Gogebic Community College PSY 204 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY SYLLABUS. Fall, 2016

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1 Gogebic Community College PSY 204 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY SYLLABUS Fall, 2016 Section 01; Room B12; 9:00-9:53 a.m. MWF INSTRUCTOR: Tricia Cullen OFFICE: A314 PHONE: , ext OFFICE HOURS: Mondays: 8:00-8:30 a.m.; 10:00-12:00 noon; 1:00-2:00 p.m. Tuesdays: 10:00-12:00 noon Wednesdays: 8:00-8:30 a.m.; 10:00-12:00 noon; 1:00-2:00 p.m. Thursdays: By appointment Fridays: 10:00-12:00 noon TEXTBOOK (required): Kassin, S., Fein, S., & Markus, H. (2014). COURSE DESCRIPTION: Social psychology (9 th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Social psychology combines knowledge and methods from sociology, psychology, and anthropology, and attempts to explain how the thoughts, emotions, and behavior of an individual are influenced by other individuals and groups within society. Concepts covered include: social perception, socialization, communication, attitudes, the dyad, groups, environment, and social behavior. PREREQUISITE: PSY 101 and SOC 101 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: a. Explain why social psychology is a science with the primary objectives of describing, understanding, and predicting people s social behavior and related mental processes. b. Recognize major historical events and figures in social psychology and their link to overarching themes and trends in contemporary research. c. Identify key characteristics of major perspectives in social psychology and how they might be applied in the discipline. d. Understand social psychological research methods and interpret research designs accurately.

2 e. Identify aspects of individual and cultural diversity in human mental processes and social behavior, as well as social psychological issues of global concern. f. Tolerate ambiguity and realize that social psychological explanations are often complex and tentative. g. Express ideas in written and oral formats that reflect social psychological concepts and principles. h. Apply social psychological principles to everyday life and use basic social psychological terminology to explain mental processes and social behavior. COURSE OBJECTIVES: PSY 204 will cover four units with corresponding text chapter readings: a. UNIT ONE: INTRODUCTION AND SOCIAL COGNITION (text chapters 1, 2, 4, & 5) 1) The scope of social psychology and psychological research, 2) How people perceive and understand one another, and 3) The formation of prejudice and discrimination. b. UNIT TWO: THE SELF, HEALTH, AND INTERPERSONAL ATTRACTION (text chapters 3, 14, & 9) 1) The development of self-perception and self-esteem, 2) Stress and health, 3) Factors involved in interpersonal attraction, and 4) Various types of relationships. c. UNIT THREE: PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR, AGGRESSION, AND ATTITUDES (assigned readings in text chapters 10, 11, and 6) 1) The roots of altruism and aggression, 2) Methods of increasing prosocial behavior and decreasing aggression, and 3) The formation and maintenance of attitudes. d. UNIT FOUR: PERSUASION, CONFORMITY, AND GROUP FORMATION (assigned readings in text chapters 6, 7, and 8) 1) Routes to persuasion, 2) The development of conformity and obedience to authority, and 3) Group formation, maintenance, and decision-making.

3 GRADING: Your grade in PSY 204 will be based on the following: 4 Unit points each = points 1 Group Presentation (to be 40 points = 40 points 4 Unit 15 points each = 60 points points total Tests will consist of multiple choice and essay questions. Grade percentage breakdowns are as follows: % A % B % D % A % C % D % B % C % D % B % C- below 60% F ATTENDANCE POLICY: Class attendance is positively correlated with final grades. Your attendance in class is important for your success in PSY 204. If you attend all classes, you will earn 10 extra credit attendance points. If you miss 1 class, you will earn 8 extra credit attendance points (2 absences 6 points; 3 absences / 1 week 4 points). Absences beyond one week will result in no extra credit attendance points. I highly recommend that students attend all class sessions. TEST POLICY AND ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: It is beneficial for students to take all tests on their regularly scheduled days. Each student is allowed to take one (1) make-up test. Make-up tests consist of some multiple choice questions, several essay questions, and no extra credit questions. In addition, academic honesty is of the utmost importance and cheating will not be tolerated. Anyone involved in cheating will earn 0% on the assessment. Dishonesty of any kind, including cheating on tests or any assigned work, may be dealt with in any manner deemed suitable by the instructor, including the recording of a failing grade for the class. Cheating on tests may also result in the student appearing before the Student Personnel Committee and possible suspension from school if circumstances warrant

4 OTHER CLASSROOM-RELATED INFORMATION: Cell phone use during class is not permitted. Cell phones should be placed on silent or turned off prior to the start of class. Students are expected to be on time for class. In the event that this is not possible, students should not disrupt the class when they enter. Classroom disruption in general will not be tolerated. ADA ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT: If you believe that you need academic accommodations for a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please contact the Office of Disability Services, located in office T105C of the ACES Center, call , x237, or jessicaln@gogebic.edu to discuss your needs and the process for requesting accommodations. This office is responsible for coordinating disability-related academic accommodations and will issue students with verification letters as appropriate. Because accommodations may require early planning and generally are not provided retroactively, please contact the office as soon as possible. This syllabus may change; students will be alerted to such changes. Have a great semester!

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