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Coursework in statistics and research methods is a core requirement in most undergraduate psychology programs. However, is there an optimal way to structure and sequence methodology courses to facilitate student learning? For example, should statistics be required before research methods, should research methods be required before statistics, or should statistics and research methods be taught in a combined, integrated fashion? In this article, we first review the current empirical evidence on whether there is a preferred format and sequencing of methodology courses to enhance student learning outcomes. Then we summarize an assessment study conducted at our own institution comparing a nonintegrated, two-course sequence that required statistics before research methods and an integrated, two-course sequence in which students shifted in an out of research methods and statistics units during each semester on short-term and long-term student outcomes. Our results revealed that students enrolled in the integrated sequence not only earned higher course grades in each of their initial methodology courses but also scored higher on senior exit assessments of their methodology skills taken at the end of their undergraduate careers.

The motivation of college students has changed over the past 50 years. Many students now report they are in college to develop the skills they will need to obtain a secure and well-paying job rather than to accumulate knowledge and develop an appreciation for ideas. This article reviews research that supports these contentions and provides a rationale for a syllabus-based strategy designed to bring psychology students' attention to the job skills they can develop in their classes. In this article, we provide steps to help psychology faculty implement this strategy in their classes and to assess its effectiveness. Access to faculty, alumni, administrative, and career-professional perspectives on the efficacy and value of this strategy is available as an online supplemental materials Appendix.

In the affect and cognition literature, some studies demonstrate that dysphoric mood increases effortful processing of social and nonsocial information, but others demonstrate that it decreases such processing. Five studies examined the effect of dysphoric mood on perceivers' subjective unitization of an observed other's ongoing behavior into discrete meaningful actions. Dysphoria generally reduced unitization rate (i.e., number of actions discriminated). Additional evidence indicates that this reduction likely results from failure to initiate a higher (more effortful) unitization rate rather than from inability to achieve such a level of processing. Data also suggest that dysphoric mood can actually increase unitization rate when adopting that mode of processing might relieve the dysphoria. It is concluded that dysphoric mood may lead perceivers to exhibit a more discriminating "cognitive palate" in terms of how much effort they choose to expend on processing available information.