College students have been increasingly demanding warnings and accommodations in relation to course topics they believe will elicit strong, negative emotions. These "trigger warnings" are highly relevant to Abnormal Psychology because of the sensitive topics covered in the course (e.g., suicide, trauma, sex). A survey of Abnormal…

It is important to understand the many controversies about cognitive sex differences because beliefs about these differences are often used to justify pubic policies and individual actions. As teachers of psychology, we need to provide a safe environment where students can think and argue about why, how, and how much females and males are similar…

Discussing socioeconomic status in college classes can be challenging. Both teachers and students feel uncomfortable, yet social class matters more than ever. This is especially true, given increased income inequality in the United States and indications that higher education does not reduce this inequality as much as many people hope. Resources…

Describes an undergraduate Psychology of Social Problems course. The course focuses on the psychological aspects of legal abortion for adolescents and women, the consequences of denied abortions on unwanted children, and psychological ramifications of alternatives to abortion. Summarizes student evaluations of the course. (CFR)

In contrast to "Just Say No" lectures on drug use common in K to 12 drug education programs (e.g., Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E.), this activity used peer teaching in an Introductory Psychology course to promote active learning and open discussion of controversial issues about drug use. Working in small groups, students researched…

Describes format and content for a seminar class about racism and psychological theories developed to explain its occurrence. Discusses the importance of having students evaluate theories and their supporting research, and the value of using multiple teaching methods to avert problems related to the sensitive nature of the subject. (DSK)

Presents information about a course on hate crimes and discusses awareness changes that occur in students. Describes the process by which students confront and understand the subject matter and its relation to real-world problems. Highlights ways the course incorporates contributions, expertise, and perspectives of groups historically excluded…

Describes a mock trial focused on Jack Kevorkian and an euthanasia case that was included in a psychology and law course. Discusses the course format, provides the reactions to the mock trial by students and consultants, and includes suggestions for improving the mock trial. (CMK)

Examines whether students engage in biased assimilation during in-class debates. Finds that biased assimilation only occurs when the student is arguing for her or his existing position on an issue. Concludes that, in order to eliminate biased assimilation, teachers should encourage students to debate the opposite position of their preconceived…

How classroom debates can be used in a developmental psychology course to teach students about controversial issues and to help them improve their thinking and oral communications skills is described. Evaluations indicate that students consider debates to be a positive learning experience. (Author/RM)

An issue-oriented approach to the teaching of personality involved students from one class in formal debates with students from another class. Evaluation of student attitudes and achievement in the course showed that high motivation and sharpened critical thinking resulted from the course design. (Author/AV)

Describes an upper-level undergraduate psychology course in which students applied psychological research to contemporary social issues. Students presented two reports on a controversial issue: one based on media reports and the other based on their own research. Reports that the experience gave students a better understanding of the strengths and…

Reviews two prominent philosophical justifications for animal liberation and describes a simulation that facilitates class discussion of animal research issues. Students reported that the exercise increased their awareness of the issues and of the complexity of making ethical decisions. (DB)

Describes the development and execution of a course entitled, "The Psychology of Sexual Orientation," the purpose of which is to examine the experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals in a thoughtful, scholarly, and informative manner. Course content addresses a broad range of issues including sexual norms, heterosexism,…

Presents a negotiation model for thinking about controversial issues in psychology. Provides students a framework for managing conflicts, including conflicting positions on professional ethics. Discusses relationships among three models of critical thinking. (CFR)