Background: Student anxiety about statistics may lead to poorer learning outcomes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate an exercise designed to teach students in an introductory statistics class the principles of bivariate regression and to emphasize how statistical tools used by psychologists are also implemented in other fields.…

Interdisciplinary pedagogy can enhance Introduction to Psychology curricula. We developed an interdisciplinary project to make meaning in a learning community (LC) clustering Introduction to Psychology with Introduction to Criminal Justice. Our purpose is to describe the project as a model and report on students' evaluations of the project and…

The American Psychological Association (APA) has called for psychologists to become more involved in addressing climate change. One way to address this pressing issue is through curriculum. To this end, we describe an undergraduate course that we created and teach exclusively focused on the interface of psychology and global climate change. The…

We describe a method for helping introductory psychology students identify interdisciplinary connections among 5 social science disciplines. Pre- and posttest data assessed 359 undergraduates' understanding of psychology's relation to other fields. Results indicate the method is effective and provides one way for individual instructors to address…

Environmental scientists warn that the health of the planet is rapidly deteriorating, and the primary cause of the crisis is human behavior. Psychology can contribute greatly to understanding and changing behaviors that negatively impact global ecosystems; however, environmental issues are not generally included in psychology curricula, and…

Emphasizes that the philosophy of psychology (which deals with issues such as the role of theories and the conflict between mechanistic and purposivistic explanations of behavior) is too often emphasized in college-level psychology courses. Presents rationale and suggests methods for teaching such a course. (DB)

Describes a psychology course in which magical illusions were used for teaching the principles of sensation and perception. Students read psychological, philosophical, historical, and magical literature on illusion, performed a magical illusion, and analyzed the illusion in terms of the psychological principles involved. (Author/KC)

We describe the development and evolution of an interdisciplinary introductory course in psychology and sociology. Such a course benefits students by encouraging a wider view of the social sciences and interdisciplinary critical thinking. The challenges of a combined course include reduced content for each discipline, the selection of appropriate…

Describes the use of drama students to role play subjects of case studies in simulations of standard interviews in a college-level abnormal psychology class. Graduate drama students role-played clients in interviews with instructors or student panels. After the interviews, class discussion covered alternative possible diagnoses and possible…

Reviews ideas and techniques to help college level psychology teachers teach writing in their courses. The literature on the psychology of writing is examined. Sources providing technical advice on writing are described. Books, texts, and readings on writing for direct use by students are also discussed. (RM)

Describes a psychology course on the college level which provided an interdisciplinary academic experience for students, a public forum for the community, and an opportunity for the five-person psychology department to team-teach a topic of shared interest. (DB)

Theories and treatments of mental illness reflect the social, philosophical, and historical context in which they developed. This article describes ways to invite students to grapple with complex questions about "madness" from an interdisciplinary perspective. Looking at the construct of madness through multiple lenses (e.g., literature,…

Describes an interdisciplinary approach to the introductory psychology course which integrates philosophy, political science, and English. The article describes organization and content of the course and emphasizes material most relevant to psychology. (Author/JR)

Describes an interactive method for teaching a course in the psychology of aging based on a multidisciplinary approach. Argues that it allows incorporation of a wide range of age-related topics, and provides students with practical applications. Allows students to identify and challenge perceptions of age and understand aging from multiple…

Contends that a university history of psychology course demonstrates its close link with other disciplines and its approach to understanding human thought and action. Suggests methods such as lectures, anecdotes, slides, oral interviews, and field trips to accomplish objectives. (KC)