The Development of an Undergraduate Psychology Computer Laboratory

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The Department of Psychology is improving its core course offerings for undergraduate students. The department has a large number of psychology majors (750), composing a large percentage (8 percent) of the total student population. The primary focus of this project is to strengthen the three-course research sequence_introductory statistics, introductory experimental, and advanced experimental classes_that all majors are required to complete. Initial analysis has indicated that undergraduate students have limited statistical skills and virtually no systematic exposure to computerized stimulus generation, design implementation, or data analysis. Until recently, the department has had no lab facilities for classroom use. The department is now purchasing 27 IBM-compatible workstations networked to a 80586 server and five printers. The statistical and experimental software supports students' understanding of the crucial principles of the experimental process, including the generation of stimuli, collection of data, and analysis of data. Further, the equipment helps the faculty prepare undergraduate students for graduate school.