We describe an exercise involving the power balance wristband (PBW) designed to enhance students' ability to design scientific tests. An instructor demonstrated that the PBW improved a student's balance, strength, and flexibility and invited students to design and conduct a brief scientific test of the PBW. Research methods students who…

The prediction of dangerousness and the insanity defense are two areas where psychologists provide research-based expertise to the courts. Teachers of psychology can use these topics to capture the attention of students and to show how psychological research and theory can inform and influence the legal system. Specifically, teachers can use the…

Assessment of student learning outcomes can be a powerful tool for improvement of instruction when a scientific approach is taken; unfortunately, many educators do not take full advantage of this approach. This article examines benefits of taking a scientific approach to critical thinking assessment and proposes guidelines for planning,…

Scott O. Lilienfeld is a professor of psychology at Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Lilienfeld is founder and editor of the journal, "Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice," and is past president of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology. He has been a member of 11 journal editorial boards, including the…

Mnemonic strategies, such as acronyms, effectively increase student retention of course material. We present an acronym based on a popular television character to help students remember the basic steps in the scientific method. Our empirical evaluation of the acronym revealed that students found it to be enjoyable, useful, and worthy of use in…

Internal and external validity are key concepts in understanding the scientific method and fostering critical thinking. This article describes a class demonstration of a "botched" experiment to teach validity to undergraduates. Psychology students (N = 75) completed assessments at the beginning of the semester, prior to and immediately following…

Transcripts of 784 psychology alumni from 4 universities revealed that students' timing of first enrollments in a statistics or methodology course was the result of an interaction between personal preferences and differences in program requirements. Where only a single methodological course was mandatory, first enrollments were especially late in…

Discusses a lesson designed to demonstrate hypothesis testing to introductory college psychology students. Explains that a psychology instructor demonstrated apparent psychic abilities to students. Reports that students attempted to explain the instructor's demonstrations through hypothesis testing and revision. Provides instructions on performing…

Provides a classroom demonstration designed to test an astrological hypothesis and help teach introductory psychology students about research design and data interpretation. Illustrates differences between science and nonscience, the role of theory in developing and testing hypotheses, making comparisons among groups, probability and statistical…

Describes an exercise that uses riddles to expose students to important aspects of the process and experience of scientific thinking. Contends that the exercise allows students to examine their thought processes and to view scientific questions from different perspectives. Reports positive student reaction. (DB)

Reviews research in teaching applied statistics. Concludes that students should analyze data from studies they have designed and conducted. Describes an activity in which students study germination and growth of radish seeds. Includes a table providing student instructions for both the experimental procedure and data analysis. (CFR)

Discusses an activity that uses the metaphor "the mind is a black box," in which students work in groups to discover what is inside a sealed, black, plastic box. States that the activity enables students to understand the need for theories in psychology and to comprehend how psychologists build, test, and refine those theories. (CMK)

Examines coverage of critical thinking in 37 full-length introductory psychology textbooks published from 1955 to 1997. Checks for coverage of scientific thinking, cognitive biases in thinking, and difficulties in statistical reasoning. Suggests that findings should facilitate the review and decision process for instructors interested in…

Proposes that a game called Black Box is a useful tool for introducing various features of scientific reasoning to introductory research methods classes. Outlines the rules of the game and suggests analogies that instructors can make between the game and concepts commonly mentioned in discussions of scientific reasoning. (DSK)

Describes an instructional program focusing on the application of causal reasoning and related principles of the scientific method to problems that occur in daily life. Reports the results of a capstone exercise that investigated the changes in students' beliefs towards legalization of marijuana after reading persuasive communications. (CMK)