Michael J. Kane
@michaeljkane.bsky.social
Posts: personal capacity. PSY/open science, working memory, attn, mindwandering (also edu; skepticism). Living well with #Tourette. (Also am/was ProfessorPowerPop on Xitter.) Art: Miles Johnston; Haring
My students struggled w/in-class exams last semester (much more than pre-pandemic students did). Trying optional re-takes this semester, where very similar exam given the following class mtg (Thur->Tue). Outcome = whichever higher: Add 10% of retake score to take 1, OR use 80% of retake score. 1/2:
December 31, 2025 at 9:15 PM
My students struggled w/in-class exams last semester (much more than pre-pandemic students did). Trying optional re-takes this semester, where very similar exam given the following class mtg (Thur->Tue). Outcome = whichever higher: Add 10% of retake score to take 1, OR use 80% of retake score. 1/2:
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
Can confirm, Reddit is a good source of research fuel -- "attention span" is the rabbit hole of the year for me
December 30, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Can confirm, Reddit is a good source of research fuel -- "attention span" is the rabbit hole of the year for me
Did you know that the Internet Archive has a huge collection of FM radio broadcasts of live show recordings? Freely & legitimately stream or download some of the fantastic performances here (I've picked up some Garcia-Saunders, Smashing Pumpkins, Randy Newman, & more) : archive.org/details/fmra...
Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine
archive.org
December 30, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Did you know that the Internet Archive has a huge collection of FM radio broadcasts of live show recordings? Freely & legitimately stream or download some of the fantastic performances here (I've picked up some Garcia-Saunders, Smashing Pumpkins, Randy Newman, & more) : archive.org/details/fmra...
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
Meanwhile, my state of NC is making it mandatory for faculty to submit their syllabi to a central collection site for public access. And a scouring of FIRE's website shows absolutely no mention of this existential threat to academic freedom whatsoever.
December 26, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Meanwhile, my state of NC is making it mandatory for faculty to submit their syllabi to a central collection site for public access. And a scouring of FIRE's website shows absolutely no mention of this existential threat to academic freedom whatsoever.
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
How experience shapes extraordinary beliefs
Review by Eli Stark-Elster (@eselster.bsky.social) & Manvir Singh (@manvir.bsky.social)
tinyurl.com/y9dbwaa5
Review by Eli Stark-Elster (@eselster.bsky.social) & Manvir Singh (@manvir.bsky.social)
tinyurl.com/y9dbwaa5
December 18, 2025 at 4:33 PM
How experience shapes extraordinary beliefs
Review by Eli Stark-Elster (@eselster.bsky.social) & Manvir Singh (@manvir.bsky.social)
tinyurl.com/y9dbwaa5
Review by Eli Stark-Elster (@eselster.bsky.social) & Manvir Singh (@manvir.bsky.social)
tinyurl.com/y9dbwaa5
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
@xphilosopher.bsky.social and I tried to study what beliefs do (or at least, what people think they do).
Across hundreds of participant generated beliefs and first/third party ratings, we found they express identity and/or represent facts, in the pattern described in this post.
1/
Across hundreds of participant generated beliefs and first/third party ratings, we found they express identity and/or represent facts, in the pattern described in this post.
1/
Maybe there are two distinct kinds of belief: they either represent facts (It's rainy) or express identity (My son is the best). We find instead that many beliefs simultaneously represent facts and express identity (but few beliefs do neither).
December 26, 2025 at 6:29 PM
@xphilosopher.bsky.social and I tried to study what beliefs do (or at least, what people think they do).
Across hundreds of participant generated beliefs and first/third party ratings, we found they express identity and/or represent facts, in the pattern described in this post.
1/
Across hundreds of participant generated beliefs and first/third party ratings, we found they express identity and/or represent facts, in the pattern described in this post.
1/
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
Bullshit Newborn Not Even Christ https://theonion.com/bullshit-newborn-not-even-christ/
December 25, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Bullshit Newborn Not Even Christ https://theonion.com/bullshit-newborn-not-even-christ/
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
🎧 2025 gave us plenty of great music… and plenty of hype. Not all of it earned.
🔥 Time for some hot takes with our pick of 2025’s most overrated albums👇
nofrillsreviews.com/2025/11/30/2...
🔥 Time for some hot takes with our pick of 2025’s most overrated albums👇
nofrillsreviews.com/2025/11/30/2...
2025 in Review: The Most Overrated Albums
Kicking off list season, with our annual rundown of the year’s most overrated albums. Find out who made our unlucky thirteen.
nofrillsreviews.com
December 25, 2025 at 1:17 PM
🎧 2025 gave us plenty of great music… and plenty of hype. Not all of it earned.
🔥 Time for some hot takes with our pick of 2025’s most overrated albums👇
nofrillsreviews.com/2025/11/30/2...
🔥 Time for some hot takes with our pick of 2025’s most overrated albums👇
nofrillsreviews.com/2025/11/30/2...
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
Here’s a thread on this article for those without access. The malevolent creators of this stuff want you to be impressed how human it is? Treat it like a human being for the purposes of liability, then.
bsky.app/profile/bren...
bsky.app/profile/bren...
This article about a chatbot app called “Character AI” has the air of paranoia and hysteria we’ve seen in past generations about the internet, or heavy metal, or day care, or television, so what’s the difference?
Simple. It’s non-human….\1
www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/20...
Simple. It’s non-human….\1
www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/20...
She thought a predator was grooming her daughter. It was an AI chatbot.
A majority of teens are interacting with AI companions, and many of their parents have no idea.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 23, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Here’s a thread on this article for those without access. The malevolent creators of this stuff want you to be impressed how human it is? Treat it like a human being for the purposes of liability, then.
bsky.app/profile/bren...
bsky.app/profile/bren...
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
This is likely just Adin Ross talking.
But the Rams have a real problem here if this is true. Puka, you get to pick. Be the highest paid WR in the history of football next year or bet on some racist streamers supporting your ass after you get the attention of every GM for all the wrong reasons
But the Rams have a real problem here if this is true. Puka, you get to pick. Be the highest paid WR in the history of football next year or bet on some racist streamers supporting your ass after you get the attention of every GM for all the wrong reasons
December 18, 2025 at 4:45 AM
This is likely just Adin Ross talking.
But the Rams have a real problem here if this is true. Puka, you get to pick. Be the highest paid WR in the history of football next year or bet on some racist streamers supporting your ass after you get the attention of every GM for all the wrong reasons
But the Rams have a real problem here if this is true. Puka, you get to pick. Be the highest paid WR in the history of football next year or bet on some racist streamers supporting your ass after you get the attention of every GM for all the wrong reasons
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
It is unethical to do a randomized controlled trial in which you withhold a proven, life-saving vaccine from newborn babies.
December 18, 2025 at 12:18 PM
It is unethical to do a randomized controlled trial in which you withhold a proven, life-saving vaccine from newborn babies.
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
my AI hot take is that the entire development process for LLMs has been a Turing Test Cargo Cult. They internalized the idea that true AI=chatbot that cant be easily distinguished from a human and went all in on *language*. Passing the test is substituted for the thing you are meant to test for
December 16, 2025 at 5:09 PM
my AI hot take is that the entire development process for LLMs has been a Turing Test Cargo Cult. They internalized the idea that true AI=chatbot that cant be easily distinguished from a human and went all in on *language*. Passing the test is substituted for the thing you are meant to test for
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
If we are banning cell phones for kids we need to be talking about banning chatbots for boomers
www.persuasion.community/p/my-chatgpt...
www.persuasion.community/p/my-chatgpt...
December 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
If we are banning cell phones for kids we need to be talking about banning chatbots for boomers
www.persuasion.community/p/my-chatgpt...
www.persuasion.community/p/my-chatgpt...
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
The Publications Committee is seeking applications for a new Editor-in-Chief of Learning & Behavior, with a term beginning in 2027. The application deadline is February 15. Learn more: buff.ly/AZ8DNBa
December 15, 2025 at 6:02 PM
The Publications Committee is seeking applications for a new Editor-in-Chief of Learning & Behavior, with a term beginning in 2027. The application deadline is February 15. Learn more: buff.ly/AZ8DNBa
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
I have grown to believe that excessive wealth does something to your brain that is analogous to a serious head injury
December 15, 2025 at 6:03 AM
I have grown to believe that excessive wealth does something to your brain that is analogous to a serious head injury
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
Hey, I wrote about my favorite albums of 2025! 26 albums on the main list, 65 more on various sublists, 81 in all! Really good year overall! To quote Russell Hammond: "I dig music."
uproxx.com/indie/steven...
uproxx.com/indie/steven...
Steven Hyden’s Favorite Albums Of 2025
The best music of the year according to Uproxx’s cultural critic.
uproxx.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Hey, I wrote about my favorite albums of 2025! 26 albums on the main list, 65 more on various sublists, 81 in all! Really good year overall! To quote Russell Hammond: "I dig music."
uproxx.com/indie/steven...
uproxx.com/indie/steven...
Of course, without research, there would then be nothing to teach, so presumably the next step would be to just get rid of universities altogether...
This -- a model bill to effectively decimate non-STEM research by requiring 3-3 teaching loads outside of "STEM or Americanism and western civilization" -- seems...extremely bad but also quite plausible.
Proposed Model Bill Would Change College Tenure, Teaching, & Research
Three conservative groups have proposed model legislation that would dramatically change faculty tenure paths, teaching loads, research activities and hiring authority
www.forbes.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Of course, without research, there would then be nothing to teach, so presumably the next step would be to just get rid of universities altogether...
@joinprolific.bsky.social
As a researcher, is it possible to get help from a human regarding a question about valid reasons for rejection? I need consult beyond the FAQ posted to the Prolific website.
As a researcher, is it possible to get help from a human regarding a question about valid reasons for rejection? I need consult beyond the FAQ posted to the Prolific website.
December 11, 2025 at 4:26 PM
@joinprolific.bsky.social
As a researcher, is it possible to get help from a human regarding a question about valid reasons for rejection? I need consult beyond the FAQ posted to the Prolific website.
As a researcher, is it possible to get help from a human regarding a question about valid reasons for rejection? I need consult beyond the FAQ posted to the Prolific website.
Seeing on Prolific subreddit that some researchers are putting white text against white b'ground to detect AI/bots (assuming only bots see/read the hidden text). BUT, many Prolific participants use dark mode, &/or highlight text, so they read the text & get dinged as if they're bots. Don't do this.
December 11, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Seeing on Prolific subreddit that some researchers are putting white text against white b'ground to detect AI/bots (assuming only bots see/read the hidden text). BUT, many Prolific participants use dark mode, &/or highlight text, so they read the text & get dinged as if they're bots. Don't do this.
I bought A LOT of great new albums in 2025. It was tough, but I narrowed it down here to my favorite 10 (with 5 honorable mentions). Could have easily done a top 20 with 10 honorables this year...
December 11, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I bought A LOT of great new albums in 2025. It was tough, but I narrowed it down here to my favorite 10 (with 5 honorable mentions). Could have easily done a top 20 with 10 honorables this year...
2025 was a great year for music. Here are my 66 (?!) Favorite Songs of 2025 (unranked, alpha order by artist). Note my primary musical tastes = rock (classic/hard/indie/alt), power pop, new wave, metal ('70s/'80s/doom), americana/alt.country, singer-songwriter, folk:
open.spotify.com/playlist/7ce...
open.spotify.com/playlist/7ce...
December 9, 2025 at 3:04 PM
2025 was a great year for music. Here are my 66 (?!) Favorite Songs of 2025 (unranked, alpha order by artist). Note my primary musical tastes = rock (classic/hard/indie/alt), power pop, new wave, metal ('70s/'80s/doom), americana/alt.country, singer-songwriter, folk:
open.spotify.com/playlist/7ce...
open.spotify.com/playlist/7ce...
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
UNCG will be hiring a tenure-track assistant professor in child clinical psychology! We are late in the cycle, so please help us circulate to any interested parties:
spartantalent.uncg.edu/postings/33557
spartantalent.uncg.edu/postings/33557
Clinical Psychology Assistant Professor
The Department of Psychology at UNC-Greensboro invites applications for a tenure-track position in Clinical Psychology (Assistant Professor level), to begin August 1, 2026. The Department of Psycholog...
spartantalent.uncg.edu
December 8, 2025 at 8:04 PM
UNCG will be hiring a tenure-track assistant professor in child clinical psychology! We are late in the cycle, so please help us circulate to any interested parties:
spartantalent.uncg.edu/postings/33557
spartantalent.uncg.edu/postings/33557
Reposted by Michael J. Kane
So...my undergrad thesis student is doing a quality analysis of studies found in meta-analyses. She identified a few and we contacted the authors to request their effect sizes and other variables for the studies in their papers.
Here's what happened:
scientiapsychiatrica.com/index.php/Sc...
Here's what happened:
scientiapsychiatrica.com/index.php/Sc...
The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis | Scientia Psychiatrica
Introduction: The proliferation of social media has raised significant concerns about its potential effects on the mental health of adolescents. This meta-analysis aims to provide a comprehensive asse...
scientiapsychiatrica.com
December 7, 2025 at 11:11 PM
So...my undergrad thesis student is doing a quality analysis of studies found in meta-analyses. She identified a few and we contacted the authors to request their effect sizes and other variables for the studies in their papers.
Here's what happened:
scientiapsychiatrica.com/index.php/Sc...
Here's what happened:
scientiapsychiatrica.com/index.php/Sc...