Teaching

At Kenyon College, I teach various courses including Introductory Psychology; Psychology and the Law; Social Psychology; Stereotyping, Racism, and Prejudice; and Children, Psychology, and the Law. Descriptions of some of these courses are below:

INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY

Surveys major areas of psychology including human development, emotion, learning, memory, intelligence, personality, abnormal behavior, and psychotherapy. Focuses on historical development, research findings, clinical applications, and contemporary issues. Delineates the value of the different areas of psychology to other professions (e.g., medicine, law, business, education). Also, psychological theory and findings are at times placed into a more personal perspective that may relate to the student’s own life.

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Social psychology is the systematic study of social behavior. In general, it examines how we are affected by our social environment: how we perceive and interpret the behavior of others and the social situation, how we respond to others and they to us, and the nature of social relationships. Application of social psychological theory and methodology is encouraged through participation in small-scale laboratory or field observational studies.

PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LAW

Introduces students to the major topics represented in the field of Psychology and Law. Examines how psychological research (across sub-disciplines such as social, clinical, cognitive, and community psychology) can contribute to a better understanding of the law or legal process, how the legal system can be informed by the results of psychological research, and how psychological research can be more reactive to legal issues. Topics include the reliability of eyewitness testimony; factors that affect jury decision-making; interrogation and confessions; the clinical determination of insanity, competence, and future dangerousness; myths associated with “psychological profiling;” sexual victimization of women and children; race and the law; and juvenile justice.

STEREOTYPING, RACISM, AND PREJUDICE

This course introduces the student to psychological theory and research concerning stereotyping, prejudice, racism, and the effects of social stigma on self and society. Students will examine how stereotypes, prejudice, and racism are formed, maintained, and reduced. For instance, students will explore research unpacking the psychological underpinnings of why we treat "out-group" members differently than "in-group" members ("in-group bias"), as well as why we perceive "out-group" members to be more similar to one another than they really are ("out-group homogeneity"). Class content will include a review of research focusing on prejudice toward different social groups, including those formed by racial and ethnic origins, gender identity, sexual orientation, and overweight and physically different individuals. Students will leave this class with concrete, evidence-based, practical strategies and interventions to work toward eradicating prejudice and racism.

CHILDREN, PSYCHOLOGY, AND THE LAW

Introduces students to the major topics represented in the field of Children, Psychology, and the Law. This course examines how psychological research (across sub-disciplines such as social, clinical, cognitive, and community psychology) can contribute to a better understanding of special issues that arise when children enter the legal system – a system designed for adults. Topics include the nature of and societal response to child maltreatment, the reliability of children’s eyewitness testimony, jurors’ perceptions of children’s testimony, and juvenile justice. This course reviews how psychological research can contribute to a better understanding of these issues, how the legal system can be informed by the results of research, and how to design future research to address remaining questions.