Myths, Misconceptions & Meaning-Making in Psychology

Abstract:

What types of myths do people hold about psychology and how can these myths be harmful? Dr. Stanley will address this question in a presentation that merges her study of constructivist psychology—the study of how people construct meaningful interpretations of themselves and the world—and her research on the teaching of psychology. Dr. Stanley’s talk will begin with a brief introduction to constructivist psychology and how it informed both her clinical work with cancer patients and her research on the teaching of psychology. In doing so, she will present research on fixed-role enactment, a constructivist technique for promoting personal change, and its effectiveness in teaching students how to become more of the person they wish to be. Dr. Stanley’s talk will also focus on myths and misconceptions in psychology.
Through her work with an international group, the Biennial International Seminar on the Teaching of Psychological Science (BISTOPS), Dr. Stanley’s research aims to understand the misconceptions that people hold about psychology and how they can be corrected. Because introductory psychology courses can reduce students’ endorsement of misconceptions, especially when instructors explicitly try to debunk them, her team is currently exploring whether advanced coursework is an effective pathway for reducing potentially harmful misconceptions..

Bio:

Dr. Caroline Stanley received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The University of Memphis (USA) with a specialization in child and family therapy. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in pediatric oncology. There, she provided therapy for child cancer patients at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and also researched the effects of childhood cancer on families. Her current research focuses on the teaching of psychology and how instruction can be enhanced to promote effective learning.