Content to prioritize in intro psych

[Dazen]

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Hi all!

I'm teaching one of our undergrad intro psychology sections this fall and am excited for my first real teaching experience. The way the course is set up, we have required chapters and optional chapters, from which each instructor can choose three. Here's what's in both categories:

Required:
Intro & History of Psych
Research Methods
Biological Bases
Learning
Social
Psychological Disorders
Treatment

Optional:
States of Consciousness
Sensation & Perception
Cognition & Intelligence
Memory
Personality
Emotion & Motivation

My initial instinct is to include Memory, because it can potentially support learning strategies throughout college, and Personality, because it's so frequently discussed in pop psychology that I'd like to dispel some rumors. I also primarily do personality research, so there's some personal interest driving the decision in addition to greater knowledge of the subject area. I could see States of Consciousness (especially the drug section) being especially interesting to undergrads. I also wonder whether it makes more sense to introduce more biological/low level topics like Sensation or Emotion first that could set the stage for future learning, or a more applied topic like Cognition that may be easier to grasp and understand its relevance.

What areas do you think are crucial to include in an intro psych course? How would you prioritize potential interest vs value of content? All advice appreciated!

 

[WisNeuro]

in the Research Methods portion, there were some things I got good feedback on that i also found to be good skills/ways to look at things. I'd have them pick a piece of news that discussed mental health research, then we'd get the source article, and have them look at the actual findings vs. how it was reported on by a non-scientist.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I was going to suggest something about propaganda/media and psych concepts that impact how viewers view and interact with the information.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I’d suggest a unit on political cults and/or how Nazis use propaganda & psych concepts to advance their agendas….but these might be too on the nose given today’s politics.

I wouldn’t want the current administration to kidnap, traffick, & sell you to a 3rd world prison bc of your lecture topic(s).

 

[R. Matey]

My votes for optionals are personality and intelligence. For personality, it'll give you a chance to dispel common personality myths that are popular in the cultural psyche (e.g., Jung, Myers-Briggs, Enneagram). Teaching intelligence/cognition would give you an opportunity to teach students how to acknowledge valid criticisms of the individual differences movement while also allowing for the utility of the concept, which is an exercise in critical thinking. Bonus points if you can include a lecture on intersection of cognition and emotion to show how these two processes don't exist in silos.

 

[iliketohelppeople]

I would make sure to include things that you are interested in, if it is possible, so it seems like personality would be a good fit. I think your ideas about memory are great - that is often what I start off with in intro psych, as then they can actually use the information in their classes - I make sure to make it really applied for them as it relates to studying.

Given that you have one more area to include, I think teaching what interest or excites you can be a good idea for intro even above what content can be helpful - it makes it more enjoyable to teach, and students enjoy seeing that passion or interest in my experience, and it may entice them to take more classes rather than having me talk about something I find less interesting, personally. Obviously, you could include what students find interesting, too. If you have two or so topics that you would be willing to teach them, you could have them vote on it, too.

 

[oliversacks4thewin]

Personally, I love teaching others about memory and language. For memory, you can always teach about Milner's research with H.M., it's a nice easy way to get away with playing clips of Memento and dissecting the scenes from a bio-psych perspective. You can also have your students draw the mirror star he did, which is always tons of fun lol. If you're feeling especially adventurous you can go into Luria and his The Mind of a Mnemonist for a different look at when memory is working almost too well. As always, tons of Oliver Sacks video clips too lol.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

My last version of the syllabus for intro psych (meeting twice-a-week)

​

Greetings, Course Overview Intro

Science & History of Psychology

Science & History of Psychology

Research Methods

Research Methods

Biological Psychology

Biological Psychology & Review

Finish Up & Review

***Exam #1***​

Sleep and Dreams

Learning

NO CLASS

Learning

Memory

Memory

***Exam #2***​

NO CLASS​

Development

Development

Personality

Personality

Social Psychology

Social Psychology & Review

***Exam #3***​

Consumer Psychology

Language

Intelligence

Mental Disorders & Treatments

Mental Disorders & Treatments

Mental Disorders & Treatments

Catch Up & Review

I include other content areas of the textbook as separate assignments (which are not covered in class) that review sensation/perception, other aspects of consciousness not covered in sleep/dreams, health psychology, and anything that I just can't get to in class (e.g., moral development)

 

[DynamicDidactic]

States of Consciousness
Sensation & Perception
Cognition & Intelligence
Memory
Personality
Emotion & Motivation

To me, cognition/intelligence, memory, and states of consciousness are the most useful for the majority of intro psych students that may never take another psych course. I feel bad for excluding sensation/perception b/c it is such a longtime and important aspect of psychology but its not an exciting area for students, typically. Personality is such an ideal topic for a more advanced course (again, imo). And, emotion/motivation is, again imo, full of theories and ideas that do not give students much useful information if they never take another course.

Principally, as it may be clear from above, I go into intro psych thinking that the vast majority of these students will never take another psych course and if they did what do I want them to know most. And for those students that may be interested in psych, how can I give them information that they want to learn more about in future courses. To be fair, emotion/motivation just does not make the cut for me.