Background: The goals of laboratory experiences include developing knowledge base, research skills, and scientific communication abilities. Objective: The aim was to assess an inquiry-based laboratory activity using the model organism "Caenorhabditis elegans" in relation to learning goals. Method: Students in a "Biopsychology"…

The American Psychological Association Board of Educational Affairs Working Group (APA) recommends providing some research experience to undergraduate students in the introductory psychology course. This nationwide survey of introductory psychology instructors explored the frequency of integrated research opportunities in introductory courses,…

Taking an ethical approach to using nonhuman animals in teaching requires assessment of the learning benefits of using animals and how these compare to the benefits of alternative teaching practices. It is also important to consider whether students have ethical reservations about completing exercises with animals. We compared upper level…

A general laboratory course should include projects that familiarize college students with the variety of methods available to the researcher. Described are four research projects that address questions about human behavior by means of experimental, observational, survey, and archival research methods. (RM)

Describes two new exercises in classical conditioning that use earthworms and houseflies. The animals are available year-round and pose no risk to the students or instructor. The conditioned stimuli are odorants. These elicit a conditioned response of contraction in worms or proboscis extension in flies. (MJP)

Reports on a laboratory experiment where students measured their heart rate, blood pressure, mood, alertness, and cognitive performance. Measures showed significant circadian heart rhythm variations. They were strongly correlated and peaked at different times. Discusses the implications of this and students' reactions to the experiment. (MJP)

Failure is frequently the end point of laboratory exercises in physiological psychology that involve stereotaxic surgery by inexperienced students. Lab instructors should caution students to pursue the potential location of misplaced brain lesions using a variety of simple behavioral tests and the Thompson stereotaxic atlas. (Author/RM)

For small colleges, the use of invertebrates in undergraduate learning laboratory experiments may be a valuable alternative to the use of vertebrate species. This article describes a habituation experiment using terrestrial hermit crabs. All of the materials required are inexpensive and readily available. What makes this experiment unique is that…

Described is an exercise involving the measurement of temperature in a peripheral tissue, brown adipose, that is readily accessible in the laboratory rat. (RM)

The continuing erosion of financial support for undergraduate laboratories makes cost an increasingly important factor in the choice of undergraduate animal experiments. Projects employing insect predation by rodents, which require minimal equipment and pose a number of interesting questions about animal behavior, are described. (RM)

The four BASIC programs described can be used to control experiments and facilitate classroom demonstrations and laboratory exercises in human memory, operant behavior, and visual discrimination. (RM)

Discusses the use of a teaching fellows program (undergraduates teaching undergraduates) in a psychology laboratory class. Examines the goals, outcomes, curriculum, and implementation of the laboratory class and how these were impacted through the use of teaching fellows. Includes a table showing curriculum, content area, laboratory activities,…

Chickens, instead of rats, were used in an upper-level laboratory course on animal learning. To help other instructors interested in using chickens for a lab course, a discussion of the physical and behavioral characteristics of chickens is provided. Student reaction to the course is also discussed. (RM)

A microcomputer was used successfully to replicate Sternberg's 1966 study of retrieval from short-term memory and Sperling's 1960 study on sensory or iconic memory. Computers with a capacity for measuring reaction time are useful in the laboratory for introductory psychology courses. (SR)

A laboratory project introduced physiological psychology students to research by requiring them to identify an unknown drug given to laboratory animals. Students read material about drugs and animal drug studies, designed behavioral tests, constructed the testing apparatus, conducted the tests, and wrote progress reports. (SR)