PSYC SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Transcription

1 Session Spring Online, Asynchronous Delivery March 10 May 4, 2014 Amanda Eaton Office Location: Resource Center Office hours will not be held, but individual meetings with the instructor can be arranged by phone or in person. Please contact the instructor to set up an appointment. Your instructor will respond to all questions within 24 hours. PRE-ASSIGNMENT: Read Chapter 1, What is Social Psychology? Prepare responses to the following prompts: 1.) Answer the question, What is Social Psychology? In what ways is the field like/unlike other disciplines such as the physical sciences and sociology? In what ways is the field like/unlike the material you have learned in other psychology courses you might have taken? 2.) Based on chapter 1, give reasons why you think such a vast population of our country watches reality television. Discuss your thoughts on this fairly recent phenomenon. 3.) Read the section titled Social Psychology and Common Sense on pages 11 and 12. Now look ahead to some of the Common Sense Quizzes on the first page of chapters 3 14 and the answers on the last page of each chapter. What do you think these quizzes are trying to convey? Do you agree or disagree with this? Did you find anything surprising or unexpected when looking over the answers to the quizzes? 4.) Why do you think the field of social psychology is such a relatively young discipline? Responses will need to be posted on the course website by Wednesday, March 12 th. PSYC SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY I. COURSE DESCRIPTION How social influences affect the individual and group. Attitudes, attribution and prejudice. II. TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS Required Text: Kassin, Saul, Fein, Steven, Markus, Hazel Rose. (2014) Social Psychology 9th ed. Cengage Learning. ISBN: ISBN: III. MISSION STATEMENT Benedictine University is dedicated to the education of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. As an academic community committed to liberal arts and professional education distinguished and guided by our Roman Catholic tradition and Benedictine heritage, we prepare our students for a lifetime as active, informed and responsible citizens and leaders in the world community.

2 IV. GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES A. Benedictine Core Goals Benedictine University's core mission is to prepare students for active participation in an increasingly interconnected world. Its Core Curriculum advances this mission by enabling students to attain a broad range of learning goals, listed below: 1. Demonstrate an effective level of cognitive, communicative, and research skills; 2. Achieve a college level of computational skills and an ability to understand and interpret numerical data; 3. Acquire knowledge of the history and heritage of western civilization, to include: the contributions of religious faith and philosophical thought to understanding the person in community, the relationship of the individual to society: membership and participation in groups and institutions, scientific literacy through a knowledge of the history, the methods, and the impact of science on the individual, society, and the environment, artistic and literary heritage; 4. Develop an understanding of global society: cultural diversity, mutual relationships, - interdependence of peoples and nations; 5. Apply liberal learning in problem-solving contexts as preparation for active participation in society; 6. Make informed ethical decisions that promote personal integrity, the legitimate rights and aspirations of individuals and groups, and the common good. B. Course Goals, Objectives/Outcomes As a distribution course within the Core Curriculum, PSYC 210 was designed with the above Core Goals in mind. Thus, upon successful completion of PSYC 210 course, the student will be able to demonstrate their mastery of the following goals, objectives and student learning outcomes: Course Goals 1. A broad understanding of the field of social psychology and its relevance to contemporary social issues and problems; 2. An understanding of the theories, research methods and basic findings in the field of social psychology, and how its place in science couples with current world events lends itself to be an ever changing and reformulating discipline. Course Objectives/Outcomes 1. The ability to apply social psychological theory and research findings to an understanding of: Social Perception Social Influence Social Relations The Current Social World V. TEACHING METHODS/DELIVERY SYSTEM This course is conducted mainly through independent study. It is the student s responsibility to make sure the materials are covered, and to show they have an understanding of the topics covered. It is also the student s responsibility to contact the instructor with any questions over course material. The course is comprised of weekly readings, discussion board postings, assignments, a midterm exam and a final exam. Tools will be posted on the course website to help students succeed in all areas of course assessment. Students are encouraged to contact the instructor with questions and concerns. Open communication is essential in the online classroom.

3 VI. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Attendance Policy The course is will be taught in an asynchronous fashion. Students are not required to be online at the same time as the instructor or fellow students at any point, but rather complete the work on their own schedule. Due to the nature of this course, an accelerated online course, it is imperative that students log into the course regularly, and keep up with course work. It is the student s responsibility to make sure they are logging into the course on a regular basis to ensure all course requirements are met. This course is highly accelerated, and students will need to take a great deal of responsibility for their own learning outcomes. Any absence of required online work must be due to extraordinary circumstances and will require documentation for it to be considered excused. Documentation must be provided immediately in order to determine what, if any, accommodations are reasonable or possible. Completing or submitting online work late will directly impact your final grade, and each undocumented absence will be considered unexcused and will result in a 20% reduction in the overall final grade for the course. Due to the accelerated nature of the course, should you experience a medical condition which prevents you from keeping up with the normal rigor of the course, appropriate medical documentation must be provided immediately in order to determine what, if any, accommodations are reasonable or possible. Reading Assignments Weekly reading assignments are essential to a student s success in this course. It is expected that the student will begin the week with the reading assignments completed, ready to contribute to the online discussions posted throughout the week. Notes will be posted on the website to help facilitate your reading. The notes posted are not intended to replace the readings, but rather are a supplement, there to help you prioritize your time and point out the most important components of the readings. Specific chapter assignments are listed under the Topical Course Outline (Section VIII) below. Discussion Board Postings Developing a dialog between all students on the discussion board is an integral part of the course, and will account for the majority of one s grade. Each week, four discussion questions will be posted by the instructor. These questions will relate to the readings for the week. Every student must respond to all four questions. The response should be 1-2 paragraphs in length. Each response is worth 10 points, for a total of 40 points per week. These responses will need to be posted by Wednesday of every week. Students are encouraged to read all classmates responses to the initial prompts. Each student must then respond to the posts of four other students. Responses to these posts are what will facilitate our classroom discussions. Please share your thoughts on the readings in comparison and contrast to your classmates posts. Responses need to be insightful, and at least one paragraph in length. Simply stating I agree, or the like, will not count for credit. Each response is worth 5 points, for a total of 20 points each week. Responses are due the Sunday of every week. Students are encouraged to go beyond the required number of posts each week. As we will not meet face to face, this is the forum to ask questions, answer the questions of others, express your thoughts on the reading, and prove you know the material. The more you contribute to the discussion, the more you will take away from the course.

4 Written Assignments and Projects Written assignments will be due weekly. The assignments will seek to probe further thinking about the course material covered that week. No assignments will be given the weeks of the midterm and final exam. Each assignment is worth 20 points. The resource center can be contacted by calling the University at extension 3320 to obtain help with SMARTHINKING or SafeAssign. Please also contact the instructor with questions surrounding the assignments. Assessments Both a midterm and final exam will be given in this course. Each exam will consist of 100 questions. The midterm will cover the material covered in weeks one four, and the final exam will cover the material from weeks five eight. Benedictine University at Springfield Student Academic Honesty Policy The search for truth and the dissemination of knowledge are the central missions of a university. Benedictine University at Springfield pursues these missions in an environment guided by our Roman Catholic tradition and our Benedictine heritage. Integrity and honesty are therefore expected of all University students. Actions such as cheating, plagiarism, collusion, fabrication, forgery, falsification, destruction, multiple submission, solicitation, and misrepresentation are violations of these expectations and constitute unacceptable behavior in the University community. Student s Responsibility Though there is no formal honor code at Benedictine University at Springfield, students are expected to exhibit academic honesty at all times. Violations against academic honesty are always serious and may result in sanctions that could have profound long-term effects. The final responsibility for understanding the Academic Honesty Policy of the institution, as well as the specific policies for individual courses normally found in syllabi, rests with students. If any doubt exists about what constitutes academic dishonesty, students have the responsibility to talk to the faculty member. Students should expect the members of their class to be academically honest. If students believe one or more members of the class have been deceitful to gain academic advantage in the class, students should feel comfortable to approach the faculty member of the course without prejudice. Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy will be reported to the Office of the Dean of Academic Affairs. Along with a verbal warning, the following are consequences a student may face for academic dishonesty: a failing grade or zero for the assignment; dismissal from and a failing grade for the course; or dismissal from the Institution. VII. MEANS OF EVALUATION This course will be graded out of a total of 1,000 points as follows: Class Points: Percentage of Grade: Discussion Question Posts (40 points per week): % Discussion Question Responses (20 points per week): % Weekly Assignments (20 points per assignment): % Midterm Exam: % Final Exam: % Total Points: 1, %

5 Grading Scale: A 900-1,000 Points B Points C Points D Points E 599 Points and Below It is assumed all assignments will be turned in on time. If a student is unable to make their required posts and/or turn in their weekly assignments on time, these late assignments will be accepted up to two weeks late. A student will lose 10% of the points available for the first week an assignment is late, and 50% of the points in the second week an assignment is late. The midterm and final exams will be unable to be made up. If a student knows in advance they will be unable to complete an exam in the allotted time it will be open on D2L, they may contact the instructor to make arrangements to take the assessment prior to the due date. Exam will not be able to be made up once the due late passes. If a student believes that an error has been made in reporting a grade, an appeal must be made in writing to the instructor and must be initiated within 60 calendar days after the end of the term for which the grade in question was reported. The appeal should contain specific information about why it is believed the grade reported is inaccurate. See the Student Handbook for additional details. Add/Drop Dates Please refer to the current Academic Calendar for add/drop dates. Incomplete Request To qualify for an I grade, a minimum of 75% of the course work must be completed with a C or better, and a student must submit a completed Request for an Incomplete form to the Registrar s Office. The form must be completed by both student and instructor, but it is the student s responsibility (not the instructor s) to initiate this process and obtain the necessary signatures. Student Withdrawal Procedure It is the student s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course by completing the appropriate form, with appropriate signatures, and returning the completed form to the Advising Office. Please refer to the Student Handbook for important financial information related to withdrawals. VIII. TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE Chapter Outlines: Chapter 1: What Is Social Psychology? What Is Social Psychology? From Past to Present: A Brief History of Social Psychology Social Psychology in a New Century Chapter 2: Doing Social Psychology Research Why Should You Learn About Research Methods? Developing Ideas: Beginning the Research Process Refining Ideas: Defining and Measuring Social Psychological Variables Testing Ideas: Research Designs Ethics and Values in Social Psychology

6 Chapter 3: The Social Self The Self-Concept Self-Esteem Self-Presentation Epilogue: The Multifaceted Self Chapter 4: Perceiving Persons Observation: The Elements of Social Perception Attribution: From Elements to Dispositions Integration: From Dispositions to Impressions Confirmation Biases: From Impressions to Reality Social Perception: The Bottom Line Chapter 5: Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination The Nature of the Problem: Persistence and Change Causes of the Problem: Intergroup and Motivational Factors Causes of the Problem: Cognitive and Cultural Factors A Threat in the Air: Effects on the Targets of Stereotypes and Prejudice Reducing Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination Chapter 6: Attitudes The Study of Attitudes Persuasion by Communication Persuasion by Our Own Actions Changing Attitudes Chapter 7: Conformity Social Influence as "Automatic" Conformity Compliance Obedience The Continuum of Social Influence Chapter 8: Group Processes Fundamentals of Groups Individuals in Groups: The Presence of Others Group Performance: Problems and Solutions Conflict: Cooperation and Competition Within and Between Groups Chapter 9: Attraction and Close Relationships Being with Others: A Fundamental Human Motive Close Relationships The Initial Attraction

7 Chapter 10: Helping Others Evolutionary and Motivational Factors: Why Do People Help? Situational Influences: When Do People Help? Personal Influences: Who Is Likely to Help? Interpersonal Influences: Whom Do People Help? The Helping Connection Chapter 11: Aggression What is aggression? Culture, Gender and Individual Differences Origins of Aggression Situations Influences on Aggression Medical Effects Intimate Violence: Trust Betrayed Reducing Violence Chapter 12: Law Jury Selection. The Courtroom Drama Jury Deliberation Post-Trial: To Prison and Beyond Perceptions of Justice Closing Statement Chapter 13: Business Personnel Selection Performance Appraisals Leadership Motivation at Work Economic Decision Making Chapter 14: Health Stress and Health What Causes Stress? How Does Stress Affect the Body? Processes of Appraisal Ways of Coping with Stress Treatment and Prevention The Pursuit of Happiness

8 Course Schedule: Dates: Week 1: March 10 th 16 th Wednesday, March 12 th Sunday, March 16 th Week 2: March 17 th 23 rd Wednesday, March 19 th Sunday, March 23 rd Week 3: March 24 th 30 th Wednesday, March 26 th Sunday, March 30 th Week 4: March 31 st April 6 th Wednesday, April 2 nd Sunday, April 6 th Week 5: April 7 th 13 th Wednesday, April 9 th Sunday, April 13 th Week 6: April 14 th 20 th Wednesday, April 16 th Sunday, April 20 th Week 7: April 21 st 27 th Wednesday, April 23 rd Sunday, April 27 th Week 8: April 28 th May 4 th Wednesday, April 30 th Sunday, May 4 th Assignments: Chapter 1: What Is Social Psychology? Chapter 2: Doing Social Psychology Research Chapter 3: The Social Self Chapter 4: Perceiving Persons Chapter 5: Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination Chapter 6: Attitudes Midterm Exam due by 11:59pm Chapter 7: Conformity Chapter 8: Group Processes Chapter 9: Attraction and Close Relationships Chapter 10: Helping Others Chapter 11: Aggression Chapter 12: Law Chapter 13: Business Chapter 14: Health Final Exam due by 11:59pm

9 IX. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) Benedictine University at Springfield provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in educational programs, activities, and services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in campus-sponsored programs, activities, and services, or to meet course requirements, should contact the Resource Center Director as early as possible: or (217) , ext X. ASSESSMENT Goals, objectives, and learning outcomes that will be assessed in the class are stated in this syllabus. Instructor will use background knowledge probes, one-minute papers, reflective essays and/or other Classroom Assessment Techniques as deemed necessary in order to provide continuous improvement of instruction.