The 3-Pound Project: A Teaching Tool to Highlight the “Weight” of Psychological Characteristics

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of an experiential activity that students conduct outside of class. It focuses on students' carriage of physical items (such as books, clothing, and photos) that (a) are meaningful to them and (b) collectively weigh approximately three pounds. The activity is used to highlight the "weight" of psychological characteristics (cognitions, emotions, beliefs [CEBs]). The activity is not designed to judge the content of students' CEBs. Instead, the activity is designed to heighten their mindfulness about these characteristics. Given the polarizing and intense context of many Covid-19 topics (such as vaccines, lockdowns, and mask mandates), this activity can be used as an entry point to help students (a) acknowledge the CEBs they bring to these topics and (b) be more mindful that others carry different CEBs. This activity can be integrated with other techniques to address broader societal issues such as minority-majority status, prejudice, racial/ethnic justice, and privilege.