How Hard Is Intro Psychology?

Introductory psychology (or a similar course covering behavior) is among the core curriculum requirements of most colleges and universities, regardless of major. Although the course can be difficult, a few simple strategies can help you maximize this opportunity to learn about the human mind. Introductory psychology is one of the most popular classes on college … Read more

What Is a Control Group?

In simple terms, the control group comprises participants who do not receive the experimental treatment. When conducting an experiment, these people are randomly assigned to this group. They also closely resemble the participants who are in the experimental group or the individuals who receive the treatment.1 Experimenters utilize variables to make comparisons between an experimental … Read more

Achievement Tests

How do we determine what a person knows about a certain subject? Or how do we determine an individual’s level of skill in a certain area? One of the most common ways to do this is to use an achievement test. An achievement test is designed to measure a person’s level of skill, accomplishment, or … Read more

Master’s in Counseling Degree Options and Career Paths

Types of Degrees Counseling is certainly not a “one-size-fits-all” option. If you are interested in entering this field, it is important to think about the kind of counseling that you want to perform. There are over 20 different specialties in the field of counseling, including school counselors, career counselors, addiction counselors, rehabilitation counselors, and community mental … Read more

Why Are Statistics in Psychology Necessary?

Some psychology students are surprised (maybe even dismayed) to realize that they must take a statistics course. But almost all psychology programs have this requirement for graduation.1 The subject is also discussed in many other classes, highlighting the importance of statistics in psychology. Recognizing the role of statistics in psychology is necessary when pursuing careers in this … Read more

What Is a Dependent Variable?

The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment.1 This is different than the independent variable, which is a variable that stands on its own. For example, in a study looking at how tutoring impacts test scores, the dependent variable would be the participants’ test scores since that is what is … Read more

Achievement Tests

How do we determine what a person knows about a certain subject? Or how do we determine an individual’s level of skill in a certain area? One of the most common ways to do this is to use an achievement test. An achievement test is designed to measure a person’s level of skill, accomplishment, or … Read more

6 Alternative Graduate Programs for Psychology Majors

An undergraduate degree in psychology provides excellent preparation for a wide variety of careers. While many undergraduate psychology majors later choose to study psychology in graduate school, some students opt for different educational and career paths.1 The great thing about a bachelor’s degree in psychology is that it provides preparation for graduate study in many different areas. Psychology majors often go … Read more

Full-Text Psychology Journal Articles

If you are a psychology student or taking any sort of social science class, then you will need to be able to read and understand the articles found in scientific research journals. Such articles describe different psychology studies on a wide range of subjects. As you are writing papers or conducting your own research, these journals can … Read more

A Simple DIY Short-Term Memory Experiment

Short-term memory is the part of memory that stores a limited amount of information for a short amount of time. It’s brief (about 20 to 30 seconds), and you can only remember so much information (such as a five to nine-word list).1 If you want to see for yourself just how short your short-term memory … Read more