Teaching

Amy regularly teaches the Psychology of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation at the undergraduate level. She designed this course to examine how the discipline of Psychology understands sexual orientation and gender, from the field’s early beliefs in treating queerness and gender diversity as mental illnesses or criminal acts, to contemporary discourses on power and privilege. Each week, students use an intersectional framework to look at research on LGBTQ+ people and their lived experiences, including dating, stigma, media (mis)representation, and ally development.

The course culminates in a final assignment geared toward social change. Students use what they have learned to write a research-based letter to an elected official or a representative of a large company about a relevant LGBTQ+ issue. In the past, students have not only been thanked for their efforts but have also compelled political and social change through the power of their arguments.

Starting Spring 2027, Amy will also teach Psychological Research Methods: Qualitative Approaches at the undergraduate level to help students cultivate skills in understanding researcher biases and positionality, and to develop mastery of common qualitative methodological and analytic techniques, such as interviews and thematic analysis.

Amy has also taught Personality Psychology and Research Methods (here is an exercise she uses to teach about operational definitions, inter-rater reliability, and “creepy” behaviors). One day, she plans to design a class related to her love of reality TV dating shows, working title: Theories of Intimacy as Seen Through the Lens of Reality TV Dating.