Background: While abnormal psychology courses have traditionally focused on psychopathology, there are several benefits to adopting a strengths-based approach. Objective: This study examined the teaching of a strengths-based assessment approach (the DICE-PM Model), compared to teaching as usual, in an undergraduate abnormal psychology course.…

Research shows that stigma toward mental illness prevents a large percentage of college students from seeking help. Finding pedagogies that can be utilized in the classroom to reduce stigma is important. The present study replicated previous research that utilized celebrity case material in the teaching of abnormal psychology for the purpose of…

Refutation-style texts have been considered a viable strategy for changing psychological misconceptions. The current study aims to integrate refutation-style texts into a classroom-based method of learning. Psychology students were administered a true/false misconception survey and then viewed several refutation-style poster presentations…

Abnormal psychology instructors often use traditional and personal methods to educate students about and improve student attitudes toward mental illness and professional help-seeking. Data from abnormal psychology students (N = 190) were used to determine if and how students' attitudes toward mental illness and professional help-seeking attitudes…

Students often come into the introductory psychology course with many misconceptions and leave with most of them intact. Borrowing from other disciplines, we set out to determine whether refutational lecture and text are effective in dispelling student misconceptions. These approaches first activate a misconception and then immediately counter it…

Service learning places teaching and learning in a social context, facilitating socially responsive knowledge. The purposes of this meta-analysis were to summarize evidence on (a) extent and types of change in participants in service learning programs, (b) specific program elements (moderators) that affect the amount of change in participants, and…

Discusses classroom demonstrations of classical conditioning and notes tendencies to misrepresent Pavlov's procedures. Describes the design and construction of the conditioner that is used for demonstrating classical conditioning. Relates how students experience conditioning, generalization, extinction, discrimination, and spontaneous recovery.…

Describes a stereotype measurement suitable for classroom demonstration. Illustrates C. McCauley and C. L. Stitt's diagnostic ratio measure and examines the validity of the "kernel of truth" hypothesis. Uses this as a starting point for class discussion. Reports results and gives suggestions for discussion of related concepts. (Author/NL)

Describes a class in human development where students took on roles of the elderly by simulating physical constraints and aging. Depicts their reactions to the conditions and behaviors of the elderly. Allows students to examine their personal conceptions of the elderly. Finds study fostered empathy with senior adults. (Author/NL)