Because of the large number of students typically enrolled in introductory psychology classes, the use of formal laboratory activities is sometimes impractical, especially when resources are scarce. We describe the use of a college dining facility as a real-life laboratory where students can apply research skills, and we offer evidence that the experience serves as an effective tool to teach the scientific method. The advantages of using this environment are that it includes a rich source of interesting behavior to study and it requires no financial support.
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