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Published Online: 18 July 2012

Assignments Integrating Psychology and Environmental Studies

Publication: Ecopsychology
Volume 4, Issue Number 2

Abstract

In an interdisciplinary team-taught course, students completed several short writing assignments and a term paper that integrated psychological and environmental issues. The writing assignments asked students to respond to readings and apply knowledge to their own lives or to new situations. In this paper, we discuss three short writing assignments, which dealt with (a) bottled water and social norms, (b) climate change and persuasion techniques, and (c) the commons dilemma, operant conditioning, and overfishing. We also describe a term paper assignment in which students selected an environmental issue, researched the ecological and psychological causes and solutions, and wrote a scientific paper discussing and integrating these ideas. These assignments provide examples for instructors about how psychological and environmental studies can be integrated within one class or one assignment.

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Information

Published In

cover image Ecopsychology
Ecopsychology
Volume 4Issue Number 2June 2012
Pages: 110 - 116

History

Published online: 18 July 2012
Published in print: June 2012
Accepted: 16 May 2012
Received: 20 January 2012

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Authors

Affiliations

Anne M. Koenig
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of San Diego, San Diego, California.
Nathalie B. Reyns
Department of Marine Science and Environmental Studies, University of San Diego, San Diego, California.

Notes

Address correspondence to:Anne M. KoenigDepartment of Psychological SciencesUniversity of San Diego5998 Alcalá ParkSan Diego, CA 92110E-mail: [email protected]
Nathalie B. ReynsDepartment of Marine Science and Environmental StudiesUniversity of San Diego5998 Alcalá ParkSan Diego, CA 92110E-mail: [email protected]

Author Disclosure Statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article. No competing financial interests exist.

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