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Social Psychology (PSYC 2260)
Total Credits:
3
Lecture Credits:
3
Description:
This course is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. You will analyze how we view ourselves and others and how people assess the accuracy of impressions, intuitions and explanations. You will examine the nature of conformity, persuasion, and group influence and recognize their influence upon the individual. You will examine positive and negative attitudes and behavior in areas such as attraction, altruism, aggression, violence, and peacemaking. You will apply psychological principles to social and cultural institutions such as law, business, and health.
Topical Outline:
1. Introduction to Social Psychology: defining social psychology, research methods, and ethics in social psychology
2. Social Thinking: attribution, cognition, the social self
3. Social Influence: attitudes, gender/race/class, conformity, compliance, obedience, persuasion by communication
4. Social Relations: group processes, attraction and intimacy, altruism, aggression, stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination
5. Applied Social Psychology: business, health, law
Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify the major concepts and theoretical approaches in social psychology such as self-perception theory, attribution theories, and cognitive dissonance
2. Understand and critically evaluate research methods and ethical responsibilities in social psychological research
3. Apply social psychological theories or concepts to “real world” and/or personal examples
4. Analyze oneself and others as social beings subject to situational influences
5. Relate social behavior to cultural context
6. Relate social behavior to biological and evolutionary factors
Prerequisites:
PSYC 1110
MnTC: