Social Psychology Syllabus - Fall 2010
SOP 3004-U01: Social Psychology Fall 2010 CP 197 MWF 11:00 – 11:50amInstructor: Kevin A. Strubler Office: DM 291 / DM 142A Office Hours: MW 3:30 – 4:30 pm or by appointment Email: [email protected] (though I prefer you e-mail me through Blackboard) Phone: Psychology Main Office – (305) 348-2880 (for messages in case of emergency) Course Description: Social psychology is the study of an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as he/she interacts with others. It is based on the principles
Content
SOP 3004-U01: Social Psychology Fall 2010 CP 197 MWF 11:00 – 11:50am
Instructor: Kevin A. Strubler Office: DM 291 / DM 142A Office Hours: MW 3:30 – 4:30 pm or by appointment Email: [email protected] (though I prefer you e-mail me through Blackboard) Phone: Psychology Main Office – (305) 348-2880 (for messages in case of emergency) Course Description: Social psychology is the study of an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as he/she interacts with others. It is based on the principles of psychological science. Theories are examined through the scientific method. This course with examine several social psychological theories and the empirical research experiments supporting them. We will discuss the major topics in social psychology including persuasion, conformity, helping behavior, and aggression. Students should be prepared to think critically about each topic and to actively participate in class discussions. Successful completion of the course requires participation in class activities, completion of all assignments, and timely reading of assigned materials. Readings will be from the required text and supplemental articles and are due on the dates specified in the attached course schedule. At the end of the course, you will have a better understanding of the social interactions that you encounter on a daily basis. Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, you should be able to: 1. Describe both the primary findings within social psychology as well as the basic scientific methodology that was used to obtain those findings 2. Identify fundamental research methods in social psychology, including the development of research questions and hypotheses, measures and manipulations, etc. 3. Define basic social psychological terms and concepts 4. Critically analyze an empirical research article 5. Evaluate the role of the situation on an individual’s behavior Required Reading: Textbook Kenrick, D.T., Neuberg, S.L., & Cialdini, R.B. (2010). Social Psychology: Goals in Interaction (5th Edition). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson. (We will skip the majority of the content in Chapters 13 & 14.)
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Additional Articles (Available on Blackboard) (for W 9.8.10) Article 1 Miller, D. T. & McFarland, C. (1986). Counterfactual thinking and victim compensation: A test of norm theory. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 12, 513-519. Article 2 (for 11.29.10) Kassin, S. M. & Kiechel, K. L. (1996). The social psychology of false confessions: Compliance, internalization, and confabulation. Psychological Science, 7, 125-129. Blackboard CE6: This course will utilize the Blackboard (Campus Edition 6) online classroom to provide you with assignment instructions, grades, and additional materials. It is important that you become familiar with this software and check the course website on a regular basis because all important class updates and announcements will be posted online. If you have never used Blackboard before, or if you want to find additional information about the software, I encourage you to attend the Blackboard training sessions available to students during the first week of classes. Please refer to http://ce6.fiu.edu for additional information. Login at http://online.fiu.edu/login/uts. Enter your username (Panther ID) and password (birthdate in the format mmddyyyy). Attendance Policy Successful completion of this course requires regular class attendance and active participation in class discussions. Students are expected to complete all assigned readings as indicated on the Course Schedule in preparation for each lecture. Lectures will clarify and expand upon information provided in your textbook. Exams will include information from the text, as well as from class lectures. If you miss a class, you are responsible for obtaining the information discussed in class from your classmates. If any class or assignment conflicts with a religious holiday, discuss with me what conflict exists during the first week of classes. I will take attendance randomly ten times throughout the semester worth 1 point each for a total of 10 possible points toward your final grade. Course Structure Exams There will be four (4) non-cumulative exams in this class. Each exam is worth 50 points and will consist of multiple-choice questions. On the day of the exam please arrive on time and bring a #2 pencil. If you arrive after the first person has turned in his/her exam, you will not be allowed to take the exam. You are responsible for bringing a pencil on exam day. You may only take an exam on the scheduled date and time unless you contact me prior to the time of the exam to inform me of your absence and then provide documentation of a serious illness, death in the family, or other serious emergency that prevented you from being present on the day of the exam. In the event that you provide adequate documentation for your absence, you will be expected to
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take a make-up exam within one week of the excused absence. I reserve the right to curve the scores for any exam. Assignments There will be two (2) written assignments throughout the semester worth a total of 25 points toward your final grade. Late assignments will not be accepted. A. Advertisement Assignment (15 pts) – Find a print advertisement and analyze the ad from a psychological point of view. Instructions can be found on Blackboard. [Due W 9.8.10 11am In Class] Helping Assignment (10 pts) – Describe a helping situation you encountered by applying social psychological theory. Follow the instructions on Blackboard. [Due M 11.1.10 11am via Blackboard]
B.
To be sure that you have access to Blackboard and have read this syllabus, you will be required to submit a Practice Assignment on Blackboard. To do this, first download the blank assignment sheet from Blackboard. Next fill it out with your name and panther ID# and save the file with this format—LastnamePractice.docx. Then upload this file (substituting your last name in the filename. If you do this by September 3, 2010 you will receive 1 extra credit point. Extra Credit You may earn a maximum of 6 additional extra credit points by using one of the following methods: A. Participate in Psychology Department Sponsored Research Studies – You will need to set up an account at http://fiu.sona-systems.com to see a listing of the available studies. You must also specify that you want the credits earned to apply to this course. You will receive 1 research credit for every credit hour in which you participate. I will double this so that you will get 2 extra credit points added to your grade for every hour of participation up to a maximum of 6 points (3 hours of participation). To obtain this credit, I also require that at least one of the studies that you participate in NOT be conducted online. Therefore, if choosing this option, you must participate in at least one study in-person. Do not wait until the end of the semester! Research credits for extra credit must be completed by December 3, 2010. Write an Experimental Paper –You may receive 6 extra credit points by writing an article summary/critique on one of the articles required for class. This assignment will be due before the start of class on the day in which we will discuss the article. Late papers will not be accepted. All assignments must be uploaded through Blackboard in a valid Microsoft Word document (with the file extension .doc or .docx). The filename should be in this format—LastnameArticle#.docx—substituting your last name and the number of the article you reviewed. (For example, if I submitted a review of the second article my paper would have the filename
B.
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StrublerArticle2.docx.) Explicit instructions on the format and content of this assignment can be found on Blackboard. Partial credit may be given at my discretion. Grading Procedure Your final grade will include the 4 exams (200 pts), the 2 assignments (25 pts), your attendance points (10 pts), and any extra credit earned (max 7 pts). The following scale will be used to assign a final grade: Grade A AB+ B BC+ Percent 93.0 – 100% 90.0 – 92.9% 87.0 – 89.9% 83.0 – 86.9% 80.0 – 82.9% 77.0 – 79.9% Points 219 - 235 212 - 218 205 - 211 195 - 204 188 - 194 181 - 187 Grade C CD+ D DF Percent 73.0 – 76.9% 70.0 – 72.9% 67.0 – 69.9% 63.0 – 66.9% 60.0 – 62.9% below 60.0% Points 172 - 180 165 - 171 158 - 164 148 - 157 141 - 147 below 141
Classroom Conduct Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Please arrive to class on time. If you must leave early, please do so as quietly as possible. Cell phones and other potential distractions (like those on computers) should be turned off or in silent mode. In the event that a personal emergency necessitates access to your cell phone, you must notify me before class begins and set your phone to vibrate mode. Anyone engaging in a private conversation during class will be asked to leave. This includes instant messaging as this can also be distracting to other students. Academic Misconduct Academic misconduct in any form is a very serious matter, and will not be tolerated in this class. The term academic misconduct includes (but is not limited to) the following acts: cheating on examinations, turning in another person’s work as your own, including another person’s words or ideas in your writing without crediting the source, or engaging in behaviors that prevent other students in the class from succeeding. Students who engage in academic misconduct will be sanctioned. Please refer to the Student Handbook for more information. Disabled Student Policy The university provides individualized accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact both me and the Disability Resource Center (GC 190: 305-348-3532) to discuss their individual needs, and the appropriate accommodations will be made. Be sure to contact me during the first week of classes; these conversations will be held in strict confidence.
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SOP 3004-U01: Social Psychology Fall 2010 **Course Schedule** DATE Week 1 Week 2 M 9.6.10 Week 3 Week 4 F 9.17.10 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 M 10.11.10 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 W 11.3.10 Affiliation & Friendship Love & Romantic Relationships Prosocial Behavior The Self Attitudes & Persuasion Social Influence Person & Situation Social Cognition TOPIC Introduction Research Methods READING Chapter 1 *none (content in class notes only) Labor Day: No Class Chapter 2 / Article 1 Chapter 3 EXAM 1 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 EXAM 2 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 EXAM 3 Helping Assignment Due M 11.1.10 (online) Ad Assignment Due M 10.4.10 (in class) ^Extra Credit: Article 1 Paper Due W 9.8.10 (online) Practice Assignment Due F 9.3.10 (online) ASSIGNMENT
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DATE Week 11 Week 12 Week 13/14 F 11.26.10 Week 15 Week 16 W 12.8.10 9:45-11:45am
TOPIC Aggression Prejudice, Stereotyping, & Discrimination Groups
READING Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
ASSIGNMENT
Thanksgiving Holiday: No Class Social Psychology & Law *none (content in class notes only) / Article 2 Finals Week: No Classes EXAM 4 ^Extra Credit: Article 2 Paper Due M 11.29.10 (online)
^While everyone is responsible for reading each article for class and the exams, you may submit an Experimental Paper on one for Extra Credit. **This schedule is tentative and subject to change**
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Instructor: Kevin A. Strubler Office: DM 291 / DM 142A Office Hours: MW 3:30 – 4:30 pm or by appointment Email: [email protected] (though I prefer you e-mail me through Blackboard) Phone: Psychology Main Office – (305) 348-2880 (for messages in case of emergency) Course Description: Social psychology is the study of an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as he/she interacts with others. It is based on the principles of psychological science. Theories are examined through the scientific method. This course with examine several social psychological theories and the empirical research experiments supporting them. We will discuss the major topics in social psychology including persuasion, conformity, helping behavior, and aggression. Students should be prepared to think critically about each topic and to actively participate in class discussions. Successful completion of the course requires participation in class activities, completion of all assignments, and timely reading of assigned materials. Readings will be from the required text and supplemental articles and are due on the dates specified in the attached course schedule. At the end of the course, you will have a better understanding of the social interactions that you encounter on a daily basis. Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, you should be able to: 1. Describe both the primary findings within social psychology as well as the basic scientific methodology that was used to obtain those findings 2. Identify fundamental research methods in social psychology, including the development of research questions and hypotheses, measures and manipulations, etc. 3. Define basic social psychological terms and concepts 4. Critically analyze an empirical research article 5. Evaluate the role of the situation on an individual’s behavior Required Reading: Textbook Kenrick, D.T., Neuberg, S.L., & Cialdini, R.B. (2010). Social Psychology: Goals in Interaction (5th Edition). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson. (We will skip the majority of the content in Chapters 13 & 14.)
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Additional Articles (Available on Blackboard) (for W 9.8.10) Article 1 Miller, D. T. & McFarland, C. (1986). Counterfactual thinking and victim compensation: A test of norm theory. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 12, 513-519. Article 2 (for 11.29.10) Kassin, S. M. & Kiechel, K. L. (1996). The social psychology of false confessions: Compliance, internalization, and confabulation. Psychological Science, 7, 125-129. Blackboard CE6: This course will utilize the Blackboard (Campus Edition 6) online classroom to provide you with assignment instructions, grades, and additional materials. It is important that you become familiar with this software and check the course website on a regular basis because all important class updates and announcements will be posted online. If you have never used Blackboard before, or if you want to find additional information about the software, I encourage you to attend the Blackboard training sessions available to students during the first week of classes. Please refer to http://ce6.fiu.edu for additional information. Login at http://online.fiu.edu/login/uts. Enter your username (Panther ID) and password (birthdate in the format mmddyyyy). Attendance Policy Successful completion of this course requires regular class attendance and active participation in class discussions. Students are expected to complete all assigned readings as indicated on the Course Schedule in preparation for each lecture. Lectures will clarify and expand upon information provided in your textbook. Exams will include information from the text, as well as from class lectures. If you miss a class, you are responsible for obtaining the information discussed in class from your classmates. If any class or assignment conflicts with a religious holiday, discuss with me what conflict exists during the first week of classes. I will take attendance randomly ten times throughout the semester worth 1 point each for a total of 10 possible points toward your final grade. Course Structure Exams There will be four (4) non-cumulative exams in this class. Each exam is worth 50 points and will consist of multiple-choice questions. On the day of the exam please arrive on time and bring a #2 pencil. If you arrive after the first person has turned in his/her exam, you will not be allowed to take the exam. You are responsible for bringing a pencil on exam day. You may only take an exam on the scheduled date and time unless you contact me prior to the time of the exam to inform me of your absence and then provide documentation of a serious illness, death in the family, or other serious emergency that prevented you from being present on the day of the exam. In the event that you provide adequate documentation for your absence, you will be expected to
2
take a make-up exam within one week of the excused absence. I reserve the right to curve the scores for any exam. Assignments There will be two (2) written assignments throughout the semester worth a total of 25 points toward your final grade. Late assignments will not be accepted. A. Advertisement Assignment (15 pts) – Find a print advertisement and analyze the ad from a psychological point of view. Instructions can be found on Blackboard. [Due W 9.8.10 11am In Class] Helping Assignment (10 pts) – Describe a helping situation you encountered by applying social psychological theory. Follow the instructions on Blackboard. [Due M 11.1.10 11am via Blackboard]
B.
To be sure that you have access to Blackboard and have read this syllabus, you will be required to submit a Practice Assignment on Blackboard. To do this, first download the blank assignment sheet from Blackboard. Next fill it out with your name and panther ID# and save the file with this format—LastnamePractice.docx. Then upload this file (substituting your last name in the filename. If you do this by September 3, 2010 you will receive 1 extra credit point. Extra Credit You may earn a maximum of 6 additional extra credit points by using one of the following methods: A. Participate in Psychology Department Sponsored Research Studies – You will need to set up an account at http://fiu.sona-systems.com to see a listing of the available studies. You must also specify that you want the credits earned to apply to this course. You will receive 1 research credit for every credit hour in which you participate. I will double this so that you will get 2 extra credit points added to your grade for every hour of participation up to a maximum of 6 points (3 hours of participation). To obtain this credit, I also require that at least one of the studies that you participate in NOT be conducted online. Therefore, if choosing this option, you must participate in at least one study in-person. Do not wait until the end of the semester! Research credits for extra credit must be completed by December 3, 2010. Write an Experimental Paper –You may receive 6 extra credit points by writing an article summary/critique on one of the articles required for class. This assignment will be due before the start of class on the day in which we will discuss the article. Late papers will not be accepted. All assignments must be uploaded through Blackboard in a valid Microsoft Word document (with the file extension .doc or .docx). The filename should be in this format—LastnameArticle#.docx—substituting your last name and the number of the article you reviewed. (For example, if I submitted a review of the second article my paper would have the filename
B.
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StrublerArticle2.docx.) Explicit instructions on the format and content of this assignment can be found on Blackboard. Partial credit may be given at my discretion. Grading Procedure Your final grade will include the 4 exams (200 pts), the 2 assignments (25 pts), your attendance points (10 pts), and any extra credit earned (max 7 pts). The following scale will be used to assign a final grade: Grade A AB+ B BC+ Percent 93.0 – 100% 90.0 – 92.9% 87.0 – 89.9% 83.0 – 86.9% 80.0 – 82.9% 77.0 – 79.9% Points 219 - 235 212 - 218 205 - 211 195 - 204 188 - 194 181 - 187 Grade C CD+ D DF Percent 73.0 – 76.9% 70.0 – 72.9% 67.0 – 69.9% 63.0 – 66.9% 60.0 – 62.9% below 60.0% Points 172 - 180 165 - 171 158 - 164 148 - 157 141 - 147 below 141
Classroom Conduct Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Please arrive to class on time. If you must leave early, please do so as quietly as possible. Cell phones and other potential distractions (like those on computers) should be turned off or in silent mode. In the event that a personal emergency necessitates access to your cell phone, you must notify me before class begins and set your phone to vibrate mode. Anyone engaging in a private conversation during class will be asked to leave. This includes instant messaging as this can also be distracting to other students. Academic Misconduct Academic misconduct in any form is a very serious matter, and will not be tolerated in this class. The term academic misconduct includes (but is not limited to) the following acts: cheating on examinations, turning in another person’s work as your own, including another person’s words or ideas in your writing without crediting the source, or engaging in behaviors that prevent other students in the class from succeeding. Students who engage in academic misconduct will be sanctioned. Please refer to the Student Handbook for more information. Disabled Student Policy The university provides individualized accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact both me and the Disability Resource Center (GC 190: 305-348-3532) to discuss their individual needs, and the appropriate accommodations will be made. Be sure to contact me during the first week of classes; these conversations will be held in strict confidence.
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SOP 3004-U01: Social Psychology Fall 2010 **Course Schedule** DATE Week 1 Week 2 M 9.6.10 Week 3 Week 4 F 9.17.10 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 M 10.11.10 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 W 11.3.10 Affiliation & Friendship Love & Romantic Relationships Prosocial Behavior The Self Attitudes & Persuasion Social Influence Person & Situation Social Cognition TOPIC Introduction Research Methods READING Chapter 1 *none (content in class notes only) Labor Day: No Class Chapter 2 / Article 1 Chapter 3 EXAM 1 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 EXAM 2 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 EXAM 3 Helping Assignment Due M 11.1.10 (online) Ad Assignment Due M 10.4.10 (in class) ^Extra Credit: Article 1 Paper Due W 9.8.10 (online) Practice Assignment Due F 9.3.10 (online) ASSIGNMENT
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DATE Week 11 Week 12 Week 13/14 F 11.26.10 Week 15 Week 16 W 12.8.10 9:45-11:45am
TOPIC Aggression Prejudice, Stereotyping, & Discrimination Groups
READING Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
ASSIGNMENT
Thanksgiving Holiday: No Class Social Psychology & Law *none (content in class notes only) / Article 2 Finals Week: No Classes EXAM 4 ^Extra Credit: Article 2 Paper Due M 11.29.10 (online)
^While everyone is responsible for reading each article for class and the exams, you may submit an Experimental Paper on one for Extra Credit. **This schedule is tentative and subject to change**
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