Psychology 3720G 001 FW24
The Psychology of Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior
Western University
London Canada
Department of Psychology
Winter 2024
Psychology 3720G Section 001
The Psychology of Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior
1 Calendar Description
The course will consider the social, situational and personality factors responsible for the occurrence of antisocial behaviours such as violence and aggression, and of prosocial behaviours such as helping others in disaster or crisis situations.
Antirequisites: n/a
Prerequisites: Both Psychology 2801F/G (or one of Health Sciences 2801A/B, Psychology 2840F/G, Psychology 2855F/G) and Psychology 2811A/B (or one of Biology 2244A/B, Economics 2122A/B, Economics 2222A/B, Geography 2210A/B, Health Sciences 3801A/B, MOS 2242A/B, Psychology 2830A/B, Psychology 2850A/B, Sociology 2205A/B, Statistical Sciences 2035, Statistical Sciences 2141A/B, Statistical Sciences 2143A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2858A/B, the former Social Work 2207A/B), or the former Psychology 2820E, or both the former Psychology 2800E and the former Psychology 2810 (or Psychology 2780E or permission of the Department at Huron).
3 lecture hours; Course Weight: 0.50
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.
2 Course Information
Instructor: Dr. Julian Scheffer
Phone: 519-661-2111 ext: 82795
Office Hours: see Brightspace
Email: jscheff3@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant: Emil Dzhunushaliev
Office: see Brightspace
Office Hours: TBD
Email: edzhunus@uwo.ca
Time and Location of Classes: see Student Centre or Brightspace for Timetable
For courses that include an online component, students must have a reliable internet connection and computer that are compatible with online learning system requirements.
3 Course Materials
NOTE: An ebook version of each of these textbooks is available for free on our OWL course website and via the Western library website. There is no need to purchase physical copies of these books:
Dovidio, J. F., Piliavin, J. A., Schroeder, D. A., & Penner, L. A. (2013). The Social Psychology of Prosocial Behavior. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
($107 EBook; physical copy not available via bookstore)
Krahé, B. (2021). The Social Psychology of Aggression (3rd Edition). New York, NY: Psychology Press.
($92.00 for EBook; $93.80 for physical copy)
Course Materials: https://bookstore.uwo.ca/textbook-search?campus=UWO&term=W2024B&courses%5B0%5D=001_UW/PSY3720G
4 Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students should understand the basic theories, methods, and findings in the literature on prosocial and antisocial behaviour. Topics include theories, mechanisms, and situational influences on such behaviours. This course is organized around content-focused lectures, weekly assigned readings, in-class discussion and participation. Students will generate a research idea and write a proposal according to APA standards.
|
Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
|
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge · Describe and evaluate current theory and methods relevant to prosocial and antisocial behavior |
Lectures Assigned readings Summary Proposal Final Paper |
Exams Summary Proposal Final Paper |
|
Knowledge of Methodologies · Critically evaluate effectiveness of different approaches to studying prosocial and antisocial behaviours |
Lectures Assigned Readings Summary Proposal Final Paper |
Exams Summary Proposal Final Paper |
|
Application of Knowledge · Apply concepts and theories learned to understand when and why prosocial or antisocial behaviour occurs |
Lectures Summary Proposal Final Paper |
Exams Summary Proposal Final Paper |
|
Communication Skills · Describe and summarize research from the literature on prosocial and antisocial behaviour · Communicate effectively through oral and written methods |
Lectures Summary Proposal Final Paper |
Exams Summary Proposal Final Paper |
5 Evaluation
Course grades will be based on two exams, a two-page research proposal summary, and the full research proposal paper.
First Exam (32.5%): The first exam will focus on prosocial behaviour. Testable content includes all material covered between Weeks 1-5. This includes all lesson materials (notes, lecture material, activities, and videos) and assigned textbook chapters. The examination will be 80 minutes in length and will consist of multiple-choice questions and short answer questions.
Exam 2 (32.5%): The second exam will focus on antisocial behaviour. Testable content includes all material covered between Weeks 8-13. This includes all lesson materials (notes, lecture material, activities, and videos) and assigned textbook chapters. The examination will be 80 minutes in length and will consist of multiple-choice questions and short answer questions.
Summary of research proposal (10%) - Students will have the opportunity to apply the course materials by formulating a novel research idea and proposing a study to address it. The research project you propose must address a research question directly related to prosocial and/or antisocial behaviour. For the research proposal summary, you will prepare a concise document outlining the theoretical background and rationale for the proposed research question, the objective(s) and method of the proposed work, and the anticipated findings and implications. There is a strict two-page limit for the proposal summary (double spaced, 1-inch margins on all sides, APA formatting), with a third page allotted for a reference list. The research proposal summary is due on or before February 28th, 2025, before midnight.
Research proposal (25% written component) - Students will have the opportunity to apply the course materials by formulating a research question and proposing a study to answer it. The final paper should [1] provide a brief literature review, [2] outline a hypothesis (or hypotheses) you are interested in testing, [3] specify a method for examining the proposed question, [4] describe your expected results, and [5] discuss implications and plausible alternative accounts of what the research may yield. The final paper must be at least 2500 words, not including references (double-spaced, formatted with 12-point Times New Roman; 1-inch margins on all sides; written in accordance with APA guidelines) and is due on April 4th 2024, before midnight.
The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4 and are necessary for meeting these learning objectives
Policy on Missing Coursework
There will be a 10% per day penalty for late submissions. As a general guide, the literature review and the description of the hypothesis/hypotheses should be 4-6 pages in length, the method should be 1-3 pages in length, the expected results should be 1-3 pages in length, and the implications/alternative accounts should be 2-4 pages.
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.
** Please note that I do not make grade adjustments (e.g., applying a bell curve to the distribution of marks on a test or paper). Also, I cannot adjust marks based on need (e.g., because a certain mark is needed to get into a particular academic program).
The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf
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
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.
6 Assessment/Evaluation Schedule
Final research paper: April 4th
In the event that a self-reported absence or other short-term accommodation interferes with your ability to submit either the summary of research proposal or the final research paper on time, you must contact the instructor (Dr. Scheffer, jscheff3@uwo.ca) within 24 hours of the expiration of your accommodation to obtain an appropriate extension. If you fail to arrange for an extension, you will receive late penalties on the relevant course component, in accord with University policy.
First Exam: February 13th (in-class)
In the event that a short-term accommodation interferes with your ability to take the first exam, you must attend the make-up first exam (date, time, and location to be determined). Please be aware that the make-up exam will not be the same as the original exam other students have taken. Instead, it will be equivalent in difficulty and format but will contain new multiple choice and short answer questions.
Second Exam: During final exam period April 7th-30th (i.e., date, time, and location TBA).
In the event that a short-term accommodation interferes with your ability to take the final exam, you must attend the make-up second exam (date, time, and location to be determined). Please be aware that the make-up exam will not be the same as the original exam other students have taken. Instead, it will be equivalent in difficulty and format but will contain new multiple choice and short answer questions.
7 Class Schedule
|
Dates |
Lesson |
Reading |
Topic |
|
Jan. 9 |
Lesson 1 |
Dovidio Chapter 1 |
Introduction to Prosocial Behavior |
|
Jan. 16 |
Lesson 2 |
Dovidio Chapter 2 McAndrew (2002) |
Origins of Prosocial Behavior |
|
Jan. 23 |
Lesson 3 |
Dovidio Chapter 3 Levine et al. (2001) |
When will people help? |
|
Jan. 30 |
Lesson 4 |
Dovidio Chapter 4 Penner et al. (2005) |
Why do people help? |
|
Feb. 6 |
Lesson 5 |
Dovidio Chapter 7 Weinstein & Ryan (2010) |
Being the Helper and Being Helped |
|
Feb. 13 |
Midterm Exam (Lessons 1-5) |
||
|
Feb. 20 |
READING WEEK (no classes) |
||
|
Feb. 27 |
Lesson 7 |
Krahé Chapter 2 McAndrew (2009) Bushman (2002) |
Theories of Aggression |
|
March 6 |
Lesson 8 |
Krahé Chapter 3 Twenge & Campbell (2003) |
Development of Aggression |
|
March 13 |
Lesson 9 |
Krahé Chapter 5 Vandello & Cohen (2003) |
Situational Elicitation of Aggression |
|
March 20 |
Lesson 10 |
Krahé Chapter 6 |
Media Violence and Aggression |
|
March 27 |
Lesson 11 |
Krahé Chapter 7 Jonah et al. (2001) |
Aggression as Part of Everyday Life |
|
Apr 3 |
----- |
----- |
Research Proposal Due Apr. 4th |
|
TBA (April 7-30) FINAL EXAM (Lessons 7 – 11) |
|||
8 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.
Statement on Use of Electronic Devices
During lesson lectures, laptops may be used to write notes, but students are required to keep their active screens to the content being discussed in the class only (e.g., lecture slides, course material) and no headphones or earphones should be worn. Any extra-curricular online or offline activities on the same laptop are prohibited, and audio output must remain muted so that other classmates and the instructor are not distracted. No cellphone or other electronic devices will be permitted. If needing to take a phone call in the case of an emergency, students should aim to quietly exit the classroom. No recording device is permitted without the expressed consent of the instructor and class and may not always be available (see section below: Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions).
During midterm and final examination, all electronic devices are prohibited and must be turned off prior to the beginning of the examination and not in the possession of the student (e.g., in a locker or in a bag at the front of the class).
Plagiarism Detection Software
All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. 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.
Use of AI
The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to produce written work is not permitted unless permission is granted by the instructor for specific circumstances. Any work submitted must be the work of the student in its entirety unless otherwise disclosed. When used, AI tools should be used ethically and responsibly, and students must cite or credit the tools used in line with the expectation to use AI as a tool to learn, not to produce content.
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.
Personal Response Systems (“Clickers”)
In classes that involve the use of a personal response system, data collected will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed.
9 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 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 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.
Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions
Some or all the learning sessions for this course may be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers. The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course, including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals participating in the course for their private or group study purposes. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings. Participants in this course are not permitted to privately record the sessions, except where recording is an approved accommodation, or the student has the prior written permission of the instructor.
12 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.
