Bermuda College, Division of Liberal Arts
Psychology 2210 01: Introduction to Social Psychology
Fall
2019
Tuesday
and Thursday, 10:05 to 11:25
Hallet Hall H273
Professor: Dr. Jeremiah M. Faries
Office hours: TBA
Office: West
Hall 316
Phone: 236-9000 ext. 4266
email:
jfaries@college.bm
website:
http://www.3dharbour.com/jmf
Prerequisite: Psychology 1101/1102
Goals
of the Course: The purpose of the course is to provide an
overview of the major theories of social behaviour
and development. We will cover social
principles that govern how we conform to social pressures, how we display
altruism, aggression, how attitudes and stereotypes are formed, who we are
attracted to, how
we communicate, and how we succumb to persuasion. We will examine the effects of group
dynamics on social behavior and consider how all of the above determinants are
manifest in normal and abnormal human social behaviour. My main goal is that you learn the skills
needed to (a) read and understand complex theoretical explanations of social behaviour (b) clearly present an understanding
of your opinion of these explanations and
(c) develop ways to critically evaluate both your ideas and other
researcher’s ideas.
In particular you will learn
differentiate different kinds of conformity behaviour
and to explain them from different theoretical points of view.
You will learn to define and explain altruism and to explain several obstacles
for pro-social behaviour. We will study reasons for aggression and you
will be able to develop arguments for and against several theories currently
used to explain general and specific kinds of aggression. You will learn to analyse
the various factors that determine who we are attracted to and who we are not
attracted to. You will also consider the
causes and potential cures for stereotyping and prejudical
social behaviour.
We will also study how people are persuaded and you will be able to apply the theories of
persuasion and communication to a real example of a persuasive message. Most importantly, you will learn how to
critique, evaluate, and extend psychological theories in light of experimental
evidence. You will be able to analyze
the results of psychological experiments and you will be asked to design and
carry out a small scale experiment on a topic of your choosing.
Classes
and Assignments: There will be two classes each
week. These will be a combination of
lecture and discussion format. I hope
you will think critically about the topics we cover and that you will feel free
to raise questions and comment on what you study. You will be required to prepare and turn in
a short weekly assignment
based on the readings for the week. The
details of this weekly assignment are outlined below. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I RECEIVE THESE
ASSIGNMENTS EACH TUESDAY (unless I specify otherwise). You will prepare two midterm
written assignments and you
will be presenting some of these to the entire class towards the end of
the term. You are expected to attend
all lectures and complete all assignments and exams in timely fashion. Should there be a problem with those
expectations please see me to arrange an alternative way to satisfy your
obligations. PLEASE CHECK YOUR COLLEGE ISSUED
EMAIL ON A REGULAR BASIS AS IT IS THE MOST RELIABLE WAY TO CONTACT YOU OUTSIDE
OF CLASS.
Textbook:
Aronson, E. A., (2018) The Social Animal
12e . ISBN: 146414418 Worth Publishers.
Grading: Grades will be based on a
term paper, a Midterm exam, a Final exam, and weekly homework assignments. All assignments are due in class on the date
indicated.
(Please remember that for your written
assignments the ideas should either be your own or you should cite the person
from whom you've borrowed the ideas. I
will give you more details on what I expect in a written paper before the first
midterm assignment is due.)
Weekly Assignment: Due each Tuesday:
Each week we will read at least one chapter of the text plus
occasional supplementary materials. To
help prepare you for our tutorial discussion of the material I ask that you do
the following short assignment. This
assignment should not take much of your time as each point should only be a
sentence or two. PLEASE SUBMIT THESE
TO MOODLE ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST DAY WE DISCUSS THE TOPIC IN CLASS
1. Identify ONE major
claim and evaluate the kind of evidence used to support it?
2. Briefly describe
one example from your own experience or someone you know that
is
relevant for the topic in this chapter.
3. Identify one thing
you agree with about either the theories outlined or the
use of the evidence to support them? Be specific.
4. Identify one
thing you disagree with about either the theories outlined or the
use of the evidence to support them? Be specific
5. Identify at least
one thing that surprised you in this reading.
6. Ask one good
question about the chapter.
Psychology 2210 01, Introduction to Social
Psychology
SYLLABUS
|
Date
|
Topic
|
Readings
|
|
|
Aug 27
|
Introduction
|
|
|
|
Aug 29
|
Introduction
|
Chapter 1,9
|
|
|
Sep 3
|
Bystander
Behaviour/Conformity
|
Chapter 4
|
|
|
Sep 5
|
Bystander
Behaviour/Conformity
|
Chapter 4
|
|
|
Sep 10
|
Altruism
and Conformity
|
Article
|
|
|
Sep 12
|
Altruism
and Conformity
|
Article
|
|
|
Sep 17
|
Aggression
|
Chapter 6
|
|
|
Sep 19
|
Aggression
|
Chapter 6
|
|
|
Sep 24
|
Aggression
|
Chapter 6
|
|
|
Sep 26
|
Aggression
|
Chapter 6
|
|
|
Oct 1
|
Mid Term Exam
|
|
|
|
Oct 3
|
Social Cognition
|
Chapter 2
|
|
|
Oct 8
|
Social Cognition
|
Chapter 2
|
|
|
Oct 10
|
Social Cognition
|
Chapter 2
|
|
|
Oct 15
|
Experimental
Design 1
|
|
|
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Oct 17
|
Midterm Break
|
Chapter 2
|
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Oct 22
|
Experimental
Design 2
|
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Oct 24
|
Experimental
Design 3
|
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|
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Oct 29
|
Social
Cognition and Stereotype formation
|
Chapter 7
|
|
|
Oct 31
|
Stereotype
formation
|
Chapter 7
|
|
|
Nov 5
|
Persuasion
|
Chapter 5
|
|
|
Nov 7
|
Persuasion
|
Chapter 5
|
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Nov 12
|
Experiment
Presentations
|
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Nov 14
|
Experiment
Presentations FIRST
ASSIGNMENT DUE
|
|
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Nov 19
|
Interpersonal
Attraction
|
Chapter 8
|
|
|
Nov 21
|
Interpersonal
Attraction
|
Chapter 8
|
|
|
Nov 26
|
Persuasion
Assignment Presentations
|
|
|
|
Nov 28
|
SECOND
ASSIGNMENT DUE
|
|
|
|
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|
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Dec ??
|
Final
Exam
|
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|