soc syllabus (psy 335)

Syllabus Fall 2008

Social Psychology (50:830:335 sec.01)

Course Readings:

Myers, D. G. (2008). Social psychology (9th edition). New York:
McGraw-Hill. (text available at university bookstore; do not buy older editions)

Other readings listed on syllabus are on electronic reserve at
Robeson library.

To Get Other Readings:

1. Go to IRIS, the Rutgers Library online catalog

2. Click on "Reserves"

3. where it says "search for" type: ROSEMAN and click on "INSTRUCTOR"

4. click on "ROSEMAN, IRA J."

5. click on "Social Psychology" (50:830:335:01)

6. click on "Details" for the ELECTRONIC RESERVE reading you want.

           7. click on the electronic access link. Note you must have Adobe Reader on
               the computer you are using; you can download it for free at
               http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Schedule of Classes and Assignments:

I Introduction: What is social psychology, and how do we study it?

Sept. 2 - 4 Introducing social psychology: What is social psychology? What questions might social psychology help us answer? What methods do social psychologists use to answer those questions?

Reading: Myers, chapter 1

II Social cognition: How do people think about themselves? Other people? The world they live in?

Sept. 9 - 11 The self in a social world: How do people understand and evaluate themselves? How accurate is self-knowledge?

Reading: Myers, chapter 2

Sept. 16 - 18 Social beliefs and judgments: How do people understand and evaluate the behavior of other people? What mistakes are people prone to make? How can such mistakes be minimized?

Reading: Myers, chapter 3

Sept. 23 Behavior and attitudes: What is meant by the term "attitude"? When do people's attitudes determine their behavior? When does behavior determine attitudes?

Readings:

Myers, chapter 4

Zimbardo, P.G. (2004). A situationist perspective on the psychology of evil: Understanding how good people are transformed into perpetrators. In A. G. Miller (Ed.), The social psychology of good and evil (pp. 21-50). New York: Guilford Press.

Sept. 25 - 30 Social psychology and clinical psychology: How can knowledge about social cognition help improve our explanations and judgments? How can it help us understand and treat psychological and behavioral problems?

Reading: Myers, chapter 14

Oct. 2 Exam on units I and II

III Social influence: How are beliefs and behaviors influenced by cultures, groups, and other individuals?

Oct. 7 - 9 Genes, culture, and gender: How does biology interact with culture to affect behavior?

Reading: Myers, chapter 5

Oct. 14 - 16 Group influence: How is the behavior of individuals influenced by the presence of other people, and by groups of which they are members?

Readings:

Myers, chapter 8

Prentice, D. A., & Miller, D. T. (1993). Pluralistic ignorance and alcohol use on campus: Some consequences of misperceiving the social norm. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64, 243-256.

Oct. 21 - 23 Conformity: How are people affected by social pressure, and how can social pressure be resisted?

Reading: Myers, chapter 6

Oct. 28 - 30 Persuasion: What steps are involved in changing people's attitudes, and what makes attempts to persuade people effective or ineffective?

Reading: Myers, chapter 7

Nov. 4 Psychology and law: How does our knowledge of social influence processes help us understand the ways in which members of a jury may be influenced?

Reading: Myers, chapter 15

Nov. 6 Exam on unit III

IV Social relations: What causes individuals to like or dislike other people, and to help or hurt them? How can social relations be improved?

Nov. 11 - 13 Prejudice: What causes prejudice? How can it be reduced?

Readings:

Myers, chapter 9

Gaertner, S. L., Mann, J., Murrell, A., & Dovidio, J. F. (1989). Reducing intergroup bias: The benefits of recategorization. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 239-249.

Nov. 18 Aggression: Are people naturally aggressive? What factors increase and reduce aggressive behavior?

Reading: Myers, chapter 10

Nov. 20 - 25 Attraction and intimacy: What causes one person to like another? to love another? What determines whether relationships are maintained or ended?

Reading: Myers, chapter 11

(Nov. 27 No class: Thanksgiving Break)

Dec. 2 - 4 Prosocial behavior: Why and when do people help each other? When do they fail to help? How can helping be increased?

Reading: Myers, chapter 12

Dec. 9 Conflict and peacemaking: How can our knowledge of social relations help us avoid or settle conflicts among individuals and groups?

Reading: Myers, chapter 13

Dec. 17 Wednesday, 9am-noon Final Exam (Multiple choice on Unit IV, plus one essay. Essay can be written from Unit IV, or if you prefer, from any material covered in the course)