Psychology 2720A 001 FW24
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.
WESTERN UNIVERSITY
LONDON CANADA
Department of Psychology
Fall 2024
Psychology 2720A Section 001
Social Psychology
An introduction to the theories, methods, findings, and problems encountered in the study of people as social beings. Emphasis will be placed on experimental research, conducted both in the laboratory and in the field. Content areas include: attitudes and social cognition, social interaction and influence, group processes and applications of social psychology.
Antirequisites: Psychology 2070A/B, 2780E and the former Psychology 2712F/G
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.
Two lecture hours and one tutorial hour, 0.5 course
Prerequisite: A mark of at least 60% in 1.0 credits of Psychology at the 1000 level.
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Graeme Haynes
Office Hours: see Brightspace
Email: ghaynes@uwo.ca
Teaching assistant: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
Email: TBA
Teaching assistant: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
Email: TBA
Lecture: See TimeTable on Student Centre
Tutorial 002: See TimeTable on Student Centre
Tutorial 003: See TimeTable on Student Centre
Tutorial 004:See TimeTable on Student Centre
Tutorial 005: See TimeTable on Student Centre
2.1 LECTURES & CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE
Lectures are intended to complement the textbook. Thus, I will present some material that is not in the book and will be tested on the exams. Class attendance will significantly increase how much you get out of this course. I post the lecture slides in advance with blanks that you are expected to fill in during class, and then post the completed slides within a few days following a lecture.
I expect that each of you will respect your classmates and me by arriving to class on time, ready to listen and participate. Please turn off your cell phone ringers when you arrive to class. Devoting class time to non-academic activities such as watching videos or listening to music is disruptive and creates a negative impression of the students engaging in such activities. In addition, a growing research literature strongly demonstrates that inappropriate use of technologies during classes negatively impacts students’ ability to learn material. As such, students are kindly requested to turn off their device WiFi during lecture. Give yourself the best chance to do well and to be engaged!
In a class this large, some students will be unaware that their private conversations are distracting to other students. If you feel that students are distracting your attention from the material, then you should ask them to be quiet. If you feel uncomfortable doing this (or if the problem persists), then please see me and I will make an announcement to the class and/or arrange to meet privately with the students.
During class, you are encouraged to ask questions about concepts that are unclear; I’m also happy to answer questions during the 5-minute break or at the end of the lecture. Outside of class, I encourage you to meet with me during office hours (or set an appointment) to discuss any questions or concerns. E-mail is the best way to contact me outside of class.
When sending me an email, please make sure to use proper email etiquette (e.g., start with a greeting), and include the following information: your name, the course you are in (I’m teaching several different courses this semester), and your question.
Sample email:
Hi Prof. Haynes,
This is [insert name here] from your Psychology 2720a class. After reading the lecture slides on [insert topic here], I was wondering if you could explain [insert concept here] in greater detail?
Sincerely,
[Name]
If you adhere to these guidelines, I promise to reply to all emails within 24 hours.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Gilovich, T., Keltner, D., Chen, S., & Nisbett, R. E. (2023). Social Psychology, Sixth Edition. New York: Norton.
Note: If you use an older version of the textbook, although the general topic areas are the same, be aware that there may be some content from the newer version tested on the exams that does not appear in the older version.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course provides a broad introduction to theories and findings related to the scientific study of human social behavior. By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Understand several 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,
- Examine social psychology from an empirically-based, scholarly perspective, rather than from an intuitive or speculative perspective based solely on personal experience and observations,
- Explain the scientific study of social psychology to a non-academic/non-psychologist, and
- Evaluate social psychological situations and make predictions about behavior.
4.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
|
Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
|
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge. Define and describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in social psychology. |
Lectures, tutorial discussions, and assigned readings |
Exams |
|
Knowledge of Methodologies. Evaluate various research methods used by social psychologists, including the questions they ask and how multiple lines of research feed into our understanding of social behaviour. |
Lectures, tutorial discussions, and assigned readings |
Discussions in lectures and tutorials & exam questions |
|
Application of Knowledge. Apply psychological principles to |
Lectures, tutorial discussions, and assigned readings |
Discussions in lectures and tutorials & exam questions |
|
Communication Skills.
Articulate knowledge about social psychological theories in the broader context of historical and empirical implications.
|
Lectures, tutorial discussions, and assigned readings |
Participation in tutorial activities and discussions |
|
Awareness of Limits of Knowledge
Analyze the merits and pitfalls of social psychological theories in isolation and as a whole. |
Lectures, tutorial discussions, and assigned readings |
Tutorial discussions, exams |
5.0 EVALUATION
The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4.0 and are considered necessary for meeting these learning objectives.
Exams (35% and 40%)
For the exams, you are responsible for all material assigned in the textbook, as well as all material covered in lectures.
Each exam is non-cumulative, and will consist of multiple choice or true/false questions.
The first midterm exam, covering material from Chapter 1-4, 6, and 7, will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 22nd, from 11:30 A.M. – 1:30 P.M.
[Makeup exam: Thursday, Oct. 31st, from 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.]
The final examination, covering material from Chapter 8-10, and 12-14, will take place during the December exam period (Dec. 9 – 22, specific time TBA).
Note that academic consideration based on self-attestation cannot be used for the midterm exam nor for the final exam (nor for the makeups for either of these exams).
Tutorials (25%)
Tutorials are an integral part of learning in this course. Tutorials are facilitated by the teaching assistants to provide students regular opportunities to discuss weekly lecture material, apply their knowledge via activities, and work collaboratively with classmates. The tutorial is 25% of the final course grade. Performance in tutorials is evaluated by, on-going attendance and participation, and assessment of a final project (group presentation). More information about tutorial requirements will be provided in a supplementary ‘Tutorial Instructions’ document on OWL Brightspace.
5.1 POLICY ON MISSING COURSEWORK
Make-Up Exams: Exams must be written on the scheduled dates unless you have a legitimate excuse recognized by the university administration. (As mentioned in Section 5.0, academic consideration based on self-attestation cannot be used for the midterm exam nor for the final exam.) Valid reasons include medical or compassionate reasons, internet access issues (in the case that exams are on-line), and religious holidays, and must be substantiated by proper documentation (e.g., a medical certificate, obituary, accident report) which you must present to a counsellor from your home faculty’s academic counseling office. A student who misses a regularly scheduled exam for other reasons, or who cannot justify a claim, will be assigned a 0 for the exam. Students with approved absences for any exam must write a makeup exam, which will be scheduled by your prof or T.A.
***Please refer to Section 10.0 for the full policy regarding make-up exams.***
Tutorials: Academic accommodation will not normally be considered for tutorial work because individual tutorial components are valued at less than 10% of the final course grade and/or entail routinely scheduled collaboration with classmates. Thus, there is no need to contact your instructor, teaching assistant, nor your Academic Counsellor if you cannot attend a tutorial, to a maximum of two missed tutorials. (Note: If you have already missed two tutorials, then you would need to provide documentation to your home faculty’s academic counseling office to receive approved absences for any other missed tutorials – failure to do so will result in a penalty to your attendance / participation grade.)
Participation at missed tutorials cannot be made-up; students are thus encouraged to prioritize attending regularly and advised to touch base with their group members when they are absent. Students who do not contribute (or who contribute minimally) to the group project preparation throughout the term and final presentation will receive a grade lower than that of their group, at the discretion of the tutorial assistant and/or professor.
Department Grading Policies:
The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level to 2099-level courses
72% 2100-2999-level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: https://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
Note that in the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components.
Policy on Grade Rounding: Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered. To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every assessment within the course.
To ensure fairness, please be aware that final grades in this course are based exclusively on students’ performance on the two exams and tutorial activities. Exams may not be rewritten, nor will the exams or tutorial grades be reweighted in calculating final grades. Grades will not be adjusted on the basis of need or a subjective evaluation of effort, and students will not be able to improve their marks by completing additional assignments.
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
|
Date |
Material covered |
Value |
|
|
Midterm exam |
Tues. Oct. 22, 11:30 A.M. |
Chapters 1-4, 6, 7 |
35% |
|
Final exam |
Dec. 9 – 22 (Time TBA) |
Chapters 8-10, 12-14 |
40% |
*and all related lecture material
Note 1: There will be no lecture after the exams.
Note 2: You must go to your assigned room! Room assignments will be announced in class, and posted on the course website well in advance of exams. Please do not contact the department secretaries for this information!!
Note 3: Electronic devices (e.g., cell phones, dictionaries, ipods/earbuds) are NOT permitted during exams. Please leave these devices at home or in your book bag.
- CLASS SCHEDULE
|
Date |
Topic |
Read |
|
Sept. 10 |
Introducing Social Psychology |
Chapter 1 & 2 |
|
Sept. 17 |
The Social Self |
Chapter 3 |
|
Sept. 24 |
Social Cognition & Social Attribution |
Chapter 4 |
|
Oct. 1 |
Attitudes, Behaviour & Rationalization |
Chapter 6 |
|
Oct. 8 |
Persuasion |
Chapter 7 |
|
Oct. 15 |
No class – Fall Reading Week |
|
|
Oct. 22 |
Midterm |
Chapters 1-4, 6, 7 |
|
Oct. 29 |
Social Influence |
Chapter 8 |
|
Nov. 5 |
Interpersonal Attraction & Relationships |
Chapter 9 |
|
Nov. 12 |
Stereotyping, Prejudice & Discrimination |
Chapter 10 |
|
Nov. 19 |
Groups |
Chapter 12 |
|
Nov. 26 |
Aggression
|
Chapter 13 |
|
Dec. 3 |
Morality, Altruism, & Cooperation |
Chapter 14 |
|
Dec. 9-22 |
FINAL EXAM |
Chapters 8-10, 12-14 |
8.0 Academic Integrity
Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.
Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
Multiple Choice Exams
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
9.0 Academic Accommodations and Accessible Education
View Western’s policy on academic accommodations for student with disabilities at this link.
Accessible Education provides supports and services to students with disabilities at Western.
If you think you may qualify for ongoing accommodation that will be recognized in all your courses, visit Accessible Education for more information. Email: aew@uwo.ca Phone: 519 661-2147
10.0 Absence & Academic Consideration
View Western’s policy on academic consideration for medical illnesses this link
Find your academic counsellor here: https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain academic considerations. Students must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence.
Medical Absences
Submit a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for Academic Consideration.
Nonmedical Absences
Submit appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.
Religious Consideration
Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term.
11.0 Other Information
- Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca
- Student Development Services: sdc.uwo.ca
- Psychology Undergraduate Program: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/index.html
Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness@Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ 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.
If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf. Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal in writing to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).
Copyright Statement
Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos 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 any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.
12.0 Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Chonnonton. Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society.
