Psychological Science in the 21st Century

Science is constantly changing. If one hopes to keep pace with advances in science, one cannot simply repeat what one has done in the past, whether deciding how to invest limited research funds, searching to replace a retiring colleague, or teaching introductory psychology. Psychological science in the 21st century is more central and integrated than it was in the 20th century; yet, these changes are not always reflected in introductory psychology. In this essay, I identify several clear trends in psychological science based on where we have been and where we are currently as a science. I also examine the implications of these trends for how we teach psychology and train our students.