Andrew Patrick

There have been significant advances recently in understanding the biological basis of human behavior. Brain imaging technologies, such as Functional MRI (fMRI), allow researchers to study brain processes during complex thought processes. fMRI can be used to study a variety of behaviors, and some people have proposed that the scans can be used to detect lying, although it has never been accepted in court.

In this case, a murder trial, the fMRI evidence was used at the sentencing stage in an attempt to show that the defendant suffered from a brain disorder and should be spared the death penalty. The jury did not agree and the man was sentenced to death, although there may have been some doubts raised.

fMRI Evidence Used in Murder Sentencing

For what may be the first time, fMRI scans of brain activity have been used as evidence in the sentencing phase of a murder trial. Defense lawyers for an Illinois man convicted of raping and killing a 10-year-old girl used the scans to argue that their client should be spared the death penalty because he has a brain disorder.

Studying the behavior of people in crowded conditions has always been interesting. This article from Slate describes the history of Social Psychology research in subway systems areound the world.

Psychologists have been watching us on the subway. Here’s what they’ve learned.

“About 4,450 men and women who traveled on the 8th Avenue IND in New York City, weekdays between the hours of 11:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. during the period from April 15 to June 26, 1968, were the unsolicited participants in this study.”

Why most suicide bombers are Muslim, beautiful people have more daughters, humans are naturally polygamous, sexual harassment isn’t sexist, and blonds are more attractive.

When I was an undergraduate, my first mentor was an expert on the psychology of categorization — how we make sense of the world by deciding what belongs with what. This professor was the most eccentric one I had in a long university career, and probably the most brilliant. One of his many lines, which I will never forget, was: “stereotypes develop for a reason”.

A stereotype is a generalization or commonly-held belief about a group of people, and stereotypes are often considered to be politically incorrect. But, in the absence of any information about a particular individual, information about a stereotype for the group is often quite valuable. Just as in statistics, in the absence of specific information about all the data, information about central tendency and variance can be very useful. Stereotype are not always negative, although we tend to only use the word when referring to negative characteristics

By rejecting stereotypes because they are often used negatively, we are forgetting the valuable role that they can play in making sense of the world. An older Psychology Today article from 2007 reviews some of the stereotypes we have about human behavior, and the truth behind them.

Today I am launching NetSafetyGuide.com, an ad-supported site offering practical, up-to-date news and tips about Internet safety and security.

I believe that there is very little down-to-earth, practical information available for individuals and small businesses who want to stay secure on the Internet, but don’t know how to do it. My intention with this site is to provide current, direct advice and news that people will find useful.

Drop by and check it out.

It seems that the military in Iraq has discovered a magical way to detect bombs, and they are spending millions of dollars to deploy it a checkpoints around the country.

The technology, however, is well known to be the equivalent of a dowsing rod and it is completely useless. Making fun of other people’s stupid beliefs can be fun, but when lives are on the line you have to be concerned.

More from the NY Times:

Iraq Swears by Bomb Detector U.S. Sees as Useless

Despite major bombings that have rattled the nation, and fears of rising violence as American troops withdraw, Iraq’s security forces have been relying on a device to detect bombs and weapons that the United States military and technical experts say is useless.

The small hand-held wand, with a telescopic antenna on a swivel, is being used at hundreds of checkpoints in Iraq. But the device works “on the same principle as a Ouija board” — the power of suggestion — said a retired United States Air Force officer, Lt. Col. Hal Bidlack, who described the wand as nothing more than an explosives divining rod.