Abstract
Volume 46, No. 2
In Memoriam
In Memoriam: Bernardo J. Carducci (1952–2018)
Jane S. Halonen
No Abstract
Topical Articles
‘‘What’s on the Test?’’: The Impact of Giving Students a Concept-List Study Guide
Patrick J. Cushen, Jana Hackathorn, Maria D. Vázquez Brown, Sean C. Rife, Amanda W. Joyce, Eric D. Smith, Michael J. Bordieri, Paul W. Anderson, Marie E. Karlsson and Jordan Daniels
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 109–114.
Students frequently request concept-list study guides prior to exams, but the benefits of instructors providing such resources are unclear. Research on memory and comprehension has suggested that some challenges in learning are associated with benefits to performance. In the context of an introductory psychology course, a study was conducted to investigate the impact of providing a concept-list study guide on exam performance, as opposed to having students create a study guide. Additionally, student preferences for various types of study guides were examined. Results indicated that although students greatly prefer that the instructors provide a study guide (as opposed to making their own), providing a concept-list study guide resulted in poorer exam performance. These results call for future research on the influence of study guides on student performance.
teaching psychology, study aids, study guides, exam performance
Collaborative Quizzes: Impact on Student Performance and Attendance
Maureen L. Petrunich-Rutherford and Frances Daniel
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 115–120.
The current study investigated whether collaborative quizzing impacted quiz performance, overall grades, exam grades, pass/fail rates, and attendance in upper-level psychology courses. Students enrolled in two sections of upper-level psychology courses completed collaborative quizzes, whereas students enrolled in two noncollaborative sections completed quizzes individually. Students enrolled in the collaborative classes maintained quiz performance from beginning to end of the semester, whereas students enrolled in the noncollaborative classes demonstrated a general decline in quiz grades. There was also a slight increase in overall course grades for students enrolled in collaborative compared to noncollaborative classes; however, there was no difference in exam grades, pass/fail rates, and attendance between the collaborative and noncollaborative classes. Collaborative quizzes may encourage a deeper understanding of course material and/or encourage students to come prepared for the group quiz activities.
collaboration, quiz, student performance, student outcomes
Generation and Retrieval Practice Effects in the Classroom Using PeerWise
Matthew R. Kelley, Elizabeth K. Chapman-Orr, Susanna Calkins and Robert J. Lemke
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 121–126.
The present study explored the generation and retrieval practice effects within a college classroom using a free, online tool called PeerWise (PW). PW allows students to create their own multiple-choice questions, share them with peers, and answer the shared questions written by their peers. Forty students from two sections of an upper level cognitive psychology course authored and answered multiple-choice questions as part of a semester-long assignment. Analyses showed reliable generation and retrieval practice effects following PW usage, along with a significant improvement in exam performance.
generation effect, retrieval practice, PeerWise
Student Gender and Instructor Gender as Predictors of Student–Instructor Rapport
William J. Lammers and Alleshia A. Byrd
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 127–134.
We evaluated whether gender (masculinity/femininity) rather than biological sex would better predict student–instructor rapport. University students (104 men, 97 women) considered either a feminine hypothetical instructor or a masculine hypothetical instructor and rate their expected rapport with that instructor. The Bem Sex Role Inventory assessed participant gender type. Results showed that students higher in femininity not only provided higher expected rapport ratings to a feminine instructor but also provided relatively higher expected rapport ratings to a masculine instructor. Students high in masculinity did not provide higher expected rapport ratings to a masculine instructor, and some analyses showed that they provided higher ratings to a feminine instructor. Results suggest that biological sex of the student, gender type of the student, and gender type of the instructor are all important factors to understand student–instructor rapport.
gender type, rapport, students, instructors
Faculty Forum
Cognitive Exercise Boosts Exam Performance in an Introductory Psychology Course
Holly A. White and Lauren E. Highfill
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 135–139.
The present study piloted a cognitive exercise program in a college classroom to enhance learning of lecture material. Undergraduate students enrolled in introductory psychology (N ¼ 68) completed variations of letter–number cancelation tasks with spoken instructions in 5-min sessions prior to lecture during four nonconsecutive class periods. Results showed significantly better exam performance on material based on lectures that followed cognitive exercise compared to lectures on nonexercise days. On an anonymous program feedback survey, students reported significantly greater levels of alertness following cognitive exercise versus before; the majority of students rated their attention to lecture and note-taking ability as above average after cognitive workouts. Although preliminary, findings suggest that cognitive exercise in the classroom may positively impact learning for college students.
cognitive exercise, mind wandering, working memory, focused attention, engagement, college students, lecture
Promoting Student Success in Statistics Courses by Tapping Diverse Cognitive Abilities
Erin Morris Miller
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 140–145.
Skill in statistical analysis and interpretation are key areas of expertise for psychology majors seeking graduate school admittance and future employment. However, students can be reluctant to engage in their statistics course and may struggle to find success. One possible way to increase engagement and student learning is to teach in a way that taps multiple areas of cognitive ability through organizing instruction according to Robert Sternberg’s theory of triarchic intelligence. This approach to instruction has been shown to be successful in the author’s courses and resulted in a pattern of achievement on the psychology subtest of the Area Concentration Achievement Test (ACAT) that is above what would be predicted by the students’ general aptitude scores.
statistics, triarchic intelligence, cognitive diversity
‘‘I Would Never Fall for That’’: The Use of an Illegitimate Authority to Teach Social Psychological Principles
Sally D. Farley, Deborah H. Carson and Terrence J. Pope
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 146–152.
This activity explores attitudinal beliefs and behavioral responses of obedience to an illegitimate authority figure in an ambiguous situation. In Experiment 1, students either self-reported the likelihood that they would obey a request made by a stranger to surrender their cell phone or were asked directly and in person by a confederate to relinquish their cell phone. The exercise revealed a marked discrepancy between how students predicted they would respond and how they actually did respond to the request. In Experiment 2, student learning was measured in addition to obedience. Although students exposed to the exercise had similar gains in learning as those exposed to a control condition, the mean obedience rate was a compelling 95.7%. Furthermore, students self-reported a greater willingness to obey the commands of an authority figure after learning about the Milgram study than before, thereby acknowledging their vulnerability to authority. We discuss the role of Milgram’s study in the psychology curriculum and provide recommendations for how this exercise might assist understanding of myriad social psychological principles.
Hofling, Milgram, exercise, authority, obedience
Altruistic Punishment in the Classroom: An Update on the Tragedy of the Commons Extra Credit Question
Dylan Selterman
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 153–157.
A world-famous classroom exercise gives students the choice between 2 points (the communal option) or 6 points (the overconsumption option) of extra credit toward an assignment in their course, but if more than 10% choose 6 points, no one receives any points. In the current variation, students (N = 795) were also given a third option—to sacrifice their own potential points to take away points from another randomly selected student who chose 6 points. Across seven course sections, 19 students chose this option based on the concept of “altruistic punishment,” with many expressing concern about the entire class losing points. Most students had a positive attitude toward the exercise, viewing that it helped them understand new material and increased their interest in psychology, believing that psychology can help solve social problems. This exercise effectively demonstrates group cooperation dilemmas.
altruism, dilemmas, social groups, social psychology, game theory
Further Evidence for Using Online Discussion Boards in the Classroom
Mercedes Sheen, Hajar Aman Key Yekani and Timothy R. Jordan
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 158–163.
Recent research compared the use of case studies to online discussion boards to teach about anxiety disorders. The current study extends this research to mood disorders, reports pretest and posttest scores on four learning outcomes, and compares midterm exam scores from Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 when case studies and online discussion boards were used as supplementary learning material, respectively. The results indicate students in the discussion board condition (DBC) rated their learning outcomes significantly higher than students in the case study condition, and midterm exam scores were significantly higher for students who took part in the DBC as a learning exercise. These findings provide evidence that the usefulness of online discussion boards extends to other types of disorders and may even surpass the use of traditional case studies as a pedagogical tool when teaching about psychological disorders.
case studies, abnormal psychology, classroom exercise, stigma
Classroom-Based Motivational Interviewing for Improving College Students’ Academic Performance: A Randomized Trial
Gerald G. Strait, Christopher Williams and Christopher Peters
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 164–167.
In this study, we used a randomized control trial (N = 84) to evaluate the effects of a classroom-based motivational interviewing intervention on undergraduate psychology students’ test performance. Results indicated that students in the treatment group (n = 38) demonstrated significant increases in their exam grades following the intervention (d = .34). However, these changes were not significantly different from students in a control group (n = 43) who received a handout on study tips.
motivational interviewing, classroom, school-based, intervention
The Generalist’s Corner
Metacognition
Matthew G. Rhodes
Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 168–175.
Metacognition refers to a set of processes an individual uses in monitoring ongoing cognition so as to effectively control his or her own behavior. In this article, I discuss key frameworks for characterizing metacognition and describe approaches to measuring metacognition. Modern research in metacognition assumes that monitoring of cognition plays a causal role in self-regulation of cognitive processes, making it imperative that monitoring of cognition is accurate. Accordingly, I describe research on metacognitive accuracy and several factors that reliably impact metacognitive accuracy. I conclude by discussing emerging issues and approaches to teaching metacognition.
metacognition, metamemory, monitoring, confidence