Psychology 2070A-650 (online)

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 problems encountered in the study of people as social beings.

Antirequisities: Psychology 2720A/B, Psychology 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.

0.5 course 

2.0    COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor: Alexa Clerke | Email: alexa.clerke@uwo.ca | Office: Social Sciences Centre (SSC), Room 7317

 

Teaching Assistant: Stacey Reyes | Email: sreyes4@uwo.ca | Office: XXXX

 

*Note: For course content questions, please email Stacey. For all other questions, please email the instructor.

This course is delivered fully online (except for exams which are written at your designated testing location)

My Communication Approach & Policies:

My approach as an instructor is to have open, professional communication with students; I encourage you to ask questions and to reach out if you are unsure of expectations or how to complete a task.

Email Policy: I check my email regularly and will respond to emails within 48 hours during weekdays. Please include the course code (PSYCH 2070A) in all subject lines, as this enables me to ensure emails are answered in a timely manner. If for some reason I cannot address your email within this 48-hour timeline or am unavailable for longer than a 48-hour window, I will notify the class via the OWL announcment feature.

 

Appointments: If you are interested in scheduling an individual meeting with me at any point, please contact me via email to arrange it. I am only available on campus on select days of the week but will do my best to accommodate your schedule and availability.

 

Course Approach & Instructor Expectations:

Classroom Community: The classroom (both physical classroom and online) are intended to be a safe learning space, where respect for others should be demonstrated and is required. I am committed to including a range of perspectives in this course, and with your help will strive to create a learning environment that encourages and respects different points of view.

Learning Activities: As a learner in this course, you will be required to complete regular activities online. The reason I include these activities in the course is because research evidence shows that engaging with, discussing, and thinking about the material you are learning in new ways promotes better learning and more successfully retention of the material.

Instructor Expectations:

  1. You will complete weekly readings, quizzes, and online activities
  2. You will participate thoughtfully in all assigned activities
  3. You will show accountability for your learning; I will provide the framework (e.g., schedule), as well as the material and tools – but you are responsible for staying on track and keeping up with the material

You will reach out to me (or an Academic Counsellor if the assignment is worth more than 10% of your grade) if you are not able to complete any of the course requirements for any reason.                                                                                   

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western

http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.

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 Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147.

3.0  TEXTBOOK

To access course materials and complete weekly online activites, you will need access to:

 

Course Textbook: Social Psychology | Edition: 10th | Authors: Kassin, Fein, Markus

 

For this course, the online (MindTap) version of the textbook is required. There are two options for purchasing:

 

  • Loose-leaf version of text + MindTap Pschology Printed Access Card (ISBN: 9781337129114)
  • MindTap psychology printed access card (ISBN: 9781305864375)

 

The online version of the textbook is required because it is an essential part of the course content, as weekly quizzes, mastery training, and activities will be completed through this site. Both the online-only and online & loose-lead printed version options are available at the campus bookstore, or directly through the textbook website.

 

Additional information regarding the online textbook and MindTap will be provided on OWL. However, just like in a paper version you can highlight text, make notes, and keep track of your progress. In addition, the online format offers adaptive practice material which modifies based on your learning, as well as provides study support like flashcards, extra quizzes, as well as links to other online material to support each topic.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When you gain access to the course MindTap textbook website, please ensure that you register with the same same (i.e., EXACT MATCH) to your WESTERN ID name. If you do not, this will result in a dely of your grades in OWL

Given the online-nature of this course, regular access to the internet and the purchasing of the MindTap online textbook is required to be successful in this course. 

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 completing this course, you will gain skills in both the development of general academic skills and in content-specific knowledge. This is reflected in your learning outcomes, which are as follows:

By the end of this course, as a successful student, you will be able to:

This outcome will be directly* demonstrated & assessed through:

Identify instructor expectations, course structure, contact information, deadlines, and evaluation information

·         Syllabus Scavenger Hunt

Demonstrate accountability in your learning by keeping up with material, completing tasks, and reaching out for assistance if/when needed

·         Quizzes

·         Mastery Training

Display engagement with course material, by actively participating in online learning activites and offering your thoughs on the discussion forum.

 

 

·         Online Activites

·         Discussion Posts

Recall important social psychological findings

·         Quizzes

·         Mastery Training

·         Exams

Define and describe  the key concepts, principles, and overarching themes releveant to the social psychology

·         Quizzes

·         Mastery Training

·         Exams

Outline how research informs psychological theroies, and vice versa

·         Quizzes

·         Exams

Appraise psychological constructs by engaging in critical thought and commentary, using research evidence to support claims

·         Online Activities

·         Discussion Forums

Relate and identify the principles and theories discussed to everyday situations

·         Exams

·         Online Activities

*Note: There may, of course, be other ways or assignments that showcase a specific outcome throughout the course. I’ve simply listed here the primary modes by which this outcome will be captured. 

5.0     EVALUATION

Syllabus Scavenger Hunt (1%). You are required to review the syllabus so that you know what the expectations of the course are, what to do if you need support, and how you will be evaulated. This assignment will be posted on OWL for completion. By completing this task and earning a grade percentage, this is your agreement with me (the instructor) that you have read the syllabus and understood the course expectations and timelines.

 

Weekly Activities:

  1. Online Activities (12%). You will need to complete the weekly online activities assigned for each topic. This will be completed via the MindTap textbook site. The purpose of these activities is to allow you to connect with the material you’re learning in new and interactive ways.

 

Online activities will only be accepted for completion grade until Sunday at 11:00PM EDT for the week assigned (the only exception to this rule is Week 1; see schedule for more information). Late submissions will not be accepted. There is 1 required activity per chapter, each worth 1%. Note that there are 14 chapters, and therefore 14 activities, but only 12 are required to be completed for full marks (1% each). These are summative assessments that are graded only for completion.

 

  1. Mastery Training (12%). You are required to complete the Mastery Training for each chapter. This will be completed via the MindTap textbook website. The purpose of mastery training is to familiarize yourself with important terms. This on-line tool is adaptive, so it will provide additional practice on concepts that you may not know as well and phases out concepts that you have demonstrated that you already know; this streamlines your review.

 

Mastery Training for each chapter will only be accepted for completion grade until Sunday at 11:00PM EDT for the week they are assigned (the only exception to this rule is Week 1; see schedule for more information). Late submissions will not be accepted. There are 14 trainings in total (1 training per chapter), but only 12 (each worth 1%) are required to completed for full marks. These are summative assessments and therefore are graded for completion. However, because the purpose of this activity is to master the material, for this activity to be considered “complete” you need to score 30/30.

 

In order to successfully complete this assessment, you will need to start approximately 2 days ahead of the due date. This is because there needs to be sufficient time for you to work through the material, and then take time away from it before completing it. The system is designed this way to maximize your learning experience and to help you best prepare for the exam. Therefore, I advise you not to leave this task until the final day (Sunday) or you will not be able to complete.

 

  1. Quizzes (12%). Weekly online quizzes will become available every Monday at 6:00AM EDT (via MindTap textbook website) and will remain open for the week to be completed. These quizzes will cover the topic material of the week. The purpose of these quizzes is to help keep you up-to-date on the course material and will provide you with the opportunity to get a sense of your learning progress throughout the term.

 

You only have one opportunity to take this quiz so I suggest you do so after you’ve read all of the material for the week and engaged in the weekly activity and mastery training.

 

Quizzes will only be accepted until Sunday at 11:00PM EDT for the week they are assigned (the only exception to this rule is Week 1; see schedule for more information). Late submission will not be accepted. There are 14 quizzes total (1 quiz for each chapter), but only your top 12 quiz grades will count. Each quiz is worth 1%. Note that this is not just for completion and you will receive a grade corresponding to the grade you achieve on the quiz (e.g., if you get 12/15, you will receive a grade of .8/1).

           

Discussion Forum Posts (8%). There will be four required discussion posts throughout the term, each work 2%. You will be provided with a blog post, video, or article and some questions regarding the content. These questions will ask you to relate the content to your own experiences and/or to critique the content. Discussion posts will become available the Monday in which they are assigned at 6:00AM EDT and are due that Sunday at 11:00PM EDT. Posts will be graded based on their quality. Late submissions will not be accepted.

 

Discussion Post 1

Due September 16th at 11:00PM EDT

Discussion Post 2

Due October 6th at 11:00PM EDT

Discussion Post 3

Due October 27th at 11:00PM EDT

Discussion Post 4

Due December 8th at 11:00PM EDT

 

Exams (55%). There are two multiple-choice exams (closed book). All exams are non-cumulative.

 

Midterm (25%)

Date: Saturday October 19th

Time & Location: TBD

Content: Weeks 1-6 (Chapter 1-6)

Final Exam (30%)
Date: December 8-19 (TBD by Registrar)

Time & Location: TBD

Content: Weeks 7-14 (Chapter 7-14)

Policy on Grade Adjustments. To maintain fairness to all students, end of term grades will not be adjusted based on “need”, nor will students be granted a chance to improve their grades based on completing extra assignments at the end of term. As such, it is important that you monitor your performance and take steps to eliminate difficulties or barriers as soon as possible, so the problems do not interfere with your performance in the course. Please reach out to me directly to discuss if you are struggling with the material as early as possible so we can make appropriate plans to support your learning. Moreover, I encourage you to let me know if you are in special circumstances (e.g., need a certain grade in this course to graduate) at the beginning of term so I can best help you succeed 

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 Western's 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


6.0  ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE

  • Syllabus Scavenger Hunt (1%)
  • Quizzes (12%)
  • Mastery Training (12%)
  • Online Activites (12%)
  • Discussion Posts (8%)
  • Exams (55%)

*Note: Specific details regarding expectations and tiemlines for each of these assessment types is available in the Course Requirements & Evaluations Details sectio

7.0   CLASS SCHEDULE

Week

Date

Topic

Readings

To-Do (Mindtap Activites and Discussion Posts)

(Due Sundays at 11:00PM EDT)

1

September 5

Introduction to Social Psychology

Chapter 1

·         Weekly Activity*

·         Mastery Training*

·         Quiz*

·         Syllabus Scavenger Hunt *

*Note: This week’s activities are not due until September 15th at 11:00PM EDT

2

September 9

Research Methods

Chapter 2

 

Discussion Post 1 Reading (on OWL)

 

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

·         Discussion Post 1

3

September 16

The Social Self

Chapter 3
  • Weekly Activity
  • Mastery Training
  • Quiz

4

September 23

Perception

Chapter 4

 

 

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

5

September 30

Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Chapter 5

 

Discussion Post 2 Reading (on OWL)

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

·         Discussion Post 2

6

October 7

Attitudes

Chapter 6

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

7

October 14

Conformity

Chapter 7

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

-

MIDTERM EXAM (Saturday October 19th, 2019)

8

October 21

Group Processes

Chapter 8

 

Discussion Post 3 Activity (on OWL)

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

·         Discussion Post 3

9

October 28

Attraction & Close Relationships

Chapter 9

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

10

READING WEEK (November 4th – 10th, 2019)

11

November 11

Pro- and Anti-Social Behaviour

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

·         Weekly Activity (x2)

·         Mastery Training (x2)

·         Quiz (x2)

12

November 18

Social Psychology and Law

Chapter 12

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

13

November 25

Social Psychology and Business

Chapter 13

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

14

December 2

Social Psychology and Health

Chapter 14

 

Discussion Post 4 Reading (on OWL)

·         Weekly Activity

·         Mastery Training

·         Quiz

·         Discussion Post 4

-

FINAL EXAM (Scheduled by the Registrar; between December 8-19)

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

Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.



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    POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12

 

The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf


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

 

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:

  1. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
  2. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;

For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html

Students seeking academic consideration:

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;  
  • are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence;

must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence



10.0        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
- 2019-2020 Calendar References

No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute lecture notes, wiki material, and other course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.