Convergence: Connecting Levels of Analysis in Psychological Science
In the past, our field harbored distinct, and often competing, schools of thought that tackled different problems and produced findings that often appeared to diverge. Today, investigators attack shared problems at complementary levels of analysis and produce results that converge. Studies of people in a social world; mental systems of cognition and emotion; and biological mechanisms of the genome and the nervous system interconnect and yield an integrated psychological science. The APS 23rd Annual Convention displays, and celebrates, these advances in our field.

APS-STP Teaching Institute Closing Plenary

Utility Value Research: Useful Tips for Undergraduate Teaching

Thursday, May 24, 2012, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Superior

Janet S. Hyde
University of Wisconsin, Madison

“Utility value” refers to the usefulness of a task to the individual, either now or in the future. Both laboratory experiments and classroom research show that when students perceive material as useful, they become more interested and achieve more (Hulleman & Harackiewicz). This talk will describe this research on utility value and explore its application for teaching undergraduate courses, including introductory psychology and statistics.

Janet Hyde in the news: The Slate (Nov 17, 2011) , Today (Jan 4, 2012), The Huffington Post (Jan 9, 2012) and MSNBC (Mar 2, 2012).

Subject Area: Teaching Institute