The Department of Psychology endorses a view of psychology as the use of scientific methods to study a broad range of factors that often interact to produce human behavior, including cognitive, developmental, personality, physiological and social variables. Therefore, students who major in psychology are expected to:

• Learn to apply empirical methods to understand human and animal behavior. Students should be able to use and critique a variety of research methods, ranging from controlled laboratory experiments to naturalistic observations. Specific skills to be acquired include the ability to operationally define concepts for empirical study; to collect, analyze and interpret empirical data; to clearly communicate findings to larger audiences through oral and written presentations (for example, APA style research papers, posters and presentations).
• Learn major theoretical and empirical advances in a variety of disciplines within the field of psychology. This objective should include the ability to compare and contrast explanations offered by different schools of thought within each discipline. It also should include an understanding of both current and historically prominent developments in the various disciplines.
• Learn ways in which psychological concepts can be applied for the benefit of oneself and society. Students will learn about clinical, educational and organizational applications of psychological research and will consider ways in which psychological principles may be relevant to personal life and civic participation. In addition, students are expected to become more precise and tolerant observers of human behavior and individual differences.

The Department of Psychology has a strong tradition of student achievement in research and internships. Many students collaborate with faculty on research projects or develop and complete their own research projects with the help of faculty mentors. Each year, Oglethorpe is represented at regional and national psychology conferences by psychology students presenting their original work. Psychology students have completed internships in a variety of settings including: private clinical practices, adoption agencies, law enforcement agencies, law firms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Partnership Against Domestic Violence, Georgia State University Language Research Center, Zoo Atlanta, Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center and the Georgia Psychological Association.

Students are required to turn off all cell phones, laptop computers, and like devices (e.g., iPads, PSPs) while in class or in other instructional environments (e.g., invited guest presentations). Students shall not allow their personal electronic communication devices to ring, beep, or otherwise disrupt scheduled Psychology instructional activities. Making or receiving phone calls, texting, instant messaging, surfing the web, or checking email while in class or other Psychology instructional environments is prohibited. Students will not be allowed to take notes using electronic devices. Students, however, are welcome to type their notes after class if they would like an electronic copy of the lecture. Audio- and videotaping are prohibited unless approved by the instructor on record. Violation of this policy may lead to point deductions, disciplinary actions, and dismissal from the class. For evening/adult degree students who are parents and who need to be responsive to a potential emergency involving their children: Please inform the instructor of the situation at the start of the semester/session. Then set your phone to vibrate and place it near you; if it goes off repeatedly during class, you will be asked to silence it, but you may leave it on to check periodically. Use of the phone for any other purpose is subject to the conditions above.

Below are a sample of references that support and provide the basis for the department’s policy. After reading these articles, if you have questions about the policy, please address them to your instructor.

A Learning Secret: Don’t Take Notes with a Laptop | Scientific American, June 3, 2014

What’s Lost as Handwriting Fades | The New York Times, June 2, 2014

Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter | Psychology Today, March 14, 2014

The Case for Banning Laptops in the Classroom | The New Yorker, June 6, 2014

Why a leading professor of new media just banned technology use in class | The Washington Post, September 25, 2014

Laptop multitasking hinders classroom learning for both users and nearby peers | Science Direct, March 2013