Popular Media, Fear Appeals, and a Sense of Humor: Three Approaches to Engaging Students in Justice Learning, Teaching Substantive Law and Lawyering Skills, and Preparing Students for the “Real World”

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The session will next consider the “fear appeal” (sometimes referred to as “cautionary tale” or “scare tactic”), a common device in the law classroom. Yet research shows that people already in a state of high stress (i.e., law students) react poorly to threats, so that fear appeals can instead backfire. Presenters will discuss best practices for making the fear appeal a more useful pedagogical tool. Finally, the session will move to the other side of the spectrum, exploring why humor is a useful teaching tool, how to use it effectively, and pitfalls to avoid.”

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