Intro to Social Psychology (50:830:135 sec.01)

Course text:

Myers, D. G. (2005). Social psychology (8th edition). New York: McGraw-Hill. (text available at University District bookstore; do not get older edition)

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

Sept. 5 - 7 Introducing social psychology: What is social psychology? What questions do we have that social psychology might help answer? How do social psychologists try to answer these questions?

Reading: Myers, chapter 1
 

II Social thinking: How do we think about ourselves? Other people? The world we live in?

Sept. 12 - 14 The self in a social world: How do we understand and evaluate ourselves? How well do we know ourselves? 

Reading: Myers, chapter 2
 

Sept. 19 - 21 Social beliefs and judgments: How do we understand and evaluate the behavior of other people?  What mistakes are we prone to make, and how can such mistakes be minimized?

Reading: Myers, chapter 3
 

Sept. 26 - 28 Behavior and attitudes: When do our attitudes determine our behavior, and when does our behavior determine our attitudes?

Reading: Myers, chapter 4
 

Oct. 3 Social psychology and individual problems: How can knowledge about social thinking help us understand and deal with psychological and behavioral problems?

Reading: Myers, chapter 14 
 

Oct. 5Exam on units I and II
 

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

Oct. 10 - 12 Genes, culture, and gender: How does our biology interact with cultural influences to shape our behavior?

Reading: Myers, chapter 5
 

Oct. 17 - 19 Group influence: How is our behavior influenced by the presence of other people, and by groups of which we are members?

Reading: Myers, chapter 8
 

Oct. 24 - 26 Conformity: How are we affected by social pressure, and how can social pressure be resisted?

Reading: Myers, chapter 6
 

Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 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. 7 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. 9 Exam on unit III
 

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

Nov. 14 - 16 Prejudice: What causes prejudice? How can it be reduced?

Reading: Myers, chapter 9
 

Nov. 21 Aggression: Are we naturally aggressive? What factors increase and reduce aggressive behavior? 

Reading: Myers, chapter 10

(Nov. 23  No class: Thanksgiving Break)

Nov. 28 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. 30 - Dec. 5  Prosocial behavior: Why and when do we help each other? When do we fail to help? How can helping be increased?

Reading: Myers, chapter 12
 

Dec. 7 - 12 Conflict and peacemaking: How can our knowledge of social relations help us avoid or settle conflicts with other individuals and groups? 

Reading: Myers, chapter 13
 

Dec. 20 Wednesday 2pm-5pm Final Exam on unit IV