Changing the Subject: A Turn From Content Toward Values and Skills in Introductory Psychology

Abstract

The author of the target article hypothesizes that introductory psychology textbook authors aim to “indoctrinate” students toward a more liberal political worldview. In our response, we offer a counterhypothesis that introductory psychology authors are more likely to be biased against updating older research in general, given the enormous amount of new research that must be incorporated, as opposed to specifically ignoring findings that fit with a conservative political worldview. We point to content that is generally overlooked that would fit with a liberal perspective, and we suggest an empirical investigation that the author could conduct to evaluate these competing hypotheses. Finally, we encourage a pivot in how we think about the introductory psychology course from an emphasis on content to an emphasis on skills and values, offering psychological literacy as a framework for the renewal of the introductory psychology curriculum.