Tag: Investigating Pop Psychology

The Skeptical Inquirer’s New Editor and Investigating Pop Psychology

We would like to congratulate Stephen Hupp, PhD, co-developer of the Behaviors & Attitudes Drinking & Driving Scale – BADDS, on his recent appointment as Editor of the skeptically themed print publication Skeptical Inquirer Magazine.

Dr. Hupp has been a long-time reader and contributor to the magazine and his most recent contribution is a FREE presentation “Investigating Pop Psychology: Pseudoscience, Fringe Science, and Controversies.” Science-based advances in the field of psychology continue to grow at an impressive rate; however, even more claims in psychology have little-to-no research support. What does it mean for a mental health treatment to be considered “evidence-based” and “science-based”—and how can you tell the difference? In the presentation, Dr. Hupp offers recommendations for how to resist false claims and avoid the pseudoscience of pop psychology, and he speaks to a wide range of topics such as phrenology, extrasensory perception, dream interpretation, learning styles, brain training, energy psychology, and the role of alternative medicine in the field of mental health. The presentation also includes contributions from several fellows of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and several other prominent skeptical scholars.

If you would like to learn more about the magazine, we encourage you to watch an interview conducted with Dr. Hupp by Rob Palmer, an online columnist with the Skeptical Inquirer: “Introducing Skeptical Inquirer’s New Editor: A Conversation with Stephen Hupp.” You will get Dr. Hupp’s insights about being the new editor of the magazine, his thoughts on how the Skeptical Inquirer differs from other skeptical publications, and the story of how he got the job. The interview also includes his opinions about the accuracy of Wikipedia, the trend of print magazines slowly becoming obsolete, and the controversy surrounding the continued use of the term “skeptic.” You can subscribe to the print and digital magazine for less than $20 a year!