Fifteen microcomputers and related hardware are being used to effect changes in the curriculum and scientific orientation of the Department of Psychology. The department is in the process of improving its laboratory facilities so that major and non-major students have greater exposure to the empirical techniques used to examine behavior. To this end, the computers are used to allow students to perform a wide range of experiments in a laboratory setting. The first priority is development of a laboratory component for the introductory level course. The experiments conducted in this laboratory replicate experiments that serve as the basis for the principles being discussed in lecture. The emphases of these labs is the analysis of specific phenomena, the use of systematic empiricism to acquire information, and the means for analyzing and reporting the results of an experiment. The laboratory is also used for advanced-level classes in which students perform a series of experiments specific to that field. The computer facility is also available to students conducting independent research projects. The college will contribute an amount equal to the award.
