The benefits of introducing the American Psychological Association (APA) Guidelines 3.0 in high school psychology

The exponential growth in the number of students taking a high school course in psychology over the last few decades presents a valuable opportunity to elevate the public’s understanding of, and regard for, the field, increase scientific and psychological literacy, and draw more students into the major. However, due to variability across states in the required educational preparation of high school psychology teachers, many may have limited familiarity with the typical course of study for a psychology major. Making Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major, 3.0 (2023) available to high school teachers and their students may help bridge the gap between high school and college-level study in psychology and strengthen student understanding of, and preparation for, the major. In this article, we describe how Guidelines 3.0 can (a) highlight the skills high school students will need for academic success; (b) establish psychology as a science, technology, engineering, and mathdiscipline; (c) showcase how majoring in psychology prepares students for a range of jobs; (d) demonstrate how psychology can support the movement toward achieving a fair, just, and equitable society; and (e) potentially increase the diversity of students interested in pursuing psychology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)