Undergraduate psychology research methods courses offer a foundational opportunity for students to learn scientific writing, yet many students find these courses challenging and are not uniformly successful in acquiring writing skills. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) holds promise as a pedagogical support for emerging writing skills. Thus, the current study examined whether providing undergraduate students with in-class training on how to use GenAI for scientific writing improves their grades on scientific writing assignments and self-efficacy when writing. One section of a psychology research methods course was provided with weekly in-class GenAI training (GenAI condition), and the other section was not given any training (Control condition). An examination of students’ grades on two research papers (Papers 1 and 2) revealed no significant differences between conditions, but students in the Control condition significantly improved their grades across time, whereas students in the GenAI condition remained stable. Students’ writing self-efficacy did not vary by condition or time. Students’ perceptions of GenAI improved from pre- to post-course but did not differ by condition. Overall, in-class GenAI training did not improve writing performance beyond standard instruction, but we highlight future directions for potentially more effective GenAI training.
Psychology students face limitations in opportunities for supervised practice, constrained by access to clients, the costs of standardized patient programs, and ethical barriers. Novel teaching instruments in the form of multimodal avatars and human simulations have been proposed as innovative solutions, yet their effectiveness remains unclear. This review aimed to answer the question: to what extent do existing systems support skill acquisition in psychology training? A structured search of nine databases (2015–2025) identified seven eligible studies. Solutions from the studies were classified into five categories: basic virtual patient simulations, chatbot-based avatars, mixed reality avatars, virtual reality avatars, and virtual world avatars. Results show that digital simulation solutions are feasible, engaging, and accepted by students. There is evidence of improved training in diagnostic reasoning, questioning strategies, and self-efficacy. However, traditional actor-based simulations are still more effective for developing interpersonal skills. Technological issues, such as limited interactivity and the Uncanny Valley effects, hurt realism and reduce training gains. In conclusion, these technologies have promise as supplements to traditional training. Yet, the field remains underdeveloped and will require further design-focused improvements to reach its full potential.
This review examines how psychology educators are responding to the rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), focusing on implications for assessment validity, academic integrity and organisational learning. Although universities have issued policy guidance, these frameworks often overlook psychology's distinctive epistemic, methodological and pedagogical practices. Drawing on empirical research, sector reports, survey findings and my experience as academic integrity lead in a UK university, the review identifies five interconnected challenges: unreliable detection technologies, ambiguity in marking and feedback, threats to the validity of psychology-specific assessments, increasingly complex integrity casework, and limited institutional support. It argues that psychology is well positioned to provide sector-wide leadership because of its emphasis on empirical reasoning, ethical judgement and reflective practice. The article synthesises emerging discipline-sensitive strategies and offers a forward-looking agenda for research, assessment design and staff development, emphasising approaches that foreground reasoning processes, ethical awareness and critical engagement with GenAI. It concludes by calling for a coordinated institutional response that integrates clearer policy, systematic staff training and strengthened communities of practice to support academic integrity and student learning in a GenAI-rich environment.
Engagement in learning activities is crucial for academic success in higher education. However, many students engage in learning activities less frequently than initially intended. This results in an intention-behavior gap. Drawing from theories of action regulation and motivation, the present study examines intentions in the adaptation phase at the beginning of an academic term and volitional competencies (VOCO) as predictors of the intention-behavior gap. A sample of N = 675 preservice teachers from five cohorts under regular and under pandemic conditions participated in the longitudinal study over one academic term. We assessed intentions and behavior regarding six learning activities. Results indicated lower intentions in the middle of the term than in the beginning. Furthermore, we observed an intention-behavior gap. Regression analyses revealed that higher VOCO predicted a greater use of learning activities. However, they failed to predict the size of the intention-behavior gap. The findings highlight the relevance of psychology educators supporting students' engagement, especially during the critical early stages of the academic term. Future research should explore other factors to explain individual differences in the intention-behavior gap.
The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to impact higher education, providing an unprecedented opportunity to further increase the value of the psychology major. We emphasize AI proficiency as an essential and valuable skill for the psychology major and focus on purposeful and ethical integration into the established curriculum. We expand on the valuable American Psychological Association resources, including The Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major 3.0 , The Principles for Quality Undergraduate Education in Psychology , and The Skillful Psychology Student . Each resource addresses the value of information and skills learned with a psychology bachelor's degree, enabling students to excel in a wide variety of career choices beyond traditional psychology applications. To continue effectively preparing students for their chosen careers, we propose that AI proficiency is a critical component for students moving forward as the workforce demands AI mastery.
This commentary critically responds to the target article's argument that artificial intelligence (AI) literacy is best developed within the psychology major and that psychology is uniquely positioned to lead this effort. We contend that locating AI skill development within a single discipline, rather than integrating foundational, domain-agnostic AI competencies across disciplines, limits benefits for graduates. We also highlight some overlooked risks, including algorithmic bias amplification in a discipline already struggling with diversity, and over-reliance on AI for therapeutic functions. Because employers prioritize enduring human skills over technical fluency, we conclude that psychology's greatest potential lies at the intersection of deep human skills, responsible AI proficiency, and discipline-specific applications.
This study identifies active undergraduate psychology journals that accept student-authored submissions as first authors. Of the 25 journals identified through multiple academic directories and search engines, only nine met the inclusion criteria. Specifically, they published within the last two years, accepted submissions from undergraduate students outside their own university, and used English as the primary language of publication. All nine journals are open-access and accept empirical work, most accept literature reviews and operate without author fees. However, journals differed in editorial board composition, rejection rates, and submission requirements. We identify the challenges undergraduate students face in publishing, highlight journals supportive of student authorship, and offer actionable recommendations to enhance journal visibility, sustainability, and educational value (such as embedding editorial training in curricula, adopting submission management systems, and promoting the publication of null findings). We provide a practical resource for students, faculty, and departments committed to expanding undergraduate publication opportunities in the field of psychology.
The primary aim of the study was to examine the relationships between components of psychological literacy - defined as the ability to apply psychological knowledge and principles in personal, social and professional contexts - and components of professional competencies in in-service teachers. Two cross-sectional studies were conducted with Slovak teachers (N = 595 and N = 180), assessing psychological literacy (including psychological misconceptions, critical thinking dispositions, trust in science and ethical integrity) and self-perceived professional competencies (didactic competencies, teaching styles and interaction styles). Study 1 assessed misconceptions as knowledge accuracy, whereas Study 2 measured the degree to which teachers endorsed common psychological and educational beliefs. Across both studies, critical thinking dispositions - particularly critical openness and reflective scepticism - showed the most consistent associations with professional competencies. Psychological misconceptions were generally weakly and inconsistently related to professional competencies, although some learning myths demonstrated positive associations with several teaching practices. Trust in science and integrity showed a selective relationship with professional competencies. Overall, the findings suggest that dispositional aspects of psychological literacy, especially critical thinking, may be more strongly related to teachers' professional self-perceptions than knowledge-based indicators alone.
Statistics anxiety (SA), negative attitudes and low self-efficacy persist as barriers to engagement and performance in research methods and statistics. In digital learning environments, multiple-choice quizzes (MCQs) with automated feedback are commonly used, yet the optimal timing of feedback remains underexplored. This study examined how feedback timing (each question, blocks or score-only) affected SA, self-efficacy and feedback perceptions. A total of 332 undergraduate students completed the Abbreviated Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) pre- and post-test of the 25-item online statistics MCQ, followed by perception questions. A between-subjects multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed significant differences in feedback timing on post-quiz SA, feedback understanding and perceived benefit. No differences were reported for pre- to post-test SA or self-efficacy. A within-subjects MANCOVA indicated significant pre- to post-test SA reductions in test and class anxiety and help-seeking anxiety, but increased interpretation anxiety. Block feedback led to the highest performance, offering practical insights for reducing anxiety and improving digital tools.
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is transforming teaching and learning yet little is known about predictors and outcomes of GenAI use among psychology students. Based on theories of new technology uptake, we examined perceived usefulness, ease of use, attitudes toward technology, perceived risk and anxiety, sensitivity to quality and rewards, and workload and time pressure as potential predictors of self-reported GenAI use among psychology students (N = 164) at the University of Technology Sydney. We also examined potential associations with self-reported procrastination, memory difficulties, and grades on GenAI secure (in-person, supervised) versus unsecure (unsupervised) assessments. More positive attitudes toward technology, greater perceived ease of use, greater workload, and less time pressure predicted greater use of GenAI. Additionally, greater use of GenAI was associated with greater procrastination and memory difficulties, but did not correlate with assessment grades. These findings suggest that, when time permits, GenAI may be used by psychology students as a tool to alleviate academic workload demands, with unclear implications for authentic learning. Exploratory analyses revealed that grades on GenAI secure and GenAI unsecure assessments were consistently positively correlated. This suggests that, in the first half of 2024, students were using GenAI in a way that did not artificially inflate grades on GenAI unsecure assessments.
Psychology lectures are increasingly "flipped." In flipped classrooms, students are often provided with videos for the first contact with new learning contents. It is hypothesized that the way students use the video affects the success of flipping the classroom. In two studies, in which students studied evidence-based learning strategies by video, we explored potential relations between learning outcomes, cognitive load, and the ways learners handled the video. In Study 1 (N = 180) all participants regulated their learning themselves, whereas in Study 2 (N = 110) the degree of self-regulation was experimentally manipulated by adding intermittent questions to the video. Results point to a differentiated perspective on factors fostering self-regulated learning with videos. Unsurprisingly, in Study 1, time spent with the video correlated positively and significantly with cognitive learning outcome, and germane cognitive load correlated positively with the confidence in correct judgments. In Study 2, extraneous load was higher in the self-regulation group than in the experimental group in which the handling of the video was structured by intermittent questions. Nevertheless, only in the latter group, extraneous load correlated negatively with indices of metacognitive monitoring. The results will be discussed in the context of video-based flipped classroom arrangements in teaching psychology.
Telepresence robots represent a comparatively little considered possibility for the realization of hybrid teaching. These robots enable students to participate remotely in classroom activities by offering a mobile platform for video conferencing.Researchers have argued that their use fosters a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. However, this claim has not yet been adequately investigated. Based on self-determination theory, our study investigated the impact of telepresence robots on the satisfaction of students' psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, as well as their intrinsic motivation. In a 1 x 3-factorial within-subjects design, 36 psychology students attended one seminar session via telepresence robot, another via 360-degree camera (control condition), and participated in person during the remaining sessions. Following each session, students' basic psychological needs satisfaction and intrinsic motivation were measured using an online questionnaire. A MANOVA showed significant differences between the three participation conditions in all three psychological needs. Students' perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness were higher after participating via telepresence robot than via camera, but lower than after face-to-face participation. The students' intrinsic motivation did not differ between the two technology conditions. These findings suggest that the choice of digital tools in educational settings significantly affects students' satisfaction of basic psychological needs.
Educational videos hold great potential to support learning in psychology education. However, viewers typically process the content passively, as opportunities to interact with videos are usually restricted to simple control features. H5P, a technology to enhance videos with feedback features, may foster learners' engagement in generative activities and in more constructive ways of learning. Yet, research on H5P remains limited. A field study with N = 109 university students investigated the effects of educational videos on their learning of psychological theories. Three conditions were compared to determine whether the level of interactivity affects extraneous cognitive load, self-assessed and externally assessed knowledge: In one condition, students could not interact with the video, whereas in the second condition, the video granted simple learner control. In the third condition, viewers could engage with the video using the same learner control features, but also with additional H5P-feedback features. Results showed that extraneous cognitive load was significantly higher when users could not interact with the video compared to the other conditions. Contrary to our expectations, students in the three conditions did not differ in knowledge gain. Further research is needed to clarify how interactive features in educational videos can best enhance knowledge acquisition in psychology.
Learners often hold inaccurate beliefs about the effectiveness of learning strategies that can impair self-regulated learning and performance. This study investigated the effectiveness of different types of instructional animations in promoting conceptual change by targeting these questionable beliefs. We compared three types of instructional animations that integrated different elements: refutations and explicit guidance (RE), refutations and implicit guidance (RI), and both implicit and explicit guidance, but no refutations (IE). This study involved 135 participants (89 female, 44 male, 2 diverse; Mage = 28.14; SD = 11.36). The findings showed that across all conditions, learners' beliefs shifted significantly from pretest to posttest: the endorsement of less effective and moderately effective strategies decreased, while the endorsement of highly effective strategies increased. Moreover, instructional animations with refutations (RE and RI) led to more accurate posttest ratings of learning strategy effectiveness than instructional animations without refutations (IE). Regarding metacognition, no significant differences were found between the conditions. These findings contribute to multimedia learning research by showing that instructional animations with refutations are a promising tool for fostering conceptual change, increasing cognitive engagement, and teaching learners about the effectiveness of learning strategies in psychology learning and teaching.
Intercultural competence development has been integrated in the last couple of years in the curricula of many higher education institutions. Recent studies indicate that especially the use of 360-degree videos can help to better comprehend course materials. However, little is known about the psychological processes involved when using this technology for more psychological learning outcomes especially in the field of intercultural competence. Our report aims at better understanding student reactions to a novel use of virtual reality for teaching intercultural competence to international bachelor students at a German university and to shed more light on the role of perceived immersiveness in the student experience. Based on an online survey (n = 77 participants) our results suggest that students found the VR videos engaging with relatively high levels of spatial perception and attentional awareness. Self-reported learning was positively related to both components of immersiveness. Open-ended comments indicated the students appreciated the unique experience of using VR in the classroom despite the VR sickness but some participants desired more active control over the VR experience.
In recent years, scholars and educators have emphasized the importance of equipping psychology students in higher education with the ability to apply psychological principles to personal, societal, and professional issues. There have also been efforts to define and assess psychology graduate attributes, seeking consensus across degree programs. “Psychological literacy” is the dominant framework of graduate attributes in psychology. However, the vast majority of scholarly literature has been conducted in the UK, US, and Australia. There have been recent calls to consider how psychological literacy, and psychology undergraduate outcomes more broadly, are conceptualized in other countries, especially in the global majority. This scoping review aimed to understand how psychology undergraduate outcomes are conceptualized in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Our scoping review identified 34 articles across countries such as Argentina, South Africa, Indonesia, and Brazil, which discuss psychology undergraduate outcomes relative to their local context. We identified nine broad psychology outcomes across this literature, including the ability to work interdisciplinarily, engage with ethics, psychology knowledge, communication skills, and social commitment. The findings are intended to inform policymakers, educators, and practitioners on how to better align psychology education with local needs and global standards.
The restructuring of the psychotherapist training in Germany has increased the demand for university-based teaching strategies that effectively support the development of practical psychotherapeutic competencies. This exploratory study applies the concept of professional vision, established in teacher training, to psychotherapy education. It investigates differences in perceptions of therapeutic processes in two therapy videos between students and psychotherapists in training, who were combined into one group (n = 60) based on a manipulation check on self-rated experience in trauma treatment, and experienced supervisors (n = 30). Using a mixed-methods design, we combined quantitative ratings of relevant therapeutic processes (therapeutic relationship, competence, and affect) with qualitative analyses of verbal data, focusing on the components of knowledge-based reasoning (description, explanation, and prediction) as part of professional vision. Qualitative results indicated that supervisors were more advanced in describing and explaining as well as in predicting therapeutic processes, although these differences were not consistent across all domains examined. Quantitative analyses revealed only limited differences in the ratings between the groups. Practical implications for the design of instructional formats are derived and considerations for future research in this area are discussed. This study provides initial evidence for applying the concept of professional vision to psychotherapeutic education.
