Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

 APPLYING PSYCHOLOGY IN THE 
21st CENTURY
These boxes highlight the rele-
vance of psychology by presenting current and 
potential applications of psychological theory 
and research fi ndings to real-world problems. For 
example, one box discusses the psychological 
principles that explain the dangers of texting 
while driving, while another highlights how 
artifi cial intelligence researchers are building 
“smarter” robots that have the potential to trans-
form our daily lives. 
likely to be in a collision whil
while not texting. In collisio
texting, the driver had typic
eyes off the road for about 
(a)
Areas more strongly activated in females to tools
(b)
Areas more strongly activated in males to plants
Neuroscience in Your Life: 
When Brain 
and Socialization Meet
FIGURE 6 
Diff erences in how men and women process information refl ect diff erences in 
learning and experience with those objects. In an fMRI study, (a) women showed greater 
activation in certain areas of the brain when they processed names for tools and (b) men 
showed greater activation in other areas of the brain when they processed names of plants. 
(Source: Garn et al., 2009.)
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BECOMING AN INFORMED CONSUMER 
OF PSYCHOLOGY
Every set of modules 
includes material designed to make readers 
more informed consumers of psychological 
information by giving them the ability to 
evaluate critically what the fi eld of psychol-
ogy off ers. These discussions also provide 
sound, useful guidance concerning common 
problems. 
As we have seen, surveys of college women make clear that the 
greatest danger of rape comes not from some unknown assailant 
but from a fellow student. There are ways, however, to reduce 
the likelihood of date rape. The following suggestions provide 
some guidance for women and men (Shultz, Scherman, & 
Marshall, 2000; American College Health Association, 2006; 
Watkins, 2007):
• Women should believe in their rights to set limits and communicate them clearly, 
fi rmly, and early on. They should say no when they mean no.
• Women should be assertive in refusing to engage in an activity in which they 
don’t want to engage. They should keep in mind that men may interpret passiv-
ity as permission.
• Women should be aware of situations in which they are at risk.
• Women should keep in mind that some men interpret certain kinds of dress as 
sexually provocative, and not all men subscribe to the same standards of sexual 
behavior as they do.
• Women should keep close tabs on what they are given to drink in social situations; 
victims of date rape have sometimes been given mind-altering “date-rape” drugs.
• Men should be aware of their dates’ views on sexual behavior.
• Men should not hold the view that the goal of dating is to “score.”
• The word No should be understood to mean no and not be interpreted as an invi-
tation to continue.
• Men should not assume that certain kinds of dress or fl irtatious behavior are an 
invitation to sex.
• Both men and women should understand that alcohol and drugs cloud judgment 
and hinder communication between them.