A Happy and Engaged Class Without Cell Phones? Its Easier Than You Think
This article presents an easy-to-implement method using positive reinforcement that effectively removes cell phones from the classroom in a way that is highly endorsed by students and that greatly fosters student engagement, class participation, and a focused and respectful classroom atmosphere. In a quasi-experiment, we found significant correlations between giving up cell phones and students’ test grades, overall grade point average (GPA), semester’s GPA, and attendance. Rate of improvement of higher and lower participators suggested that better students were more likely to give up their cell phones to earn a...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Katz, L., Lambert, W. Tags: Faculty Forum Source Type: research
Instructors Use of Trigger Warnings and Behavior Warnings in Abnormal Psychology
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 Psychology instructors (N = 131) indicated that the majority of them regularly warned students to avoid course-specific behaviors such as stigmatizing mental illness, diagnosing people they know, and sharing personal information. In contrast, the majority of instructors did not provide regular war...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Boysen, G. A., Wells, A. M., Dawson, K. J. Tags: Faculty Forum Source Type: research
Using Celebrities in Abnormal Psychology as Teaching Tools to Decrease Stigma and Increase Help Seeking
This study evaluated whether using examples of celebrities’ experiences with mental illness as a form of "contact" with a mentally ill person would reduce public stigma toward mental illness as well as stigma toward obtaining psychological assistance. Data were collected using a pre–post design from 38 (experimental group) and 17 (control group) college undergraduate students enrolled in an abnormal psychology course. Compared to the control group, the use of celebrities as narratives to teach about mental illness resulted in reduced public stigma toward mental illness and reduced stigma toward seeking help. (S...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Ferrari, A. Tags: Faculty Forum Source Type: research
Dual Outcomes of Psychology Assignments: Perceived Learning and Feelings of Prideful Accomplishment
Two studies explored properties of psychology assignments from an atypical perspective: students’ own perceptions of what they learned and their emotional reactions to the assignments, specifically feelings of pride in their work. Study 1 showed that assignments vary in their likelihood of generating prideful accomplishment and identified three assignment properties related to this outcome: students’ expended effort, self-relevance to the student, and instructor recognition. Study 2 examined whether assignments that produced pride were also perceived by students as contributing to their learning. Although time ...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Pines, H. A., Larkin, J. E., Murray, M. P. Tags: Faculty Forum Source Type: research
Using the Power Balance Wristband to Improve Students Research-Design Skills
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 participated in the exercise significantly improved their ability to design scientific tests of the PBW and another pseudoscientific practice (i.e., Healing Touch); students enrolled in the control sections of the course showed no improvement. Incorporating this single-class exe...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Lawson, T. J., Blackhart, G. C., Gialopsos, B. M. Tags: Faculty Forum Source Type: research
Is "Bow" for an Arrow or for Hair? A Classroom Demonstration on Gender Differences in Interpreting Ambiguous Information
This article details a classroom demonstration of how gender differences in cognitive schemas can result in men and women differentially interpreting the same information. Students heard a series of six homonyms (e.g., bow and nail) spoken aloud and wrote down the first word with which they free-associated each homonym. When hearing the words (e.g., bow), men were more likely to respond with a male-gendered word (e.g., arrow), whereas women were more likely to respond with a female-gendered word (e.g., hair). The demonstration is easy to administer, takes approximately 10 min, results in strong differences, and improves st...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Fa-Kaji, N., Nguyen, L., Hebl, M., Skorinko, J. Tags: Methods and Techniques Source Type: research
Preparing for Graduate-Level Training in Professional Psychology: Comparisons Across Clinical PhD, Counseling PhD, and Clinical PsyD Programs
In the present study, faculty who teach in clinical and counseling doctor of philosophy (PhD) or doctor of psychology (PsyD) programs completed surveys regarding preferences for prospective student preparations to graduate programs. Faculty expectations of minimum and ideal undergraduate training were highest for scientific methods, though expectations systematically varied among clinical PhD, counseling PhD, and clinical PsyD programs. Faculty preferences for applicants’ research and clinical "fit" within the program in which they are applying, as well as general interpersonal skills and intellect, also emerged as i...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Karazsia, B. T., Smith, L. Tags: Topical Articles Source Type: research
Cest La Vie! The Game of Social Life: Using an Intersectionality Approach to Teach About Privilege and Structural Inequality
In this article, we present the results of two studies that evaluated an experiential intersectionality awareness activity, C’est La Vie: The Game of Social Life. For Study 1 (N = 55), we content analyzed students’ short answer responses about inequality written before and after playing C’est La Vie. Study 2 compared a C’est La Vie treatment group (N = 179) to a lecture-as-usual control condition (N = 64). Across both studies, playing C’est La Vie was associated with an expanded awareness of privilege and structural inequality. Follow-up analyses with a subset of Study 2 control participants (...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Bramesfeld, K. D., Good, A. Tags: Topical Articles Source Type: research
The Perspective of Undergraduate Research Participant Pool Nonparticipants
Undergraduate research participant pools play an essential role in facilitating research, and many universities rely on them for participant recruitment. There is an abundance of information about those who do elect to participate in research through these recruitment systems but very little about those who do not. The present study examines both undergraduate research pool participants and nonparticipants, and the objective is to explore how they differ in their views. A sample of 483 Canadian undergraduate students (n = 442 participants and n = 41 nonparticipants) completed measures of their impressions of participation,...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Rocchi, M., Beaudry, S. G., Anderson,, C., Pelletier, L. G. Tags: Topical Articles Source Type: research
Extra Credit Micro-Incentives and Response Rates for Online Course Evaluations: Two Quasi-Experiments
To extend prior findings on the motivational value of tiny, nonfinancial incentives, we conducted two quasi-experiments on the relationship of extra credit micro-incentives (ECMIs, worth ≤1% of course grade) and response rates for online course evaluations. Study 1 involved two advanced undergraduate psychology courses taught by the same instructor for 14 semesters, the first 7 of which used paper-and-pencil evaluations and no incentives, with average response rates of 57%. After a switch to online evaluations with no incentives for two semesters, response rates fell to 30% or lower. Following introduction of ECMIs for ...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Sundstrom, E. D., Hardin, E. E., Shaffer, M. J. Tags: Topical Articles Source Type: research
2016 Teaching Excellence Award Winners
(Source: Teaching of Psychology)
Source: Teaching of Psychology - September 8, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Amsel, E. Tags: Society for the Teaching of Psychology Source Type: research
Teaching About Psychosocial Aspects of Disability: Emphasizing Person-Environment Relations
This article presents some psychosocial aspects of disability linked to the person–environment relation that teachers should share in the psychology classroom. Disability is an often-overlooked form of diversity, one that teachers should discuss alongside race, gender, sexual orientation, social class/socioeconomic status (SES), religiosity, and aging. The experience of disability and disability culture are important topics that should be shared with and understood by secondary and postsecondary students, particularly because people with disabilities are no longer at the social margins of everyday life in the United ...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - June 7, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Dunn, D. S. Tags: The Generalist ' s Corner Source Type: research
Postbaccalaureate Salaries of Psychology Majors From a Historically Black University: How Much Does a Masters Degree Add?
A sample of predominantly African American psychology major baccalaureates from a historically Black university self-reported job types, salaries, and master’s degree completion. For this pre-2009 recession sample, we found that (a) the rates of employment were quite high; (b) most jobs were related to health, mental health, social work, and education; and (c) the average salary was comparable to national estimates. After controlling for GPA, completion of a master’s degree predicted substantially higher salaries. (Source: Teaching of Psychology)
Source: Teaching of Psychology - June 7, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Sibulkin, A. E., Butler, J. S. Tags: Faculty Forum Source Type: research
"Try Walking in Our Shoes": Teaching Acculturation and Related Cultural Adjustment Processes Through Role-Play
In this article, we describe several role-playing exercises on acculturation and relevant cultural adjustment processes that we incorporated into Tomcho and Foel’s classroom activity on acculturation, and we report data that examine subsequent changes in students’ responses on pretest and posttest measures shortly after the activity and present qualitative themes derived from students’ reflections taken from an assignment at the end of the semester. We found no increases in students’ perceptions that role-playing can help them gain a better understanding of acculturation. However, there were increas...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - June 7, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Zamboanga, B. L., Ham, L. S., Tomaso, C. C., Audley, S., Pole, N. Tags: Faculty Forum Source Type: research
A Pilot Test of a Graduate Course in Suicide Theory, Risk Assessment, and Management
The present discussion outlines the design and initial implementation of a semester-long graduate course in suicide theory, risk assessment, and management. While the structure of the course is adaptable in light of various considerations (e.g., targeted group of students and availability of resources), we review suicide risk assessment core competencies and course structure and provide sample evidence-based applied and interactive assignments. An initial empirical test of the course yielded a number of encouraging findings, including increased factual knowledge concerning suicide risk assessment and management, and improv...
Source: Teaching of Psychology - June 7, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Cramer, R. J., Bryson, C. N., Stroud, C. H., Ridge, B. E. Tags: Faculty Forum Source Type: research
