When Allport met Freud: Using anecdotes in the teaching of psychology

We propose using anecdotes to illustrate and emphasise key points, principl es, and people in the reaching of psychology. Research findings suggest tha t different students have different thinking and learning styles, thus nece ssitating varied teaching approaches. Memory research reveals that people u nderstand and remember information better when it is presented in a social context. We believe that the use of relevant anecdotes, such as the story o f when a young Gordon Allport met Sigmund Freud, will not only make a lectu re more enjoyable but also help students learn and remember the information .