Applied Experimental Psychology

Abstract

Learning-by-doing and a transgenerational educational format are incorporated into a semesterlong undergraduate capstone course. The goal of the course is to provide students with an understanding of the fundamentals of applied experimental psychology (e.g., applications of methods), and using that understanding in the context of design. Students participate in seminarstyle class meetings and a weekly laboratory meeting. Every class meeting is devoted to discussing a reading assignment related to the fundamentals of aging, as well as a breadth of applied experimental psychology domains. The students are encouraged to engage in collaborative discussion to critique the main points of the reading. In the laboratory, each student learns about and applies human factors methods. The students work in teams and develop a project in which they apply their fundamental knowledge of experimental psychology to the domain of successful aging. Each team develops or redesigns a technology, device, or environment to aid older adults to live independently, maintain their health, and/or improve their well-being. Transgenerational education is promoted through the students’ interaction with a panel of elders, who participate in user testing and feedback. The students and older adults alike reported that the course is beneficial. Students learned about the fundamentals of applying experimental psychology and aging, whereas older adults increased their awareness of technology development and how technology can impact successful aging.