Ethan A. McMahan

The effect of contact with natural environments on positive and negative affect: A meta-analysis

A growing body of empirical research suggests that brief contact with natural environments improves emotional well-being. The current study synthesizes this body of research using meta-analytic techniques and assesses the mean effect size of exposure to natural environments on both positive and negative affect. Thirty-two studies with a total of 2356 participants were included. Across these studies, exposure to natural environments was associated with a moderate increase in positive affect and a smaller, yet consistent, decrease in negative affect relative to comparison conditions. Significant heterogeneity was found for the effect of nature on positive affect, and type of emotion assessment, type of exposure to nature, location of study, and mean age of sample were found to moderate this effect. The implications of these findings for existing theory and research are discussed, with particular emphasis placed on potential avenues for fruitful future research examining the effects of nature on well-being.

Outcomes of Introduction to the Psychology Major: Careers and Opportunities Course.

University career courses have become a more standard offering at many colleges and universities over the past few decades. Similarly, there has been an increase in the number of psychology departments offering a careers course for psychology majors or an introduction to the psychology major course. This study examines the outcomes of a course that provides students with information regarding both the psychology major and career opportunities. The findings indicate that by the end of the course, students were more knowledgeable of psychology major and minor requirements, felt more prepared for and capable of working in a psychology-related field, and felt they had more knowledge about subdisciplines within psychology. Furthermore, students had more knowledge about occupational opportunities and how to access information.

Initial Validation of an Instrument Measuring Psychology-Specific Epistemological Beliefs

Psychology-specific epistemological beliefs (EBs) are believed to influence students’ approach to and performance in psychology courses. However, empirical research on this topic is limited due in part to a lack of well-validated instruments measuring this construct. The primary objective of this research was to develop and validate the Psychology-Specific Epistemological Belief Scale (Psych-SEBS), a short self-report instrument measuring psychology-specific EBs. Study 1 addresses the structural validity, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and convergent validity of the Psych-SEBS. Study 2 addresses the criterion-related and incremental validity of the Psych-SEBS. Findings indicated acceptable psychometric properties of this 13-item instrument and its three subscales, namely, significance of psychology research, subjective nature of psychology knowledge, and predictability of human behavior. Scores on Psych-SEBS scales were significantly associated with construct-relevant outcomes, including student interest and performance in psychology courses, and explained unique variance in these outcomes beyond that explained by existing instruments.