Psychology

After spending my youth in beautiful but chilly Minnesota, I moved to Michigan and completed my undergraduate work at Kalamazoo College, majoring in psychology, minoring in biology and earning secondary teacher certification along the way. Desiring additional education in experimental psychology, I enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the University of Notre Dame. While my overarching interest at Notre Dame was in learning theory, I specialized in the area of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM). The field of OBM focuses on the development and evaluation of human performance improvement procedures which are based on the principles of behavior management as discovered through the science of behavior analysis. In conjunction with my doctoral dissertation, I was employed as a Performance Management Specialist with a Fortune 100 company, hired specifically to develop and establish a performance and organizational change program in their global service operation. After spending five satisfying years in the business sector, I longed to return to academia and teaching, and in 1995 joined Hillsdale’s Psychology Department. In 2005, I began an extensive program of study in clinical psychology, building upon the solid foundation of my doctorate degree. In 2007, I received my Doctoral Limited Psychologist License from the State of Michigan, and since then I have worked on a part-time basis with local agencies as a practicing, clinical psychologist. This additional education and experience has added depth to my classroom’s content and has assisted many Hillsdale students pursuing graduate studies in the areas of clinical and counseling psychology, which was my intent.

Learning Theory; Industrial/Organizational Psychology; Clinical Psychology

This is a difficult question to answer. While I truly enjoy introducing the foundations of psychology and its diverse subfields to students taking Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology, it is gratifying to work with our advanced students as they complete their year-long Psychology Research Project (Psychology 411 and 412). This is an incredibly beneficial experience for our psychology majors that sets our Psychology Department apart from those of other colleges and universities.

Many come to mind. Much satisfaction comes from hearing that a student has successfully completed a competitive Ph.D. program in psychology or has launched a successful career in the private or public sector. It is equally satisfying to hear from a student who credits their experience at Hillsdale College as helping them to develop into the person they hoped to become. Success can be defined in unique and personal ways. Ultimately, I feel most gratified when a student achieves their own measure of success; whether such is continuing education, establishing a meaningful career, being a good citizen and/or raising a family.

The College’s emphasis on good teaching grounded in the best of the classical arts and the Judeo-Christian tradition. That liberty is connected to responsibility and that the whole of the individual is developed rather than just his or her resume.

Explore what lies outside of your current interests and comforts. Learn what it means to know something well; that is, the responsibility that attends to knowledge and the duty to act wisely in possessing it. Form relationships that deepen who you are rather than changing who you are.

I like best that Hillsdale students are intentional; that they attempt to live and operate according to principles rather than culture. I like that they are genuine, kind and earnest. I like that they see the value of their labor and not just the result.

kmcarthur@hillsdale.edu