Bridging the Gap: A Seminar in Psychology and Public Policy Issues

Abstract

This article describes a seminar for senior psychology majors concerned with applications of psychological research to current and controversial issues of social importance. The students, in groups of two or three, prepared symposia on public policy issues. They presented each symposium twice; the first presentation was based principally on the media and the second on the research literature and other primary sources. The seminar gave students an enhanced appreciation of the strengths and limitations of scientific psychology's contributions to public policy and can help to bridge the gap between their academic training in psychology and their concerns as members of society.