Controversy in the Psychology Classroom: Using Hot Topics to Foster Critical Thinking

One of the hallmarks of a quality liberal arts education is providing undergraduates the opportunity to wrestle with controversial issues. Yet many teachers feel ill-equipped when it comes to broaching disagreeable topics, managing the resulting heated debates, or helping students to separate their personal feelings from scientific evidence.

This book provides frameworks for teaching controversial topics and skills for handling disruptions, so teachers can help students evaluate evidence and develop testable questions.

Specific teaching topics covered include:

• evolutionary psychology
• childrearing
• sexual orientation
• animal experimentation
• evil
• diversity and social justice
• gender and ethnicity
• religion
• disability
• healthcare policy