FOREWORD
You are holding one of the several hundred volumes that constitute
the GENERATIONAL CURRICULUM. These are papers written by students for
students as part of their regular course work. The following courses are
included:
Psych 250 (222) Social Psychology
Psych 210 (211) Introductory Statistics
Psych 330 Learning and Motivation
Psych 499 Independent Research & Reading
These are courses that I'm teaching using the COMMUNITY-CLASSROOM
approach. The Generational Curriculum also includes several hundred
audiocasettes prepared by students on various course topics as well as a
growing number of videotape productions in social psychology and
statistics. (For more information on the history of community-classroom
and
its principles see Jakobovits and Gordon: Society's Witnesses,
1978 and
Studying Community-Building Forces, l979 --- at UH
library system.)
This particular volume is part of the SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY papers
written
by students of Psych 250 (222) in the first Summer Session of 1983. The
course's chief objective was to develop a love for social psychology.
Students attempted to find evidence for social psychological phenomena in
their daily round of activities. For example, the topic of ALTRUISM & AID
was related to one's own habits of handling borrowed library books and
thus
becoming more aware of their effects on other library users. As another
example, the topic of ATTRIBUTION ERRORS was related to one's felt
intimidation when given the task of consulting a reference librarian. By
comparing the anticipated dialog with the actual dialog with the
librarian, students became more aware of their own attributions in social
exchanges.
Students wrote to future students so that the style is didactic. I've
found this motivation
to "write for other students" (rather than "for the instructor") far
superior as a means of obtaining more personal
presentations. It seems that the attempt to explain the course concepts
to
others requires a deeper and more studious approach
on the part of the student-writers. As well there is the personal
incentive to produce a
product that remains behind for the use of future generations of
students.
This involves altruism as well as one's reputation. As these papers attest
the amount of effort put into them is extraordinary for a 3-credit course.
I
invite your comments. For additional information contact me (261-2382).
Dr. Leon James, Professor, Psychology Department.