Psychology 4790G-001
Special Topics in Social Psychology
"Understanding the Social in 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
Drawing from North American and European social psychology, the focus of this course is to develop a deeper understanding of what social means in social psychology. Four major theoretical orientations will be reviewed that seek to understand how people know themselves, the worlds (physical, social, environmental) around them, and their relationship with those worlds. These alternative theoretical orientations include: 1—Social Cognition Models, 2—Social Identity Theory, 3—Social Representations Theory, and 4—Discursive Psychology. Six central topic areas in social psychology are considered from these alternative theoretical orientations: social perception, attitudes, attributions, self and identity, prejudice, and ideology. Throughout the course, we will highlight points of commonality and difference between the theoretical foundations. No one perspective is prioritized or deemed superior to another. Instead, we will consider the need for a theoretically integrated account of what it means to be a social being.
Prerequisite: Psychology 2820E, or both of Psychology 2800E and Psychology 2810, plus registration in third or fourth year Honors Specialization in Psychology or Honors Specialization in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Other Psychology students and Psychology Special Students who receive 75% in the prerequisite courses may enroll in this course.
Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Rachel Calogero
Office and Phone Number: Room 321, Westminster Hall, x 80403
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: rcaloger@uwo.ca
Thursday, 1:30 am to 4:30 pm, Westminster Hall 20F
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
Augoustinos, M., Walker, I., & Donaghue, N. (2014). Social cognition: An integrated introduction (3rd ed.). Sage.
Additional primary level readings will be assigned where relevant.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
Drawing from North American and European social psychology, the focus of this course is to develop a deeper understanding of what social means in social psychology. Four major theoretical orientations will be reviewed that seek to understand how people know themselves, the worlds (physical, social, environmental) around them, and their relationship with those worlds. These alternative theoretical orientations include: 1—Social Cognition Models, 2—Social Identity Theory, 3—Social Representations Theory, and 4—Discursive Psychology. Six central topic areas in social psychology are considered from these alternative theoretical orientations: social perception, attitudes, attributions, self and identity, prejudice, and ideology. Throughout the course, we will highlight points of commonality and difference between the major theoretical orientations, strengths and limitations of each orientation, and consider the need for a theoretically integrated account of what it means to be a social being.
Lecture attendance in this course is considered to be mandatory. Lectures are intended to complement the textbook, which means I will present a blend of content that will include information not in the textbook. Approximately half of the items on each examination cover material that is presented only in lectures and not covered in readings. Class attendance will significantly increase how much you get out of this course. Students who miss lectures score dramatically lower on coursework.
Please keep in mind that your fellow students may not share your religious affiliations, political beliefs, cultural backgrounds, economic, ethnic, or sexual orientations. Some topics covered in this course are sensitive in nature and a variety of opinions and views are to be expected. To ensure a positive learning experience and full participation by all, please listen with an open mind and express your thoughts and responses in a respectful manner. When questions and/or discussion do occur during lecture, please be constructive and respectful of the topic, the instructor, and other people in the class.
4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
|
LEARNING OUTCOMES |
ACTIVITIES |
ASSESSMENT |
|
1. Define and distinguish four major theoretical orientations in social psychology |
Lectures; readings |
Quizzes; Class presentation |
|
2. Identify key empirical approaches associated with each of the major perspectives |
Lectures; readings |
Quizzes; Class presentation |
|
3. Explain strengths and limitations within each of the theoretical orientations |
Lectures; readings |
Quizzes; Class presentation |
|
4. Understand a key topic in social psychology from these different theoretical orientations and compare/contrast them |
Lectures; readings; literature search |
Quizzes; Class presentation |
|
5. Apply an integrated approach (drawing from the four orientations) to the study of a contemporary social issue
|
Lectures; readings; literature search; paper preparation |
Class presentation; Final paper |
5.0 EVALUATION
The course grade is based on four components: class participation, weekly quizzes, class presentation, and final paper.
1 - Class participation in weekly discussions. Class attendance is required. (10%)
2 - Weekly quizzes consisting of five short answer questions. There will be 8 quizzes in total. The lowest quiz mark will be dropped. (33%)
3 - Class presentation. You will work in pairs to create and deliver a presentation to the class that applies two of the theoretical orientations reviewed in this course to understand a real-world phenomenon relevant to social psychology (should fall under one of the six central concepts covered in this course). The presentation will explain the topic from both perspectives and offer a potential integrated method for studying it. (33%)
4 - Final paper. You will write a paper that applies the four theoretical orientations to a real-world phenomenon relevant to social psychology and discuss implications for advancing insight into this phenomenon. The paper topic can be the same as the presentation topic. The paper should be at least 6 pages and no more than 8 pages, double-spaced, excluding title page and references. (34%)
PLEASE NOTE: Because this is an essay course, as per Senate Regulations, you must pass the essay component to pass the course. That is, the average mark for your written assignments must be at least 50%.
This course is exempt from the Senate requirement that students receive assessment of their work accounting for at least 15% of their final grade at least three full days before the date of the deadline for withdrawal from a course without academic penalty.
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
Please see Class Schedule below for specific dates.
There are 8 weekly in-class short-answer quizzes.
There is one class presentation with a partner that will be scheduled during the last two weeks of term.
There is one final paper due on April 9th.
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
January 9 Course Introduction & Organization Chapter 1
January 16 Social Cognitive Models & Social Identity Theory Chapter 2
Quiz 1
January 23 Social Representations Theory & Discursive Psychology Chapter 2
Quiz 2
January 30 Social Perception Chapter 3
Quiz 3
February 6: Attitudes Chapter 4
Quiz 4
February 13 Attributions Chapter 5
Quiz 5
February 20 SPRING READING WEEK
February 27 Self & Identity Chapter 6
Quiz 6
March 5 Prejudice Chapter 7
Quiz 7
March 12: Presentations Workshop
March 19 Ideology Chapter 8
Quiz 8
March 26 Class Presentations
April 2 Class Presentations
April 9 Final Paper Due by 4:30pm
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:
- Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
- 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.
