Undergraduate Psychology’s Scientific Identity Dilemma

Abstract

Could the same interests that draw many students to psychology also predict departure from the major? I present a comparison of students and instructors with respect to professional interests and views of the scientific nature of psychology (Study 1) and an examination of the link between student interests and persistence in the major (Study 2). Instructors more than students tend to view psychology as scientific, instructors report greater scientist interests whereas students are more interested in practitioner activities, and students with the greatest interest in practitioner activities are actually at increased risk of changing majors. Psychology departments may need to find a curricular balance between scientific emphasis and student satisfaction.