Investigative Psychophysiology Laboratory Experiences in College and High School

Saint Olaf College, Northfield MN

Investigators

Abstract

Psychology - Biological (71) In this project, St. Olaf College is revising the cognitive neuroscience laboratory components of three psychophysiology courses and piloting an outreach program to area high schools. The project is developing a series of laboratory exercises that emphasize the quantitative rather than the qualitative aspects of psychophysiology. We are doing this by replacing the analog equipment currently employed in the psychophysiology courses with BioPac digital signal processing equipment and by adapting and implementing the work of faculty in other institutions to upgrade the relevant laboratory exercises for these courses. We have examined prior projects, some supported by NSF, in selecting the exercises to implement or adapt. New BioPac equipment can be employed effectively to allow students to measure their own physiological response data as dependent variables. Using this self-generated data appears to be more effective in teaching students about variability, potential sources of measurement error, and the cost of precision. The following psychology faculty are representative of those that have developed courses that use this approach and have influenced our selections: o Gwyneth Beagley at Alma College (MI) o Wayne Briner at the University of Nebraska at Kearney o Ellis Rolett at Dartmouth College o Cole Barton at Davidson College o Eric Wiertelak at Macalester College o Richard Connett at Monroe Community College (NY) o Randy Cornelius at Vassar College This process of transforming the laboratory components of our psychophysiology courses is seeking to put more emphasis on investigative projects, to pique student interest and excitement in learning, to develop students' understanding of the interaction between mental processes and behavior, and to share the experiences of our undergraduate students with high schools students. The high school outreach component of our project is building on our Department's previous outreach effort with area high schools, which we call Psychological Science Day. This is a one-day workshop for 10 area high school psychology teachers and their students. The current project is expanding Science Day into a month-long collaboration between the high school students and the students in our Psychophysiology courses. The college students will introduce the high school students to investigative psychology during a visit to the St. Olaf campus, monitor the results of their work via the internet, and host them for presentations at the end of the month.