I use K. Stanovich's How to Think Straight About Psychology in our relatively new course called Scientific Foundations of Psychology. It is a key class as students begin our research sequence of stats, computer applications, and then experimental psych. Some of the central issues Stanovich addresses pertain to conceptions of psychology as mainly populated by pop-psych gurus and a-scientific practitioners. I do find here that students (who had no clue from their Intro Psych class) are shocked and surprised by the stress given to understanding research. A few move on to consider other fields such as social work, but others know that if they can make it thru these research-oriented classes, they will have no trouble sailing through most of their other psych classes. Gary
Gerald L. (Gary) Peterson, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Psychology Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI 48710 989-964-4491 [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Clark" <[email protected]> To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:43:22 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: RE: [tips] *Nature* on APA and clinical psychology Hi James M. Clark Professor of Psychology 204-786-9757 204-774-4134 Fax [email protected] >>> "Lilienfeld, Scott O" <[email protected]> 15-Oct-09 1:26:35 PM >>> Can we persuade individuals who enter graduate school with an indifference or even antipathy toward science to care about science - or at least care about finding ways of minimizing their propensity toward errors - with proper training? I don't know, although that's the focus of our manuscript. I believe (?) I've had a few scattered successes over the years in my graduate teaching and mentoring, but there's no question that it's hard work. JC: This suggests that perhaps the problem is better addressed prior to grad school; i.e., at the undergraduate level. We want to inculcate in our students the firm belief that science is THE way to address most issues about human behavior and experience. This also serves to address the problem that it it may not be just clinical psychology that experiences ascientific students ... might this not be similarly characteristic of other applied domains? And if we take the arrival of too many students into clinical psychology without a strong scientific orientation, does that indicate a shortcoming in our current practices with respect to inculcating science in our students? Take care Jim --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
