Why Psychology Matters Beyond the Psychology Major: A Call for Cross-Disciplinary Integration at Stockton
At Stockton University, psychology courses are primarily designed for psychology majors, with few tailored to students in other fields. There is no psychology minor, and outside of education focused applications mentioned in lectures, there is limited structure for non majors to access psychology in a
way that benefits their degree program. This is a missed opportunity, as the value of psychology extends far beyond its own department.
Psychology
is not confined to labs and counseling offices. It is embedded in the fabric of
every field where people interact, decide, exist. Whether pursuing a degree in
criminal justice, business administration, marketing, nursing, esports
management, anthropology, or communications, students would benefit from
understanding how people think, feel, and learn. Psychology can equip students
in these disciplines to work more effectively, empathetically, and
strategically.
As
a Communications Advertising and Public Relations major, I have seen how
psychological principles are not abstract theories to be memorized for a test
but are deeply tied to the foundation of the work we do. Social psychology,
motivation, and learning psychology all directly inform how communicators craft
messages, analyze audiences, and shape behaviors ethically.
Some courses hint at this potential integration, but it remains
inconsistent and incomplete. Courses such as Buyer Thinking and Behavior and
Introduction to Advertising touch on consumer psychology in specific segments,
yet others like Audience and Media Analysis and Ads, Fads, and Consumer Culture
seem like they should and do not. They should incorporate
psychological principles to equip communications students with essential tools.
Learning
psychology is particularly valuable for advertising and public relations
because it explains how people form associations, develop habits, and respond
to messaging over time. Classical conditioning, for example, is not simply a
lab phenomenon. It is a tool used by brands to align their products with
positive emotional experiences.(check out this quick
video on classical conditioning in marketing) As Primitive Agency notes,
“Brands frequently associate their products with positive stimuli to evoke
emotional responses from consumers,” an approach seen when a soda brand
consistently pairs its image with moments of joy, togetherness, or celebration.
Voy Media further emphasizes that Coca Cola’s consistent pairing of its
branding with uplifting scenarios conditions consumers to associate the product
with happiness, making the logo itself a trigger for positive feelings.
Operant
conditioning similarly offers a roadmap for understanding consumer behavior.
LiveInnovation explains that “Operant conditioning in marketing is evident when
customers receive rewards for their purchasing behavior, which increases the
likelihood of repeat behavior.” Loyalty programs, discounts, and gamified app
experiences leverage reinforcement schedules to encourage desired actions while
fostering customer retention. Variable ratio schedules, which provide rewards
at unpredictable intervals, sustain consumer engagement by maintaining
anticipation, explaining why limited time offers and prize based campaigns are
so effective.
Learning
psychology also explains concepts like stimulus generalization, where positive
attitudes toward one product transfer to a new product in the same brand
family, and stimulus discrimination, which helps consumers differentiate
between brands in a competitive landscape. Reinforcement schedules can guide
the timing and frequency of messages in a campaign to align with how audiences
learn and respond to information.
For
students in advertising and public relations, these principles are not
tangential. They are critical for crafting effective campaigns,
analyzing audiences, and understanding how to influence behavior while maintaining
ethical standards. Campaigns are built on the reality that human beings learn
and adapt. It is the responsibility of communicators to understand
these processes deeply.
Stockton’s absence of a psychology minor and the lack of
structured psychology offerings for non majors limit the potential of students
in communications and other disciplines to gain this essential knowledge.
Incorporating psychology courses that directly address its application in
communications, marketing, and related fields would align with Stockton’s
mission to prepare students for professional environments where human behavior
is central to their work.
Stockton’s missed opportunity to integrate psychology into non major programs reflects a broader challenge in higher education. As Purdue’s College of Education notes, today’s graduates need cross disciplinary skills like critical thinking, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of human behavior to navigate a rapidly evolving workforce. Learning psychology offers precisely these insights, equipping students across disciplines, including communications, business, nursing, and criminal justice, to work more effectively, empathetically, and strategically. This is a national imperative, beyond the just confines of Stockton.
Cross curricular teaching also fosters deeper learning and
retention, as highlighted by Edutopia, demonstrating that concepts like
reinforcement and motivation “stick” more effectively when applied to real
world scenarios, such as campaign design or audience analysis in
communications. Inside Higher Ed further emphasizes the urgency of
interdisciplinary teaching and research, advocating for the removal of academic
silos to prepare students for complex societal challenges that require nuanced,
human centered solutions. Psychology is uniquely positioned to serve as a
bridge discipline, allowing students to connect theoretical insights about
human learning and behavior with practical applications across diverse fields.
The SmithGroup’s call to reimagine higher education aligns with
this vision, emphasizing flexible, interdisciplinary approaches to prepare
students for future careers and rapidly shifting industries. By expanding
psychology offerings to non majors, universities nationwide can transform
psychology from a niche requirement for a single department into a strategic
tool for many, aligning with industry needs while fostering responsible,
effective professional practices. An investment in cross disciplinary psychology
education is an investment in students’ capacity to navigate the complexities
of human behavior, an essential advantage in any field they enter.
Psychology,
and learning psychology in particular, empowers communicators to move beyond
guesswork, providing tools to understand how messages are received and how
behaviors are shaped. It supports the creation of campaigns that are not only
effective but also responsible, ensuring that influence is used ethically and
strategically. By integrating psychology into the communications curriculum,
Stockton can prepare its students to engage audiences with insight and a
foundation rooted in an understanding of how people learn and change.
An
investment in cross disciplinary psychology education is an investment in the
success of Stockton’s students and those nationwide, equipping them with the
skills to navigate the complexities of human behavior in any field they enter.
Courses tailored for communications, business, and related fields could
transform psychology from a requirement for one major into an asset for
many. For those in communications, it offers the critical advantage
of transforming messaging from a craft of intuition into a discipline of
informed strategy, positioning graduates to contribute meaningfully to the
conversations they will shape in their careers.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXsgH3jBz4I
https://medium.com/@leuschen.gwe/conditioning-in-advertising-5d5d92369ecf
https://voymedia.com/marketing-examples-of-classical-conditioning/
https://primitiveagency.com/marketing-examples-of-classical-conditioning/
https://liveinnovation.org/operant-conditioning-marketing-and-consumer-behavior-part-1/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f_YFpFcNoA
https://education.purdue.edu/2024/01/cross-disciplinary-skills-dispositions/
https://melissapickering123.wordpress.com/2016/03/01/operant-conditioning/ https://www.edutopia.org/blog/cross-curricular-teaching-deeper-learning-ben-johnson
https://www.smithgroup.com/perspectives/2025/reimagining-higher-education-for-the-next-generation
Hello, Jenifer!
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting to read about your experience with learning about psychology as someone who is not a psychology major. While many college students take an introductory psychology course, this is a very brief overview of surface-level concepts. I agree that different degree programs could benefit from more specialized integrations of psychology courses that fit the needs of those majors best. I am a psychology major, but I also have a minor in early childhood education. Most of my education classmates are in the liberal studies program, so they do not have the same course schedule as me. I have found that having such an extensive background in psychology has prepared me better for many education class concepts, as well as application in the school setting with real children. I could definitely see the benefit of even this class (or something similar) being integrated for all education students, as it could easily relate to teaching and classroom management. Thank you for sharing your perspective!
This post really opened my eyes to how useful psychology can be outside of just the psych department. I’m not a psychology major either, but I’ve taken a few classes and was surprised at how often the concepts came up in other areas—especially in education and communication. I think you're totally right that programs like PR, marketing, or even business could benefit from psychology courses that are actually tailored to their field, not just generic intros. It would help students connect the dots between theory and what they’re actually going to do in their careers. Psychology helps you understand people, and honestly, what job doesn't involve people? Loved your point about learning psychology being more than memorizing—it’s so true! Thanks for putting this out there!
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