Skepticism and Critical Thinking: Teach Your Children Well

3:30 p.m. Social Time

4:00 p.m. Program and discussion

Optional dinner afterward at Buttercup Grill & Bar, 660 Ygnacio Valley Rd Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Co-presented by Matt Normand and Carolynn Kohn

Dr. Matt Normand received his B.A. in Psychology from Western New England College, his M.A. in Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences from the Florida State University. He is an Associate Professor and the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Psychology at the University of the Pacific and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. His primary scientific interests, broadly defined, are the application of basic behavioral principles to problems of social significance (including obesity and community health issues), language, and the philosophy of science. He has authored more than two-dozen scientific papers and book chapters and over 100 conference presentations. He is an associate editor for the journals The Behavior Analyst and The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, is a former Associate Editor for the journal Behavior Analysis in Practice, and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavioral Interventions. Dr. Normand is the 2011 recipient of the B. F. Skinner Young Researcher Award from the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Carolynn Kohn received her B.A. in Psychology from University of California Santa Barbara, her M.A. in Clinical and Health Psychology from Hahnemann University (Philadelphia, PA), and her Ph.D. in Clinical and Health Psychology from MCP Hahnemann University (now Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA). She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of the Pacific, a licensed clinical psychologist, and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. At Pacific, her primary responsibilities are teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in behavior analysis and behavioral principles and supervising behavioral research. Her primary scientific interests, broadly defined, are in the area of behavioral psychology (including substance use/abuse and treatment, smoking and smoking cessation, and environmental sustainability), clinical application of behavior principles, and pseudoscience. She has authored or co-authored over 20 scientific papers and book chapters and over 50 conference presentations. She is currently a board member for the California Association for Behavior Analysis. Dr. Kohn was the 2007 recipient of the Steven E. Corson Award for the Distinguished Teaching of Freshmen (University of the Pacific).