Idea Transcript
Montgomery College Psychology Department, Rockville Campus Spring
Psychology 211: Social Psychology 8:30-9:45 am, USG Bldg III Instructor: Email:
Phone: Office:
Office hours:
Required Text: Kassin, S., Fein. S., & Markus, H. R. (2011). Social Psychology, 8th Edition. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Publishing. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be sure to purchase the correct text for this course section. You can purchase it at the bookstore – it is also available in the library at the Reserve desk, where it can be checked out for an hour at a time (with your student ID). You can also *rent* a copy of the textbook or buy an electronic version directly from the publisher. If you wish to rent the text or purchase an ebook, go to the following URL: http://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/isbn/9780495812401 Additional required reading will be provided online. Other readings and articles may be added as we progress through the semester -- if so, I will notify you in class. You should complete the reading assignments before the relevant class meeting, so that you can participate in class discussions. Course Description: An introduction to the field of social psychology emphasizing the experimental and the experiential approach. Various theoretical orientations and relevant research are considered covering such topics as group structures and group processes, formation, measurement and changing of attitudes (including prejudice), communication and persuasion, leadership, interpersonal relations, and social influence. PREREQUISITE: A grade of C or better in PY 102, or consent of department. Course Objectives: After successful completion of the course, students will: • • • • • •
be able to see human behavior as situated in a larger social context; to understand how "the self" operates in the social world and how the social world operates on "the self.” be able to discuss the core theories and studies in social psychology be able to marshal evidence for or against relevant theoretical claims, identify the strengths and weaknesses of research studies, and critically evaluate both theory and evidence. be able to use the research from social psychology to improve their own lives and relationships develop an appreciation of cultural and gender diversity in human behavior. be able to apply social psychological theories and research to social problems and issues.
Course Requirements and Evaluation: Exams: There are three required in-class exams in this course. Each of the in-class exams will cover roughly one-third of the course material (these exams are not cumulative). The exams will be comprised of multiple-choice and free-response (short answer and essay) questions and will cover both lectures and readings. In other words, you are responsible for material in the readings (even if it is not covered in class) and in class (even if it is not covered in the readings). The exams will be closed-book. There are no make-up exams, so you must take the exams on the dates scheduled. In cases of serious emergency, you must contact the instructor as soon as possible, prior to the exam; the instructor retains the right to require a written proof of the emergency. Requests for make-up exams submitted after the exam will not be granted under any conditions. Memory card: The in-class exams will be closed-book, but you will be permitted to create and use a “memory card” for each exam. This will be a single sheet of notes that you create for yourself. On this card, you can write down all the details that you are not sure you can remember, and you can focus your studying on really understanding the material. Furthermore, preparing your own memory-card is an excellent way to study for the test. You may use this card in during the exam. It can be typed or handwritten, but you must be able to read it without a magnifying glass! You may write on both sides. Copying someone else's sheet would defeat the whole purpose of the memory sheet, so let me clarify what counts as proper aid. You may work together while preparing these sheets, and you may look at each other's memory sheets before the exam. The only stipulations are that 1) you must physically type or handwrite everything that goes into your sheet; you cannot cut and paste from someone else's file; 2) your sheet must end up looking different from every other sheet in the class, and it must have your name typed at the top (or handwritten if your sheet is handwritten). If you more or less copy somebody else's sheet you would cheat yourself, since you would not get the benefits of organization (and would therefore do poorly), and your action would also be considered cheating (a violation of the student code of conduct). Of course, during the exam itself the usual rules apply, and you can neither give nor receive aid of any kind. Application Assignments: Each week, there will be writing assignments designed to explore social psychological concepts. These exercises/assignments may involve doing some observation of social behavior, or applying concepts from the class to real life situations. Descriptions of the assignments will be posted online on Blackboard, which is where you will submit your assignments. Museum Paper: There will be a paper assignment based on applying the social psychology theory and research to a museum exhibit. Further details about the assignment will be provided. Grade appeals: If a student believes that there is an error in grading on an exam or paper, the student may appeal to the instructor for reconsideration. All such appeals must be submitted in writing within one week of receiving the grade, and reconsideration will be based on the quality of the appeal as well as the quality of the answer concerned. Reconsideration can be downwards as well as upwards.
Class Participation: You will be expected to be an active participant in the class, and your class participation will be a portion of your grade. Your class participation grade will be based on class attendance and active participation and preparation for in-class activities. You are expected to attend every class in full, to be prepared, and to participate actively in class. Unexcused absences, frequent tardiness, being ill-prepared for class, or failing to participate actively will result in a decreased class participation grade. More than two unexcused absences (or more than three class hours) may result in a failing grade or being dropped from the course. •
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I will take attendance by having each student submit a written comment or question at the end of each class. In the last few minutes of class, you will write down a comment you would have liked to have made or a question you would have liked to have asked during that class. Be sure to write your name and the date at the top of the page and turn it in to me at the end of class. Failure to do so will mean that you will be counted as “absent” that day. Each unexcused absence will result in a full grade decrement (6 points off) in the class participation grade; unexcused late arrivals (or early leaving) will also result in a decrement in the class participation grade. In order for an absence or tardy to be excused, you must provide official documentation of the emergency in writing, no later than one week after the absence/tardy.
Grading: Your total grade will be comprised of the following: Each in-class exam – 100 points (300 points total) Application Assignments – 120 points maximum Museum Paper – 40 points (first draft, 10 points; final draft, 30 points) Class participation – 60 points Grades will be assigned according to the following scale: 450-500+ total points --------- A 400-449 total points --------B 350-399 total points --------C 300-349 total points --------D 299 or fewer total points ------- F Academic Integrity: I take academic integrity very seriously. Students are expected to adhere to the student code of conduct throughout the class. Each student is responsible for performing academic work that holds to the highest standards of honesty. Acts of cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit such acts are all forms of academic dishonesty; consequences of such acts may include a failing grade for the assignment, a failing grade for the course, and additional sanctions as determined by the Dean of Students. For example, looking at another student’s exam while taking the exam will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and will result in a failing grade. Papers and other written work must be entirely the student's own work, and any material from outside sources must be referenced and cited as such. Consult the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook for further information. Within the boundaries of the honor code, however, students are encouraged to cooperate and assist each other, as this is the essence of an academic community and will generally result in greater learning.
Course Activities: Classroom Conduct: The classroom is a learning environment, and students are expected to behave in a way that maximizes the learning potential for the class. This includes, but is not limited to, the following rules of conduct: Be on time. Coming in late or leaving early is disruptive and discourteous to other students. If you must leave early, please let me know in advance and sit close to the door so that you can leave without disrupting class. Turn off all cell phones and pagers during class. If you must be available for emergency calls for some reason, please turn off the ringer during class. Pay attention to the class activities; this will maximize your learning and foster a positive learning environment for others. Do not conduct side conversations during class; this is disrespectful, as well as extremely distracting to me and to other students. If you have a question regarding the class material, please raise your hand and ask the instructor. If you wish to discuss materials unrelated to class, please wait until after class is finished to do so. Do try your best to stay awake in class! It is a waste of your time to sleep through class and honestly, there are more comfortable places to sleep than at your desk. Treat others with respect at all times, including other students and the instructor, and we will all have an enjoyable learning experience.
Discussions: During any discussion (whether in class or online), several rules are to be observed. Please listen carefully when others are speaking and do not interrupt them unless you wish to have them clarify their comments. When you are speaking, try to make your comments as clear and concise as possible. Some discussions may involve personal anecdotes or confidences; these are to remain within this class -- do not discuss them with anyone else. Students are never required to reveal personal information, however. Discussions often involve different points of view and disagreement between individuals, even heated disagreements, at times. It is these differences that can make discussions interesting and worthwhile -- you are always welcome to disagree with someone else's comments, provided you do so in a scholarly, thoughtful manner. It is important that we respect these differences and remain respectful of each other. If you disagree with someone else's comment, make your point of view clear without maligning the other person. If these guidelines are followed, we will all be able to speak freely and enjoy our discussions.
This is a Blackboard enhanced course, which means that there is a web page for this course. This course will require the use of the internet – you must submit assignments online, and participate in online discussions. All those officially enrolled in the course can access the web site through the Montgomery College Blackboard site through MyMC. Log into MyMC in the usual way, and then click on the “Blackboard” icon in the upper right corner. Once you have logged into the Blackboard site, click on the link for this course (PY 211), which will bring you to our course web page. You MUST log into the website during the first week of class so that you can be sure you can access it – please post your introduction so that I know you can access the course web site. If you have any trouble with using the web page or need technical support, please feel free to call the IT Help Desk at 240-567-7222. The course web page is an integral part of this class. You will be able to: • View the entire syllabus – so if you don’t have your syllabus handy, just log onto the web site. • View any text overheads I use in class – you can even print them out for your very own! • View any handouts I give in class. • Access additional course readings. [required] • Email me or any of the other students in class. • Keep track of your assignment grades, etc. • View and submit the application assignments [required]. • And more!
Support Services: Any student who may need an accommodation due to a disability, please make an appointment to see me during my office hour. A letter from Disability Support Services (R-CB122; G-SA175; or TP-ST120) authorizing your accommodations will be needed. Any student who may need assistance in the event of an emergency evacuation must identify to the Disability Support Services Office; guidelines for emergency evacuations for individuals with disabilities are found at: www.montgomerycollege.edu/dss/evacprocedures.htm.
Tentative Schedule: Chapters and page numbers refer to the Kassin, Fein, & Markus text; additional readings will be provided online in the Blackboard page.
Date
Topic
Reading Assignment
Week 1: Jan. 24 & 26
Introduction, Theory & Method
Ch. 1 & 2
Week 2: Jan. 31 & Feb. 2
The Social Self
Ch. 3
Week 3: Feb. 7 & 9
The Social Self (con’t) Person Perception
Ch. 4
Person Perception (con’t) Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination
Ch. 5
Week 4: Feb. 14 & 16 Week 5: Feb. 21 & 23
Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination (con’t)
Week 6: Feb. 28 & Mar. 1
Exam #1 Attitudes
Ch. 6
Attitudes (con’t) Conformity
Ch. 7
Week 7: Mar. 6 & 8
No class Mar. 13 & 15 – enjoy MC’s spring break! Week 8: Mar. 20 & 22
Conformity (con’t) Museum paper first draft due
Week 9: Mar. 27 & 29
Group Processes
Ch. 8 & pp. 545-553
No class Apr. 3 & 5 – enjoy MCPS’ spring break! Week 10: Apr. 10 & 12
Group Processes (con’t) Exam #2
Week 11: Apr. 17 & 19
Attraction & Close Relationships
Ch. 9
Week 12: Apr. 24 & 26
Helping Others Museum paper final draft due
Ch. 10
Week 13: May 1 & 3
Aggression
Ch. 11
Week 14: May 8 & 10
Social Psychology & Law Wrap-up
Ch. 12
Date and time TBA
Exam #3 Other important dates
Jan. 30 Feb. 13 Apr. 16
Last day to drop classes and get a refund. Last day to drop a class without a grade or change from credit to audit or audit to credit. Last date to drop a class with a grade of W. This document is subject to revision throughout the semester.
Application Assignments: PY211, Social Psychology This class includes a number of exercises and/or assignments, each of which addresses a key concept of social psychology. These exercises/assignments may involve doing some observation of social behavior, or applying concepts from the class to real-life situations. Detailed descriptions of these assignments will be provided on the Blackboard course site in each week under the Course Content. All assignments must be submitted by the deadline. General information for the application assignments: •
You must submit your completed assignment by the due date and time. Late assignments will not be accepted.
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Make sure that your paper answers ALL of the questions completely and that you have completed all portions of the assignment.
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Write for an uninformed but intelligent reader – be sure to explain your answers, back up your claims, and define your terms. You need to show me what you know.
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Work on thinking about the concepts in the class that relate to the exercise; these exercises are meant to make you use what you are learning and apply it to your everyday life. Be sure to be accurate and precise in your use of psychological terms and theories.
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Try not to leap to conclusions or make unwarranted assumptions. If you make a statement of fact, you must either back it up empirically or make it clear that it is a theory, belief, or assumption. I am happy to hear your opinions, but do not pass them off as facts.
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Proofread your assignment before turning it in for typos, grammar, and spelling.
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Your assignments should be entirely your own work, and any sources you use must be cited and referenced – this includes the textbook, internet sources, articles, or conversations with others. To do otherwise is plagiarism and is a violation of academic integrity. Any assignment which is plagiarized (is copied from another source or does not provide full and complete citations for all sources used) will receive 0 points (an “F” grade); students may also receive a failing grade in the class or face additional sanctions to be determined by the Dean of Students. (You can use any format for the citations, as long as you are consistent and the references are complete.)
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Grades will be based on meeting the criteria of the assignment, quality of ideas, originality, accuracy, and quality of writing. Work hard to organize your thoughts and make them clear to the reader.
Application Assignment Grading Rubric Completion of Application Assignment: ____Fully Complete: All questions answered fully and completely ____Partially Complete: Some questions are not answered or answers are incomplete or superficial ____Very Incomplete: Several questions are not answered and/or answers are very incomplete Conceptual Understanding: ____Excellent understanding of relevant concepts: All concepts are used accurately and precisely ____Good understanding of relevant concepts: Most concepts are used accurately and precisely, but there are some inaccuracies in use of concepts ____Poor understanding of relevant concepts: Many concepts used inaccurately or imprecisely ____Underutilization of relevant concepts: The assignment fails to use or apply relevant concepts Clarity of expression: ____Very clear: Writing expresses ideas clearly throughout the assignment ____Generally clear, but parts are unclear: Language is vague, imprecise, or unclear in parts of the assignment ____Very Unclear: Language is vague, imprecise, or unclear in most of the assignment Grammar & Spelling:
____Grammar and spelling accurate, no errors ____Some grammatical and/or spelling errors ____Many grammatical and/or spelling errors