Cultures of Diversity

Teachers of psychology tend to agree that learning about diversity is an important goal for undergraduate psychology courses. There is significantly less agreement about what aspects of diversity psychology students should understand. The current research proposes and investigates two potentially distinct ways students might understand diversity: more scientific understandings of topical knowledge related to nature and nurture and more humanistic understandings related to multicultural awareness and sensitivity. Drawing on standardized surveys and open-ended responses to diversity questions from the beginning and end of introductory psychology courses, results indicate that students’ topical knowledge of diversity is not strongly associated with multicultural sensitivity. These results emphasize the importance of clarifying the meanings of addressing diversity as a course goal and are discussed in relation to the multiple challenges of teaching about diversity in psychology courses.

Download Full-text

The Presentation of Ethics in Undergraduate Psychology Syllabi

Teaching of Psychology ◽

10.1177/0098628318796921 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 45 (4) ◽

pp. 346-350 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Di You ◽

Ana Ruiz ◽

Judith Warchal

Keyword(s):

Psychology Students ◽

National Sample ◽

Learning Goals ◽

Academic Honesty ◽

Policy Statements ◽

Psychology Courses ◽

Undergraduate Psychology ◽

Ethics Courses

To identify where ethics is presented to undergraduate psychology students, this study reviewed a national sample of 706 syllabi for required mandatory psychology courses. The results indicated that 6 syllabi were designated as ethics courses and 65 syllabi did not mention ethics at all. Even though 641 syllabi mentioned ethics, the most frequent listing was under course policies, usually as a standard statement (e.g., academic honesty and plagiarism) required by many institutions. Our recommendation is that ethics should be intentionally included in the learning goals/objectives/outcomes with a corresponding assessment (assignments) in all syllabi in addition to policy statements.

Download Full-text

Research Preregistration as a Teaching and Learning Tool in Undergraduate Psychology Courses

Psychology Learning & Teaching ◽

10.1177/1475725719875844 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 107-115

Author(s):

Sarai Blincoe ◽

Stephanie Buchert

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Psychology Students ◽

Research Practice ◽

Research Projects ◽

Planning Tool ◽

Questionable Research Practices ◽

Psychology Courses ◽

Survey Results ◽

Undergraduate Psychology

The preregistration of research plans and hypotheses may prevent publication bias and questionable research practices. We incorporated a modified version of the preregistration process into an undergraduate capstone research course. Students completed a standard preregistration form during the planning stages of their research projects as well as surveys about their knowledge of preregistration. Based on survey results, our senior-level psychology students lacked knowledge of importance of the preregistration movement in the sciences but could anticipate some of its benefits. Our review of the completed preregistration assignment suggested that students struggle with data analysis decision-making but generally perceive preregistration as a helpful planning tool. We discuss the value of a preregistration assignment for generating discussions of research practice and ethics.

Download Full-text

Social and Abnormal Psychology Textbooks: An Objective Analysis

Teaching of Psychology ◽

10.1207/s15328023top2703_04 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 180-189 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Andrew N. Christopher ◽

Richard A. Griggs ◽

Chad L. Hagans

Keyword(s):

Social Psychology ◽

Selection Process ◽

Introductory Psychology ◽

Objective Analysis ◽

Abnormal Psychology ◽

Text Selection ◽

Content Analyses ◽

Psychology Courses ◽

Undergraduate Psychology ◽

Advanced Courses

Given the increased demand for undergraduate psychology courses beyond the introductory level, research on textbooks for such courses is surprisingly sparse. This study partially rectifies this problem. Because social and abnormal psychology are the two most frequently listed advanced courses in college catalogs (Perlman & McCann, 1999), we provide feature and content analyses of the 14 social psychology and 17 abnormal psychology survey texts published from 1995 to 1998. We also furnish comparisons between these two types of tesxts and introductory psychology texts. These analyses and comparisons should greatly facilitate the text selection process for teachers of social and abnormal psychology courses.

Download Full-text

Undergraduate Research Experience through the Analysis of Data Sets in Psychology Courses

Teaching of Psychology ◽

10.1207/s15328023top1303_4 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 119-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Neil Lutsky

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Research ◽

Psychology Students ◽

Introductory Psychology ◽

Data Sets ◽

Research Experience ◽

Statistical Procedures ◽

Research Activities ◽

Large Numbers ◽

Psychology Courses ◽

Research Questions

A method for involving large numbers of introductory psychology students as active researchers is described and evaluated. Students are assigned a project requiring them to develop research questions and to answer those questions by means of a computerized analysis of previously collected data. Results of a study of the project's effects on attitudes toward research in psychology indicate that students reported valuing research more, understanding statistical procedures better, and feeling less anxious about statistics and computers. These and other findings are taken to suggest that this assignment may be an effective way to introduce introductory students to research activities and values in psychology.

Download Full-text

Students' Grades and Ratings of Perceived Effectiveness of Behaviors Influencing Academic Performance

Teaching of Psychology ◽

10.1080/00986280701700284 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 236-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Baron Perlman ◽

Lee I. McCann ◽

Adam Prust

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

Psychology Students ◽

Introductory Psychology ◽

Perceived Effectiveness ◽

Point Scale ◽

Final Grade ◽

Undergraduate Psychology ◽

Average Students ◽

B 31

We studied undergraduate psychology students' grades and their ratings of the helpfulness of behaviors related to good academic performance. On average students desired an AB (3.5 on a 4-point scale) and would have been satisfied with a B; 31% of students expressed satisfaction with a BC or lower. Overall, students averaged a BC final grade, a B in nonintroductory courses. In every course but introductory psychology, students earned the grade they find satisfactory. Students rated only 7 of 59 behaviors as helping earn desired grades to a great extent; all involved basic studying. Moreover, they did not rate many potentially useful behaviors highly.

Download Full-text

Node-Link Mapping as an Alternative to Traditional Writing Assignments in Undergraduate Psychology Courses

Teaching of Psychology ◽

10.1207/s15328023top2302_4 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 91-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Michael Czuchry ◽

Donald F. Dansereau

Keyword(s):

Introductory Psychology ◽

Writing Assignments ◽

Anonymous Questionnaire ◽

Course Work ◽

Psychology Courses ◽

Writing Assignment ◽

Undergraduate Psychology ◽

Better Than

We explored the usefulness of a spatial—verbal technique called node-link mapping as an alternative to traditional uniting assignments. Students in Introductory Psychology (n = 44) and Memory and Cognition (n = 38) courses participated in the study as part of their normal course work. Students worked individually or in groups of two or three on the mapping assignment and then completed an anonymous questionnaire. Students rated the mapping assignment as more interesting, more informative, and no more difficult than a traditional writing assignment. Students also preferred the mapping assignment to a traditional writing assignment. Students' comments suggest that the mapping assignment helped students organize and remember information better than a traditional writing assignment.

Download Full-text