uni-versity Highland Heights, KY 41099 ApplicationDeadline: March 1, 1998.

Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityJune 21 - July 3, 1998

With funding from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Nebraska Wesleyan will again offer atwo-week summer institute for high school psychol-ogy teachers. The institute will emphasize scientificpsychology, with a focus on transportable demonstra-tions and experiments, communications technology,and critical thinking.

Experience will be offered in the NWU teachinglaboratories, including a sleep lab, as well as a wealthof ideas and materials for use in the teaching of high

school psychology. Selected teachers will also receivefollow-up visits to their schools by the project director.

Features of the institute will include:a) Nationally recognized faculty (Ludy T. Benjamin,

Jr.; Douglas Bernstein; Charles Brewer; MargaretDavidson; Steve Davis; Randy Ernst; Jane Halonen; Ken Keith; Jill Reich; and more.

b)Updates in key topics for introductory psychology.c) Networking with national organizations & college

teachers.d)Free graduate credit (education or psychology)

and room & board.e) Travel stipends.f) Blues, barbecue, fun, and field trips.

Teachers are eligible if they:a) currently teach high school psychology & expect to

do so for the foreseeable future.b) have some college coursework (not necessarily a

major) in psychology.c) are willing to conduct an inservice for psychology

teachers in their area upon completing the institute.d) submit a completed application by March 1, 1998.

Information and application materials are available from:

Ken KeithDepartment of PsychologyNebraska Wesleyan University5000 Saint Paul AvenueLincoln, NE 68504-2796kdk@NebrWesleyan.edu