Psychology 2070B-200 (Blended)
Social Psychology
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
An introduction to the theories, methods, findings and techniques problems encountered in the study of people as social beings.
Antirequisites: Psychology 2720A/B, 2780E
Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So if you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Erin Heerey
Office: SSC 6322
Phone number: (519) 661-2111 ext. 86917
Office hours: By appointment only
Email: eheerey@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant (Students with surnames beginning A through L): Alexa Clerke
Office: SSC 7335
Office hours: Tuesdays from 2:30 to 4:30PM
Email: alexa.clerke@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant (Students with surnames beginning M through Z): Josh Patenaude
Office: SSC 6313
Office hours: Mondays from 10:30 to 11:30AM and Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:00AM
Email: jpatena3@uwo.ca
CLASS WEBSITE
The course website will host all course content and is available at: https://owl.uwo.ca/
TIME AND LOCATION OF LECTURES
Lecture: Thursdays, 11:30AM-1:30PM, Natural Sciences (NS) 145 + online content
CLASS FORMAT
Thursday classes: These classes will consist of a lecture on the weekly topic, focusing on specific issues that relate to social psychology.
Online content: Online content will include additional lecture material, deeper dives into specific content, critical reviews of course material.
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Fehr, B., & Akert, R. M. (2017). Social Psychology, Sixth Canadian Edition. Toronto: Pearson (https://bookstore.uwo.ca/textbook-search?campus=UWO&term=W2017B&courses%5B0%5D=200_UW/PSY2070B)
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course students should have an understanding of the basic theories, methods, and findings in various areas of social psychology. The topics include attitudes, conformity, aggression, helping behaviour, social relations, social cognition, and prejudice.
4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the term, students should have developed the following skills:
|
Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
|
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge. Understand ways in which social psychological processes occur in daily life, such as how people perceive themselves and others and how they interact with the surrounding environment
|
Lecture; Readings |
Multiple choice exams; Weekly quizzes |
|
Examine social psychology from an empirically-based, scholarly perspective, rather than from an intuitive or speculative perspective based solely on personal experience and observations
|
Lecture; Readings |
Multiple choice exams; Weekly quizzes |
|
Application of Knowledge. Interpret social psychological situations in order to make predictions about behaviour
|
Lecture; Online content |
Multiple choice exams; Weekly quizzes |
|
Apply concepts and theories in social psychology to novel examples of behaviours and situations
|
Lecture; Online content
|
Multiple choice exams; Weekly quizzes |
|
Application of Methodologies. Explain the scientific study of social psychology to a non-academic/non-psychologist
|
Lecture; Online content
|
Weekly quizzes |
|
Awareness of Limits of Knowledge. Identify and think critically about weakness in social psychology research methods
|
Online content
|
Weekly quizzes |
5.0 EVALUATION
5.1 COMPONENTS OF EVALUATION
MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAMS (80%)
Course evaluation will consist of two multiple-choice examinations, each worth 40% of the final grade. Each exam will comprise 60 multiple-choice questions assessing a range of skills including general knowledge of course material, application of course material to real-world scenarios, interpretation of and critical thinking about social psychological findings and understanding of social psychology theories. The items will not be drawn from any test-bank. To prepare for the test, please do your best to understand the course content and make sure you understand the errors that you make on the weekly quizzes. The exams are non-cumulative. Anything presented in any of the course materials is fair game for the exams. The midterm will take place during the normal class time. The final will occur during the final exam period in April.
WEEKLY QUIZZES (20%)
Each week (excepting weeks 1, 6, 7) there will be a short quiz on that week’s material (quizzes will include a variety of question types but will focus on multiple choice questions), completed on the OWL site. The quizzes are designed to help you engage with the course material, assess your progress and practice for the exams. Quizzes must be completed by 11:55pm on the posted due date (the Wednesday after the quiz is released). If you complete the quiz late, you will lose points according to the schedule below. The answer key will be released after 72 hours (3 days) and you will not receive any points for the quiz after this time. There will be a total of 10 quizzes over the course of the term. I will drop your lowest score from the record (so only your 9 best quizzes will count toward your grade). If you need to miss more than one quiz for any reason, please alert your TA or the course instructor.
|
|
Maximum Score: |
|
Up to 24 hours late |
80% (20% of possible points deducted) |
|
24 to 48 hours late |
60% (40% of possible points deducted) |
|
48 to 72 hours late |
40% (60% of possible points deducted) |
|
More than 72 hours late |
0% |
Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2190-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows the University of Western Ontario grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf ):
A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average
B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements
D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable
F below 50 Fail
Please note that I do not make grade adjustments (e.g., applying a bell curve to the distribution of marks on an exam). In addition, I cannot adjust marks on the basis of need (e.g., because a certain mark is necessary to get into a particular academic program).
University regulations permit deadline extensions only for legitimate medical or compassionate reasons.
Extra Credit (OPTIONAL)
Because social psychology is an empirical discipline, participating in research is an excellent way to learn about the types of questions that social psychologists investigate. You may also be able to see some of the theories covered in the class in action in the laboratory. You will therefore have the opportunity to earn some extra credits toward your overall course grade by participating in research studies. These must be completed in the laboratory (online studies are not eligible for extra credit). These are the same studies in which first year students participate as part of Psychology 1000. In order to participate you will be given access to the SONA sign up system and you may choose any laboratory-based studies that you wish. To help make your participation more relevant to social psychology, a list of studies that are specifically within the domain of social psychology will be posted on the class website, however, you may complete any available research studies, as long as they are not online.
You will receive bonus credits added to your overall course grade for each study in which you participate, to a maximum of 2.0 credits. However, the bonus will only be added if you have achieved a passing course grade without any bonus credit – in other words before bonus credits are added you must get 50% on the exams, and 50% on the weekly quizzes. Only if this condition is met will bonus credits be added. Laboratory-based studies will earn credits as follows: Studies lasting less than 30 Min=0.25; Studies lasting between 31 and 60 Min=0.5; Studies lasting more than 60 Min=1.0 (NOTE: THE MAXIMUM NUMBERS OF CREDITS THAT MAY BE EARNED FROM ANY ONE STUDY IS 1.0. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE MORE THAN 1.0 CREDIT FOR ANY ONE STUDY, REGARDLESS OF ITS LENGTH. ALSO YOU SHOULD IGNORE THE “CREDITS” ASSOCIATED WITH STUDIES — THOSE ARE NOT RELEVANT TO PSYCHOLOGY 2070B — THEY ARE FOR PSYCHOLOGY 1000 STUDENTS ONLY).
The SONA system will track the studies and I will be given the information at the end of the term in order to adjust your grade. This is an opportunity to earn extra credits and is not required as part of your normal grade, you will not lose any marks if you do not participate in studies. You may also earn the bonus credits by completing the “bonus” activities that I will be posting on the OWL site. These activities involve reading and critiquing research papers relevant to the course material. Each paper you write will be evaluated as PASS/FAIL based on the accuracy, completeness, and quality of the submitted document. If you PASS you will receive 0.5 bonus credits added to your final course grade, up to 2.0 bonus credits. You may mix and match the two methods of getting bonus credits (choose some studies, choose some papers) but the maximum number of bonus credits will be 2.0.
The opportunity to earn bonus marks ends the last day of classes in this term.
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
|
Week |
DATE |
TOPIC |
READINGS |
|
1 |
January 11
|
Introduction |
Chapter 1 |
|
2 |
January 18
|
Methodology * Quiz 1 due (Wed Jan 24) |
Chapter 2 |
|
3 |
January 25
|
Social Cognition and Social Perception * Quiz 2 due (Wed Jan 31) |
Chapters 3 & 4 |
|
4 |
February 1
|
The Self * Quiz 3 due (Wed Feb 7) |
Chapter 5 |
|
5 |
February 8
|
Attitudes and Attitude Change * Quiz 4 due (Wed Feb 14) |
Chapter 6 |
|
6 |
February 15
|
Midterm Exam (NS145; 11:30AM-1:30PM) |
|
|
7 |
February 22
|
Reading Week (no lecture) |
|
|
8 |
March 1
|
Conformity * Quiz 5 due (Wed Mar 7) |
Chapter 7 |
|
9 |
March 8 |
Group Processes * Quiz 6 due (Wed Mar 14) |
Chapter 8 |
|
10 |
March 15
|
Interpersonal Attraction * Quiz 7 due (Wed Mar 21) |
Chapter 9 |
|
11 |
March 22
|
Prosocial Behaviour * Quiz 8 due (Wed Mar 28) |
Chapter 10 |
|
12 |
March 29
|
Aggression * Quiz 9 due (Wed Apr 4) |
Chapter 11 |
|
13 |
April 5
|
Prejudice * Quiz 10 due (Wed Apr 11) |
Chapter 12 |
8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com http://www.turnitin.com
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
We will do our best to make course material accessible for those with disabilities. Lectures will not be podcast. However, lecture slides will be available on the OWL site at least two hours before the lecture is due to begin. If you wish, you may make a recording of the lectures for your own personal use (recordings may not be shared via social media or other platforms). Additional material (on a weekly basis) will be vodcast/podcast and posted to the OWL site.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.
10.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS
Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2017/pg954.html
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html
11.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2017 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.
