Students' Applications of Social Psychology in Introductory Social Psychology Classes

Abstract

Applied social psychology is currently popular. Many textbooks include special boxes (e.g., Baron and Byrne 1987) or even full chapters relating to this topic (e.g., Baron and Byrne 1987; Lippa 1990). These approaches by themselves are inadequate, however. In my view, students' application of course material to life should be integral to a social psychology course. One must proceed from readings to lectures, discussions, letters, and examinations that also emphasize student application in an integral approach, not a peripheral approach (to paraphrase an anonymous reviewer). In using a text, one should try to show how material in all chapters can be (e.g., Lippa 1990), not only the material in the applied social psychology chapter. Knowledge that is by students is learned better than knowledge that lies passive in the learner (Goldsmid and Wilson 1980, p. 293; McKeachie 1986, p. 231). Application of knowledge requires one to grasp the knowledge and to use it as a tool. To do so correctly, one must understand the piece of knowledge better than if it were unused. Moreover, use of a concept or generalization provides more reason to remember it. The knowledge becomes a part of one's life rather than merely part of one's classwork. If a learner uses knowledge, he or she is more likely to see it as important (Bem 1970). If use of the knowledge is actually helpful, that is all the more reason to want to remember it. The learner also can see the utility of knowledge as self-rewarding and, hence, as more likely to be learned (Lott and Lott 1985). Application of knowledge about social psychology by students also enhances their interest in the course material (cf. Basirico 1990, p. 61). Applicability of class material from college and university courses is generally rare, though perhaps it is more frequent in the social sciences than in other fields (Basirico 1990; Friedman 1989; Olsen 1987). An