Civic engagement in the field of Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe the importance of, and recommendations for how best to promote, civic engagement among undergraduate psychology majors. In this article, we will describe how the goals of civic engagement are consistent with the specific curricular goals of undergraduate psychology programs. We also will (a) review the empirical support for civic engagement in the field of psychology and describe the implications of this method for teaching students about diversity; (b) discuss some of the challenges associated with incorporating civic engagement in psychology courses as well as provide strategies for overcoming these challenges; (c) discuss some of the unique ethical issues related to civic engagement in the field of psychology; and (d) provide recommendations, using specific examples, for how to incorporate service-learning activities as a means of encouraging civic engagement in psychology courses.