This study examined whether offering daily extra credit quizzes predicted exam performance in an advanced psychology course (n = 36). Results revealed that extra credit performance was a strong predictor of exam performance, above and beyond gender, college grade point average, and ACT scores. In addition, results suggested that nearly half of the…

Psychological availability to students defines immediacy, a concept traditionally measured using ratings of instructor behaviors. However, students' perceptions of their professor's attitude toward them may serve as a more parsimonious measure of psychological availability. In fact, ratings of a professor's attitude toward students are positively…

Study concludes that university students perform at higher levels when performance is contingent on extrinsic rewards, i. e., final examination grades, and that intrinsic student interests do not differ as a result of this contingency. Suggests relevant topics for future studies. (KC)

This study examined procedures that might reduce the absenteeism of undergraduate students who serve as peer-tutors or proctors in behavioral science classes that use personalized systems of instruction. The most effective procedure was to give bonus points to students who volunteered to replace absent proctors. (RM)

Study 1 assessed students' use and perceptions of acronyms at 3 different exam times in 2 sections of Introduction to Psychology. Acronym use consistently predicted higher performance on acronym related exam items, and I partially discounted 2 possible confounds. Students rated acronyms as helpful in multiple ways, including increasing motivation…

We propose a procedure for increasing student participation, particularly in large classes. The procedure establishes a token economy in which students earn tokens for participation and then exchange those tokens for extra credit. We evaluated the effectiveness of the procedure by recording the degree of participation in an introductory psychology…

Conventional wisdom is that some topics in introductory psychology are more difficult for students than others. Such wisdom seems reasonable given mismatches between students' and instructors' expectations and variations in both instructor expertise and student motivation across topical areas. Five instructors pooled students' exam performance…

This study investigates the management and the effectiveness of a personalized system of instruction (PSI) in higher education. The study examined the number of behavioral objectives completed during a lab period as a function of the grade achieved in the course. The study also compared course ratings from students who are receiving instruction in…

Investigates the effectiveness of three procedures designed to reduce student procrastination in a personalized system of instruction (PSI) course. Compares the effects of instructor-imposed deadlines (doomsday), deadlines and bonus credits for early completion of material (doomsday with tokens), and individual contracting. Finds that student…

Describes a technique used to motivate students to complete assigned journal readings in a college psychology course. Maintains that students completing readings receive two types of tangible benefits: (1) extra course credit and (2) use of their notecards on tests. Asserts that students responded favorably to the technique. (CFR)

Discusses the extra credit exercise (ECE), a pop quiz variation that combines the benefits of frequent, unannounced testing with the features that make quizzes less aversive (the ECE are extra-credit and do not hurt the students' grades). Addresses the benefits of the ECE assignment and the students' reactions to it. (CMK)

Explores classroom extensions of job enrichment theory by administering a modified Job Diagnostic Survey, a widely employed organizational research tool that assesses each core job characteristic, to 217 psychology students along with outcome scales assessing their course motivation, satisfaction, performance, absenteeism, interest, and desire to…

In response to calls for more engaging and interactive pedagogy, we simultaneously implemented 4 rousing learning activities: peer-mentored learning, student reports of what was clear (or not) from a previous lecture, consult corners where student groups provided course-informed solutions to problem-based scenarios, and applied projects presented…

A college level psychology course is described in which students were trained by both traditional and experimental methods to administer individual intelligence tests. Comparative analysis of performance by each group indicates that student motivation and performance is not greatly influenced by teaching method and that videotape demonstrations…

Presents results of a study that evaluated using popular movie clips, shown in the first class meeting of an abnormal psychology course, in relation to student enthusiasm. Compares two classes of female juniors, one using clips and one class not using them. States that the films portrayed psychological disorders. (CMK)