Experimental Psychology is a required course for psychology majors at Texas A&M University--Texarkana. This course is designed to familiarize students with the typical methods and techniques employed in psychological research. I believe that to fully understand research one must experience it, so I incorporated an in-class experiment designed…

For 6 years, we have offered an integrated weekly laboratory focusing on research methods as part of our general psychology course. Through self-report measures and controlled comparisons, we found that laboratory projects significantly increase students' knowledge and comfort level with scientific approaches and concepts, sustain interest in…

"Mythbusters" uses multiple research methods to test interesting topics, offering research methods students an entertaining review of course material. To test the effectiveness of "Mythbusters" clips in a psychology research methods course, we systematically selected and showed 4 clips. Students answered questions about the clips, offered their…

This article extends the work in the area of academic achievement among adolescents through an examination of the role clique membership plays in determining grades students receive. (Author/RK)

The purposes of the present research were: (a) to study the areas and magnitude of personal concerns of black undergraduate students in the South as measured by Mooney Problem Check Lists; and (b) to investigate the relationship between the same students' personal concerns and manifest anxiety on the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. (Author)

This study investigated the educational value of research participation by assessing the accuracy of student perceptions regarding the scientific status and methodology of psychology at 3 times during a semester: during the first week, following introductory and methodology lectures, and at the end of the term. Students' understanding of…

Demonstrated that through a brief, didactic, demythologizing approach, college students' attitudes toward mental illness can be changed in a psychosocial or non-medical model direction. Results indicate that such an approach effectively can change students' somewhat negative constructs of mental patients in a positive direction. (Editor)

This study investigated the differences between elementary school pupils' and teachers' perceptions of the actual classroom environment and of discrepancies between preferred and actual environment. Teachers and students preferred more favorable classroom environment than was perceived as being present, and teachers perceived the actual classroom…

Purpose: This paper seeks to explore undergraduate placement experiences in tourism and hospitality SMEs, focusing on the notions of surprise and sense making. It aims to argue that surprises and sense making are important elements not only of the adjustment process when entering new work environments, but also of the learning experience that…

Describes the psychological problems of students who seek counseling services and attempts to determine whether the problems presented by these students differ in any way from the types of emotional problems reported by the general college population studied by previous investigators. (Author/RK)

Discusses a study concerned with the identification of the perceptions that Anglo teachers, children, and parents, and Chicano children and parents hold of each other, and the implications of cultural differences and similarities in the education of Chicanos. The study involved 12 Anglo teachers, 10 Chicano and 10 Anglo children, and 10 Chicano…

Presents results of the application of the matched guise--a method requiring respondents to evaluate the personality traits of speakers whose tape-recorded voices are played to them--to a sample of bilingual Saint Lucians. Results indicate that Saint Lucian bilinguals have different evaluative reactions to their two languages, English and a French…

Researchers and the committees established for the protection of research participants are obliged to consider the ratio of ethical costs to benefits when making decisions about whether a study should be conducted. Pre- and post-questionnaires were administered to students participating in reserach projects to assess their opinions concerning…

The impact of interest on specific quantitative and qualitative measures was studied by examining the relationship between interest in research methodology by education students and knowledge in the area. The "Study Interest Questionnaire" (Winteler and Sierwald, 1987) and a questionnaire on interest in empirical research methodology were…