Information about the Learning and Cognition Program at Florida State University has now been restored on the FSU mailer system. Pages for the Group Processes course and for the Categorical Data Analysis course have also been reloaded as have most (but not all) of the Guides for the Research Methods course. Please see the links below.

Thank you for your patience.
 

Find out more about our LEARNING AND COGNITION GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND LEARNING SYSTEMS AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY. We are immensely proud of the growth of our program, the diversity of our students, and their many achievements.

CLICK HERE  FOR THE MASTER'S PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT
CLICK HERE  FOR THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

Learn more about Educational Research nationwide--CLICK HERE and OVER HERE   too.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

MORE ON SCIENCE  ATTITUDES

TEACHING: COURSES  OLD AND NEW

SERVICE

LEARNING THEORY  APPLICATION

FSU's HOLOCAUST INSTITUTE

My office is 307K Stone Building
                     Department of Educational Research
                     Florida State University
                     Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4453
                     (850) 644-8778
                     (850) 644-4592 (Educational Psychology Office)
                     (850) 644-7886 (FAX)
slosh@fsu.edu
 
  

I am a Social Psychologist and Research Methodologist. My specialties are social cognition (including social perception, attitudes, and public opinion) and group dynamics. Much of my earlier research addressed attitudes toward women and African-Americans. I also examine how cognitive processes and group dynamics apply to tolerance of diversity and intergroup prejudice and tolerance, including gender, ethnicity, and religion.

Right now a major focus for me is how factors such as education, gender, or religious beliefs influence how people process and evaluate information, especially attitudes toward and understanding of science knowledge and support for pseudo science. I am examining 28 years of National Science Foundation Surveys of Public Attitudes Toward Science and Technology. I have studied how gender and education influence access to computers, use of computers, and attitudes toward computers over time. The "digital divide" is for real and I have been startled and dismayed that aspects of it are actually increasing, rather than decreasing. Take a look through 2002 at the Social Science and Computer Review article. An update through 2006 including ethnicity will appear in Ferro, E., Dwivedi, Y.K., Gil-Garcia, J.R. & Williams, M.D. (Eds.)(2009, forthcoming). IGI Handbook: Overcoming Digital Divides: Constructing an Equitable and Competitive Information Society. Hershey, PA: IGI Global next year. See the "first look" HERE.

In the past,  I analyzed how gender and education influence basic science knowledge and support for pseudo science systems. Did you know that one-third of adult American women believe that the sun goes around the earth? (In case you wondered, it's the reverse.) Significant gender differences remain, even after educational level, educational major field, and occupational field are considered. Basic science knowledge provides a small bulwark against the acceptance of pseudoscience appeals, such as psychics. Look for more information in the September/October 2001 issue of Public Perspectives.

A synoposis of this research on science knowledge was also published in the January 2002 Popular Science.

How well do aspects of education predict pseudoscience, or entities such as astrology or science fiction fantasies that want to appear scientific but which don't use science rules or scientific types of evidence to understand the material world? The answer is: not very well. A lot of what we think of as "education" is related factors, such as age, or the intellectual products of education such as science factual knowledge. See the analysis that my students and I did in The Skeptical Inquirer, reprinted HERE (without the figures). There are some cognitive reasons and social factors behind these phenomena, check it out HERE

Currently, I am study science reasoning, or understanding the processes of science inquiry, among the American adult general public. I am interested in how reasoning relates to basic science knowledge, again against a framework of gender and education. Most recently I examined how birth cohort and education variables predict basic U.S. adult civic science literacy. Contrary to what you may have read, more recent generations of Americans are more science literate, especially for understanding science inquiry. But don't just take my word for it; see the results  I presented at the Public Communication of Science and Technology-9 in Seoul, South Korea in May 2006 HERE.

The findings through 2001 also generalize to the 2006 data. Generation is very important for science knowledge and more recent generations are more knowledgeable, especially about science inquiry. On the other hand, older people more often reject most forms of pseudoscience, such as belief in astrology or space alien visitation than young people do, and more recent generations are even more likely to endorse beliefs such as astrology than earlier generations. See the update on science knowledge, inquiry understanding, and pseudoscience belief that I presented in London for an International Workshop on Science Indicators HERE.

One of my fun topics applies heuristics or "cognitive shortcuts" to the diverse methods people use to create lottery tickets. This is the ultimate imposition of socio-cognitive structure on a truly random event--the social equivalent of the nonsense syllable or Rorschach test.

I use several methods: surveys or "polls," experiments, and field observations, depending on the research topic. For example, I became fascinated by the interplay between science and religious beliefs. I began with public opinion surveys of Leon County and the State of Florida. A famous social cognition scholar, Thomas Gilovich, suggests that when results coincide with scientific hypotheses, we publish. When they conflict, we collect more data. When I discovered anomalies in the public opinion data, I initiated a field study of religious congregations in North Florida that ultimately grew to 38 churches and synagogues, each studied for four consecutive months. My students and I have coded themes in sermons and liturgy and took copious notes on religious, social, and charitable events. At the same time, I continued studying state and national public opinion data and initiated experiments in heuristics.

In 2005, my students and I coded over 600 pictures drawn by first, third and fifth graders, who drew a teacher, veterinarian, and scientist. Some researchers believe that these drawings function as projective tests. For example, if scientists are largely drawn as white, middle-aged males, women or people of color may believe that science is "not for them" and be less inclined to choose a science career. Although our students did distinguish among these occupations in their art (for example, 14 percent of the boys drew scientists as monsters with scaly tails, fangs, or horns), we found sizable sex differences that we suspect reflect developmental maturation. Stay tuned as we continue to analyze the "Draw a Scientist" pictures. See our International Journal of Science Education article HERE. Give the paper a moment or two to allow the examples of children's drawings at the very end to load! Many of the stereotypes that appear in children's drawings are endorsed by adults in general public surveys. Scientists are seen as "loners" doing dangerous work--and about one-quarter of adults in 2001 saw scientists as "odd and peculiar people". See my 2006 American Sociological Association conference paper analyzing adult stereotypes about scientists over time [to be published in Public Understanding of Science (2009)] HERE.

And you can see several of our Learning and Cognition students HERE.

For a complete listing of the various stages of these recent studies in conference papers, symposia, and articles submitted to or appearing in professional journals, Click here on the vita.

In the early 1990s, I met Professor Ray Eve (page currently under development), a social psychologist at University of Texas at Arlington. Ray studies groups such as pagans or wicans whose beliefs reference crystals or herbal healing, rather than "mainstream science." Professor Eve also studies people who believe that human origins on earth trace back to space ships and beings from other planets. His presentations played a pivotal role in two sessions I organized for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a third symposium for the American Association for Public Opinion Research in Spring 2001, Montreal, a fourth with the American Educational Research Association in Spring 2004 at San Diego, and yet a fifth for the American Association for the Advancement of Science in early 2007.

Other scholars in this area include Professor Erich Goode, the author of Paranormal Beliefs (Waveland Press 2000) and articles in the Skeptical Inquirer. Goode notes that people often simultaneously endorse beliefs that on the surface appear incompatible, such as literal Biblical creation and evolution.
  

Read some popular accounts of what I do and about my colleagues with similar interests:

AAAS 2007 (1)
AAAS 2007 (2)
SCIENCE NEWS
EARTHWATCH RADIO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

Curious about "weird science?"--what it is and who believes in it? It's not just "Ghostbusters."  Discover "weird science" in some of the strangest places, including eminent universities. Take a look at these:

http://scientificexploration.org/
http://www.princeton.edu/~pear/
http://www.discovery.org/
http://www.creationscience.com/
 

Want to know more about flying saucers, aliens, the paranormal and other good stuff?

Did you know that restaurants serve fattening food? (Bet you already did.) Get good and  scared about gooey cinnamon rolls, burgers, shrimp fried rice, and tacos over HERE.

As point counter-point (on the more conservative side), check out "JunkScience.com" (patience, this site takes a little while to load)

Science and Engineering Indicators, 2008: Chapter 7: Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding

The rest of the  year 2008 Edition of Science and Engineering Indicators from NSF is up too!

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader for this document.
 
  

With the demise of the old WEB-MC system at Florida State University, my course sites disappeared as well. Please be patient as the most recent version of each course is reinstalled on another server and check below for course sites that have been restored.

Currently being restored as of May 2009: SYP 5105 Theories of Social Psychology and EDF 5481 Methods of Educational Research.

Here are some of the courses that I teach:

SYP 5105 Theories of Social Psychology	LEARN MORE ABOUT THEORIES OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. SEE THE late 2008 OVERVIEW (in process of reloading):  CLICK HERE
EDF 4210 Educational Psychology	LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY COURSE (to be reloaded). SEE THE 2007 OVERVIEW CLICK HERE
DEP 5068 Lifespan Development	LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT COURSE (to be reloaded). SEE THE 2008 OVERVIEW:  CLICK HERE
EDP 5285 Group Processes	LEARN MORE ABOUT GROUP PROCESSES. SEE THE 2009 OVERVIEW: CLICK HERE
EDF 5400 Introductory Statistics and Data Analysis	LEARN MORE ABOUT INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS & DATA ANALYSIS (to be reloaded). SEE THE 2004 OVERVIEW: CLICK HERE
EDF 6937 The Multivariate Analysis of Categorical Data	LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF CATEGORICAL DATA. SEE THE 2009 OVERVIEW: CLICK HERE
EDF 5481 Methods of Educational Research	LEARN MORE ABOUT METHODS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH. SEE THE 2002 OVERVIEW (partly reloaded): CLICK HERE

Note: As these courses are updated, content will change somewhat.

EMAIL ME FOR MORE INFORMATION:slosh@fsu.edu

Interested in Social Psychology? LEARN MORE HERE  AND OVER HERE

And HEREis a terrific resource about Group Dynamics.

And, for Social Psychology sections and resources check out

THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH

I directed 10 public opinion surveys--over  4000 respondents--of the Tallahassee, Florida Urban Area between 1974 and 1998.  Project TAL surveys have inquired about how people feel about social inequality, self-efficacy and health practices such as smoking, and, of course, playing the Florida Lottery.

Many survey researchers belong to AAPOR, The American Association for Public Opinion Research.

Another good site for polls on public policy is The Pew Research Center

See 30 years of American Public Opinion and analyze it online with the General Social Survey
 
  

I have consulted with several agencies about research design and analysis. Some of these experiences result in scholarly publications, others help create more efficient procedures, some improve the sponsoring organization. All of them have enriched my life. Here are some agencies that I have worked with:

• The National Science Foundation-Science Resources Statistics
• The Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department
• The United States Navy
• Ford Motor Company
• General Motors Company
• The Center for Professional Development at Florida State University
• The National Education Association
• The United Faculty of Florida
• The Public Health Unit of Leon County and
• The Leon County Health Coalition.
• American Association of University Women
• The National Science Foundation

I have also worked with:

• The Public Defender's Office of the State of Florida
• The State Supreme Court of Florida
• The State Court of Florida, Second Judicial District

My public opinion class in Fall 1997 conducted a Random Digit Dial survey of the Leon County, Florida area that provided information on health behaviors and risk factors for the Leon County Public Health Department and the Leon County Health Coalition.

I began working with the Florida State University Chapter of the United Faculty of Florida in 1985 to conduct FSU/UFF's first ever faculty evaluation of administrators survey. I have worked with UFF periodically since on these surveys, including directing the evaluation and opinion surveys for 1999-2000 and for 2001-2002. Look for reports (including satisfaction with evaluation procedures, building conditions, and parking) in The Faculty Voice online. The symposium I organized for the Association for the Advancement of Educational Research in November 2000 addresses dimensions of conducting these surveys, methodological issues, and how the data are used. I will conduct another symposium for the AAER this fall on collective bargaining in higher education.

As part of my Research Fellowship with the American Statistical Association & National Science Foundation (2003-) I created the first ever archive of the National Science Foundation Surveys of Public Understanding of Science and Technology. Spanning 1979-2001 (soon to incorporate 2003), this archive contains over 270 variables and over 22,000 surveys from 11 nationally representative surveys of American adults. Trends in U.S. basic science knowledge and science attitudes can now be assessed online through either the University of Michigan's Inter-University Cortortium of Political & Social Research (Study 4029) or through the University of Connecticut's Roper Public Opinion Center.

I also served as a consultant to the National Science Foundation-Science Resources Statistics in 2004 for the planned 2006 Surveys of Public Understanding of Science and Technology and in 2005 as a reviewer for the Science Attitudes chapter for the forthcoming 2006 NSF Science Indicators volumes.
 
 
  

GENESYS FRANCESCA OL'BLUE EYES (FRANKI) 2005-	CELTIC WHISKER'S BLACK BEAUTY  (VONCE) 1995-	WHISKER'S MR  MAJESTYK  (BRANDY)  1990-2005	MS COURTNEY WHISKER 1984-1997

I'm in Learning and Cognition in Educational Psychology and Learning Systems. It always helps to apply knowledge! I use learning theory methods to train Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties). Since 1974 my Shelties have enjoyed performing for hundreds of students. Earlier this year, we lost our magnificent Brandy, who was nicknamed "The Golden Throat". While our duet of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" didn't make the David Letterman Show when we tried out several years ago, Brandy got a GREAT review in Jacksonville's Florida Times-Union (READ IT HERE).

I used classical and operant conditioning to train my first Sheltie, Perry (Peregrine Falcon, 1974-1990). Tally, Whisker, Brandy, and now Vonce, my later Shelties, have learned through instrumental conditioning and especially modelling--watching the older dogs perform and receive treats. Tally was "shaking hands" in less than half an hour after she watched Perry receive treats.

Vonce performs for the Theories of Social Psychology class each semester. Our young Sheltie, Franki, is still learning the ropes. To my surprise (and the applause of the Theories of Social Psychology students in Fall 2006), Franki began to perform jumping through the hoop for the very first time right during her class presentation!

Many of my websites for the Holocaust Institute are now available as MS Word documents on the Tallahassee Freenet system. Please click HERE for more information.

The html sites are in the processed of being restored. Thanks for your patience.
 

    Since 1994 I am proud to have worked with over 600 elementary, middle school, high school and college instructors each year during Florida State University's Summer Holocaust Institute. While most sessions are about Nazi Germany and World War Two, my presentations (Number 4 and Number 25 for 2009) address general social psychological perspectives on tolerance. One session studies conformity and compliance (CLICK HERE TOO) to show how people who may not have originally harbored prejudice can nonetheless be swept into discriminatory, harmful behavior. The second examines prejudicial attitudes and hate crimes in modern America. During the 20th century, Americans increasingly rejected prejudicial statements. Yet at the same time hate crimes are more prominent and spree hate killers more numerous. Most Americans confess they are not very knowledgeable about religions that differ from their own.  I examine dynamics of these developments.

Learn more about the Holocaust Institute here.

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Susan Carol Losh Updated June 21 2009

Like life, this site is ALWAYS under construction and never more so since FSU discontinued the old WEB-MC servers in December 2008. Many of my Websites have been restored and the others are in process. Your patience is appreciated.