Introduction: Psycholinguistics presents a challenge to teaching and learning because of the many abstract models in the field. Language-related games provide a vehicle for students to ground and demonstrate their understanding of these models. Statement of the problem: Models in psycholinguistics are challenging to teach and learn because they…

Background: Prior research suggests that the teaching of abstract concepts can be enhanced by the use of concrete examples, but there are few controlled studies. Objective: To replicate key findings from experiment one from Rawson et al. (2015). Method: Experiment participants studied definitions of abstract concepts from psychology, either with…

Introduction: We propose a visionary working model to normalize the pursuit of social justice praxis in educational psychology courses. Using our undergraduate course as an example, we discuss our roles as instructors, curriculum, and pedagogical strategies for forward progress. Statement of the Problem: Despite stated commitments to diversity,…

Students majoring in psychology are often required or encouraged to have hands-on experience in the field. One way to gain experience is through an independent research experience (IRE); however, little is known about what IREs actually entail. In an effort to learn about students' IREs, we recruited 117 undergraduates from a Research I university…

In this article, I review how people organize values and goals in their minds and I suggest teaching demonstrations, exercises, and assignments to help students learn this material. I pay special attention to circumplex models, which represent the extent of conflict or compatibility between values and goals, and to the well-researched distinction…

Gaining a perspective on the evolution of psychological concepts can show students the power of theory and societal perspective in shaping scientific ideas across time. In this article, the author uses two constructs, the broad concept of intelligence and the narrow concept of combat stress reaction, to illustrate how psychologists have grappled…

Classic personality theories, although intriguing, are outdated. The five-factor model of personality traits reinvigorated personality research, and the resulting findings spurred a new generation of personality theories. These theories assign a central place to traits and acknowledge the crucial role of evolved biology in shaping human…

This study examined three methods of responding to in-class multiple-choice concept questions in an Introduction to Psychology course. Specifically, this study compared exam performance and student reactions using three methods of responding to concept questions: (a) a technology-based network system, (b) hand-held flashcards, and (c) hand…

To help college students understand psychology, the article suggests that instructors develop curriculum based on the relationship between scientific and technological advances and the development of early psychology. Views of many nineteenth century psychologists are summarized, including Johann Friedrich Herbart, Hermann Lotze, and Georg…

Describes an exercise teaching brain structure to introductory psychology students, involving construction of a three-dimensional semi-section of the human brain out of clay. (Author/CK)

Describes two classroom demonstrations, based on the prisoner's dilemma, which illustrate some elements of decision making. Examines how students either cooperate or take advantage of one another, and discusses the use of this activity as an introduction to various concepts in psychology and other social sciences. (GEA)

The Society for the Teaching of Psychology formed a task force in 2000 on Uniting Scholarship and Teaching to develop suggestions for how the Society might facilitate Boyer's (1990) and Halpern et al.'s (1998) expanded views of traditional scholarship with respect to the teaching of psychology. This article represents a partial fulfillment of that…

Introduces an experimental educational psychology component developed at the University of California, Berkeley, to provide teaching credential candidates with a useful, practical, and ordered educational psychology course. The course was designed to emphasize acquisition of knowledge, application of this knowledge to the classroom, and synthesis…

A course for teaching an advanced undergraduate course on the psychology of adult development and aging is described and evaluated. Course goals, content, and format are discussed. Students generally viewed the course favorably. (RM)

An experiential model of learning used in a graduate level psychology counseling course to help students develop group leadership skills is described. Students view a videotape depicting scenes that require an intervention. The scenes describe events leading to a choice point, and some kind of leader action is required. (RM)