Description:

Social psychology is the study of social influence on behavior and cognition. Social psychology explores our relationships with others, our interdependency, and the mutual influence we have on one another. The course will cover concepts such as attitude formation, attitude change, prejudice, aggression, affiliation, obedience to authority, and conformity; special emphasis will be placed on fostering prosocial behavior and how our attitudes toward self and others are influenced by race, ethnicity, gender, age, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and political beliefs. The course requires students to acquire a critical awareness of research methodology. 3 hrs./wk.

Supplies: Refer to the instructor’s course syllabus for details about any supplies that may be required.

Textbook(s): For information see - http://bookstore.jccc.net

Course Fees: NONE

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Define social psychology; describe the major theories and research methodology used by social psychologists.
2. Describe social cognition, the major attribution theories, the self-concept and how they explain our perceptions of others.
3. Discuss how social roles affect attitudes, beliefs, and values; the relationship between attitudes and behavior; and attitude and behavior change.
4. Discuss the different forms of aggression, how media and social norms influence aggression and violence, and methods to reduce unwanted aggression and violence in society.
5. Discuss prosocial behavior, the cultural, personal and interpersonal factors that hinder and facilitate helping, and ways to promote prosocial behavior.
6. Describe and evaluate the theoretical causes and effects of prejudice, including racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, anti-Semitism, and ageism.
7. Describe affiliation, attraction and close relationships with emphasis on the social and cultural influences that affect them.
8. Describe groups, how they form, roles within a group, how group dynamics influence behavior, deindividuation, group polarization and groupthink.
9. Discuss factors affecting conformity, compliance, and obedience to authority.
10. Apply theories of social psychology to strategies for organizational and social change.

Content Outline & Competencies:

I. Introduction to Social Psychology
   A. Define social psychology and explain the breadth and limits of the
field.
   B. Identify and describe the major theories used in social psychology.
   C. Identify and describe the major methods of research in social
psychology.
   D. Evaluate each of the major methods of research in social psychology
with regard to how well each provides a description and explanation of
human behavior.
   E. Discuss the ethical motivations of social psychology’s founders on
issues of gender, racial, and cultural prejudice shaped social
psychology’s roots.

II. The social self
    A. Define self-concept and discuss how it is formed.
    B. Describe how others affect the self-concept. 
    C. Discuss cultural, gender, and other social influences on the
self-concept.
    D. Define self-esteem and the influences that affect it.
    E. Describe gender and cultural differences in self-esteem.
    F. Discuss self-presentation theory and its applications.

III. Social Cognition and Attribution Theory
   A. Discuss how perceptions of others are formed.
   B. Define the fundamental attribution error.
   C. Discuss the various theories about how judgments of others are
developed.
   D. Describe how attribution biases, confirmation bias, the
self-fulfilling prophecy affect social perception.

IV. Attitudes, Attitude Change and Effects on Behavior
   A. Discuss how attitudes, beliefs, and values are formed.
   B. Describe and discuss the relationship between attitudes and
behavior.
   C. Identify the various approaches to changing attitudes.
   D. Discuss the processes involved in changing attitudes.
   E. Describe what factors makes communication persuasive.
   F. Discuss how the mass media influences attitudes and social norms on
important topics such as attitudes toward gender, ethnicity, crime and
socioeconomic status.
   G. Discuss self-persuasion including the role of cognitive dissonance.
   H. Discuss how insufficient justification and insufficient deterrence
affect attitudes.
   I. Discuss the self-perception theory of attitude formation and
substantiation.

V. Aggression
   A. Discuss how different forms of aggression are defined.
   B. Compare and contrast at least three theoretical perspectives on
aggression.
   C. Describe causes of aggression, including frustration-aggression,
negative emotions, cognitive processes, physiological arousal,
temperament, and the influence of alcohol.
   D. Discuss intimate violence (e.g., violence against women, children,
and the elderly in terms of predictors, the cycle of violence, and the
likely effects).
   E. Discuss and evaluate methods to reduce unwanted aggression and
violence in society.

VI. Prejudice and Discrimination
   A. Define stereotypes and how they form.
   B. Discuss how stereotypes persist and how they can be changed.
   C. Define the types of prejudices (racism, sexism, heterosexism,
ableism, anti-Semitism, and ageism) and how they form.
   D. Discuss intergroup conflict including ingroup and outgroup
influence, the role of social identity, and implicit and explicit
prejudice.
   E. Describe gender stereotypes and how they form.
   F. Discuss cultural and media influences on sexism.
   G. Discuss hostile sexism, benevolent sexism and ambivalent sexism.
   H. Define racism including blatant, implicit and antiracism.
   I. Understand interracial interactions from all perspectives.
   J. Describe stereotype threat and its effects on learning and
achievement.
   K. Define discrimination, in its various forms, and the effects of
discrimination.
   L.  Discuss the effects of prejudice and discrimination from the
perspective of victims of prejudice and discrimination.
   M. Discuss historic and current views on discrimination and conflict
resolution, including contact theory, the jigsaw classroom,
decategorization and recategorization, and cultural change.

VII. Group Processes
   A. Discuss the processes underlying group formation and functions.
   B. Discuss how the size of a group affects group decision-making.
   C. Define and discuss social facilitation, social loafing and
deindividuation.
   D. Understand groupthink, group polarization, and brainstorming.
   E. Discuss social dilemmas and ethical considerations.
   F. Understand cultural influences on competition and conflict.
   G. Discuss conflict, conflict escalation and conflict reduction.

VIII. Conformity and Obedience to Authority
   A. Define conformity, compliance and obedience.
   B. Describe the early research examining conformity and dissent.
   C. Discuss majority and minority influence.
   D. Consider the cultural differences in conformity.
   E. Describe the roles of language, reciprocity, and important
strategies used to gain compliance. 
   F. Discuss resistance to compliance techniques.
   G. Discuss obedience and defiance. 
   H. Describe how Milgram's studies increased understanding of factors
that facilitate and mitigate obedience.
   
IX. Prosocial Behavior
   A.  Describe current theories of prosocial behavior including the
evolutionary perspective and motive-oriented explanations--rewards,
altruism and egoism.
   B. Discuss individual and social factors that promote and deter
prosocial behavior.
   C. Discuss the altruistic personality.
   D. Discuss gender and cultural differences in helping behavior.

X. Attraction 
   A. List the factors that predict liking, loving, and interpersonal
attraction.
   B. Describe the processes of liking, loving, and interpersonal
attraction.
   C. Define the evolutionary psychological explanation for mate
selection.
   D. Describe cultural differences in mate selection.
   E. Understand the theories of formation and retention of close
relationships including social exchange theory, equity theory, and
attachment theory.
   F. Describe factors affecting marriage, relationship conflict, and
divorce.

XI. Social Change
   A. Describe how societal and institutional attitudes change.
   B. Describe how new attitudes and behaviors are adopted and dispersed
throughout a society. 
   C. Apply the concepts of social psychology to the identification and
solution of a current social problem or issue.   
   D. List three strategies used to implement change and describe how
those strategies assist individuals in changing their attitudes and
behavior.

XII. Organizational Life
   A. Identify and describe various forms of group communication networks
and list the advantages and disadvantages of each.
   B. Identify and describe the process of group problem-solving and
decision-making.
   C. Understand the problems that follow commitment, entrapment and
escalation in organizational decision making.    
   D. Identify the characteristics of effective leaders and leadership.
   E. Understand the traditional leader and current models of leadership.
   F. Discuss leadership among women and non-white males.
   G. Discuss issues of racism and sexual harassment in the workplace.
   H. Discuss how the diversity of an organization enhances the prosperity
of the organization.

Methods of Evaluation of Competencies:

Evaluation of student mastery of course competencies will be accomplished using the following methods:

      A minimum of three examinations                40-50% of grade
      A research paper or project                    10-20% of grade
      One or more individual student assignments     10-20% of grade
      One or more group assignments                  10-20% of grade
      Various individual instructor requirements     10-20% of grade
      Total                                          100%      

Grading Scale:

   A = 90% - 100% 
   B = 80% -  89% 
   C = 70% -  79%
   D = 60% -  69%
   F =  0% -  59%

Caveats: NONE

Disabilities:

If you are a student with a disability, and if you will be requesting accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact Access Services. Access Services will recommend any appropriate accommodations to your professor and his/her director. The professor and director will identify for you which accommodations will be arranged.

JCCC provides a range of services to allow persons with disabilities to participate in educational programs and activities. If you desire support services, contact the office of Access Services for Students With Disabilities (913) 469-8500, ext. 3521 or TDD (913) 469-3885. The Access Services office is located in the Success Center on the second floor of the Student Center.