Dr. Abeyta’s Teaching Philosophy

Teaching is important because I see education as a tool of empowerment. Education can help people improve their own lives and the lives of others. Therefore, I believe it is my responsibility as a teacher to create a classroom environment that fosters engaged learning and intellectual growth, so students can understand and adapt to the ever-changing world around them. I strive to create this environment by designing courses with clear, achievable goals/standards and by ensuring students make progress toward them. Moreover, I make classes engaging by designing interesting, relatable learning activities that encourage students to be creative and think critically. Finally, I endeavor to foster an inclusive climate that celebrates diversity and ensures access, opportunity, and advancement for ALL students.

Courses Dr. Abeyta Teaches

Note: Dr. Abeyta is always looking to improve his courses, and so course content may change from semester to semester. The sample syllabi are meant to give a general idea of what to expect.

Social Psychology (50:830:335)

This class provides an overview of foundational topics in social psychology. This class is designed to help students see social psychology all around them and to think about how insights from social psychology can help them understand: society/current events, their social lives, culture and diverse perspectives, human conflict/prejudice, and career success. sample social psychology syllabus

Cultural Psychology (50:830:365)

This course offers students an introduction to the growing field of Cultural Psychology. This course builds on the foundation provided by the survey of topics in Introduction to Psychology by considering how culture and diversity shape the issues that psychologists study. cultural psychology sample syllabus

Graduate Cultural Psychology (56:830:633)

Drawing on psychological theory and research, Cultural Psychology examines how culture shapes fundamental ways people perceive and think about the world, how it shapes lifespan development, how it shapes self and identity, and how it shapes motivation and emotion. This course emphasizes building cultural competence by focusing on the implications of cultural psychology for immigration, sexuality and close relationships, multicultural identities, prejudice and discrimination, and mental health and psychological practice. graduate cultural psychology sample syllabus

Graduate Statistics & Research Design (56:830:650)

The focus of this course is on the multivariate design issues students will confront in applied research settings. The course covers between-and within-subjects designs and mixed models, regression and covariance analysis, and other univariate and multivariate techniques, relying on computerized data analysis and graphical representation. statistics and research design sample syllabus

Special Topics in Psychology: Existential Psychology

I have offered this course as a graduate seminar for MA students and a summer course for undergraduate students. This class offers students an introduction to the growing field of existential social psychology. Existential social psychology uses rigorous scientific methods to investigate how people deal with BIG questions about existence, such as: “Who am I?”, “What’s my purpose in life?”, “What happens when life ends?” “How do I relate to other people and nature itself?”, and “Why do I believe in things I can’t see, touch, or verify?”. Students learn about psychological theories that aim to answer these existential questions and review research that supports these theories. Students also consider the implications of these existential concerns for psychological health and well-being and connect theory and research on existential social psychology to real-world social issues such as prejudice/discrimination, ideological conflict, and terrorism/extremism. Graduate seminar sample syllabus: existential social psych summer 2020