James Rhodes' Homepage

Personal Information   Position: Department Chair for the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences/Psychology Faculty Member   Department: Social and Behavioral Sciences

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Contact Information

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Personal Interests:  When I am not spending time with my family, you may find me cycling, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, or gardening.

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Teaching Philosophy

The complexity of psychology requires a multidimensional viewpoint of its many theories. Many factors cannot be directly observed, and often the measurements are subjective. The student should become aware that often there are multiple and complex causes for the behavior observed. Psychology uses many different theories and techniques, all of which work for some circumstances, but not others. It will become apparent during your courses that each theory has strengths and weaknesses, and that behavior is much more predictable in the general rather than the specific. The study of psychology requires an understanding of these various models and the vocabulary particular to each model. Finally, the study of psychology is extremely important to the overall development of health and a mature understanding of society and the position of each member within this broader context.
 

Beliefs About Student Learning

I believe that learning is an ongoing process that requires a logical thinking process and the mental discipline to actively discover new knowledge. It requires motivation and hard work, and often takes place in the classroom when communication is established between all members of the class and the instructor. In addition to the learning that takes place in the classroom, I believe that many students learn best by actively immersing themselves in the subject with the guidance of their instructor.

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