Social and Behavioral Sciences Laboratory for Undergraduate Small Group and Focus Group Instruction, Training and Research

社会和行为科学理论和方法的快速发展给本科生带来了巨大的挑战，特别是那些对融合了传播学、经济学、政治学和社会学元素的多学科领域感兴趣的学生。这些社会科学的一个主要增长领域是使用小组和重点小组研究和方法，以增加对复杂和微妙的决策和小组互动过程的了解。这个项目为学生提供了一个最先进的实验室，在那里他们可以学习和发展小组和焦点小组的行为观察和指导的研究技能。该项目提供了先进的视频和听力记录和数据处理设备，以帮助学生在进行小组和焦点小组研究时亲身体验。此外，结合每个系提供的有针对性的课程，这个跨学科的社会科学和行为科学实验室为学生提供了灵活性，使他们能够为本科生的研究项目提供更多不同的机会。这种新设备使沟通、社会互动研究以及社会和行为方法论领域的跨部门教学协作成为可能，是各种荣誉和指导学习项目的理想选择，旨在培训本科生掌握现代和新兴的研究方法和技术。

Rapid advances in social and behavioral science theories and methodologies pose substantial challenges to undergraduate students, particularly those interested in multidisciplinary fields combining elements from communication, economics, political science, and sociology. One major area of growth in these social sciences is in the use of small group and focus group studies and methodologies to increase understanding of complex and subtle decision-making and group interaction processes. This project provides students with a state-of-the-art laboratory in which they can learn and develop research skills in small group and focus group behavioral observations and instruction. The project makes sophisticated video and audiographic recording and data processing equipment available to assist students in their hands-on experiences in conducting small group and focus group studies. In addition, in combination with the targeted curriculum offered within each department, this cross-discipline Social and Behavioral Sciences Laboratory provides students with the flexibility to take more diverse opportunities for undergraduate research projects. This new equipment makes possible substantial cross-departmental teaching collaborations in the areas of communication, social interaction studies, and social and behavioral methodology and is ideal for a variety of honors and directed study programs to train undergraduates in modern and emerging research methods and techniques.