Social Psychology Students Learn How to Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

Students in Dr. Laurie Desiderato’s social psychology class (PSY 3367) ended the fall semester with a unique exercise involving a demonstration of effective group problem solving.

Students in groups interacted to solve a novel problem, analyzed the task characteristics and appropriate strategies, and evaluated their processes. Groups had to evaluate a subject – the instructor’s dog – and determine what tricks the subject might already know, what it might be capable of learning, and how to teach a new trick – in this case, how to jump through a hoop.