PSYC 321
Social Psychology
Term II 05/06 Yongsan Saturdays 0900-1600
Dr.
Gary Laugel ?http://oocities.com/glaugel
Contact
info: You can meet with me before class, or by email: glaugel@asia.umuc.edu
I
try to login to email several times weekly; you can generally expect a reply
within a day or so.
Course
Materials Baron, R. A., Byrne, D., and Branscome, N.R.?Social
Psychology, 11th Edition.?
Allyn & Bacon, 2005.?
Course Description
Prerequisite: PSYC 100. An examination of the influence of social factors on
individual and interpersonal behavior. Topics include conformity, attitudinal
change, personal perception, interpersonal attraction, and group behavior.
Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: BEHS 221,
BEHS 421, BEHS 450, or PSYC 221. (May be applied toward a specialization in
BEHS.)
Goals/Objectives
The
goals for this course are to:
1) provide a knowledge base
of exciting and relevant topics in human social behavior.
2) Help the student
appreciate and apply scientific principles and methods to the critical analysis
of real-world social phenomena.
3) Promote personal insight
and multicultural perspectives of social behavior, and
4) Enhance the student’s
written communication, information literacy and interpersonal cooperation
skills.
Course Introduction
Welcome
to the fascinating world of social psychology, the science of how people think
about each other, mutually influence each other, and the kinds of relationships
they build with each other. Whatever your age, gender, ethnic origins,
religious beliefs, or geographical locale, we invite you to join us on a
journey of discovery about yourself and the people who inhabit our small
planet. Consider what scientists have studied about how we think, influence and
relate to each other, and you too can learn to think like a social
psychologist.
Course requirements:
Your
course grade will be derived from four examinations, class participation,
including two short in-class presentations of a topic related to course
material, and a term paper. Examinations may include multiple choice, short
answer, and/or essay items covering lecture and assigned reading; they will, of
course, require familiarity with relevant terminology and concepts. Preparation
for exams would include regular class attendance and frequent out-of-class
contact with course material, roughly (as with most courses) two to three hours
on your own for each scheduled classroom hour, on a weekly basis. Don’t let the
material slip away from you !!
The
first three exams will not be comprehensive with the exception of significant,
basic concepts from earlier course material.
The
final exam (required for all students) will be either comprehensive or not,
depending on the following criteria: The comprehensive final exam will be taken
by students needing a makeup exam because of missing one or two of the prior
three exams. In this case the final exam score will count not only as the final
exam score but will then constitute missing exam scores. The comprehensive
final exam will also be taken by students who have not given the required talks
by the sixth week. It can also be used by students who have taken the prior
three exams, to upgrade the lowest of the three prior exams.
To
summarize the above: the comprehensive
final exam is for students who:
--
have missed one or two of the prior three exams
--
have not delivered two talks by the sixth week
--
wish to upgrade one of the prior three exams
Grading Information and Criteria:
Exam
scores will be weighted so that the best of the four exams will count as 30
possible points toward your final course grade; the other three exams will count
as 20 points each, your paper is worth 10 points, and participation (including
your two talks) is worth 10 points. The course total is 110 points; of this
total 110 points, 90% = A, 80% = B, 70% = C, 60% = D.
Project Description:
The paper should be 5 to 7 pages long double-spaced, with
references on an additional page (5 or more references; your textbook must be
one of them).
The
University has a license agreement with Turnitin.com, a service that helps
prevent plagiarism from internet resources. I may be using this service in this
class by either requiring students to submit their papers electronically to
Turnitin.com or by submitting questionable text on behalf of a student. If you
or I submit part or all of your paper, it will be stored by Turnitin.com in
their database throughout the term of the University's contract with
Turnitin.com. If you object to this temporary storage of your paper, you must
let me know no later than two weeks after the start of this class. Please Note:
If you object to the storage of your paper on Turnitin.com, I may utilize other
services to check your work for plagiarism.
The paper is due by the seventh class day; if late, it is subject
to a reduction of 10% of available points per calendar day or fraction of day.
Your topic requires instructor approval; a written description of your proposed
topic should be submitted by the second week of the Term (a single handwritten
paragraph is sufficient); otherwise, a topic may be assigned to you. Papers can
be referenced using any commonly used style. Additional details will be
discussed in class.
One of your two presentations should focus on your paper; other
presentation material should refer to scheduled course material. A presentation
should be about ten minutes long, and you may use keywords written on the board
if you wish. You may not read a talk from text on a piece of paper.
Your
two talks must be given before the last class; early is better. To
encourage early talks, if a student gives two talks by the sixth week, the
comprehensive final exam will not be needed (unless the student has missed one
or two of the earlier exams). No more than four talks may be given on any
single day (I may waive this restriction early in the term), and in no case may
a student give more than one talk per day. Do your talks early!
Extra credit may be available in the form of unannounced quizzes
or other activities. Quizzes, if there are any, will be short and will apply
only to those present when they are given.
If there is the remotest possibility that you may not be able to be in class when an assignment is due, please plan accordingly for early submissions, etc.
Course Schedule: (chapters
are indicated; additional readings as assigned)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weeks
1,2:?Intro; social cognition; social
perception; first exam.?Chapters 1,2,3
Weeks?2-4:?
Attitudes, the self, prejudice; second exam.?Chapters 4,5,6
Weeks
4-6:?Interpersonal attraction, relationships,
social influence, third exam.?Chapters
7,8,9
Weeks
6-8:?Prosocial behavior, aggression,
groups, final exam. Chapters 10,11,12
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miscellaneous
Comments:
My
website is a portal to many web links in psychology, as is the University of
Maryland electronic library, a resource available at the following URL: http://umuc.edu/library
All
University of Maryland University College students should be familiar with the
Student Handbook and the UMUC Asia catalog.
Plagiarism
(presenting others' work as your own) will be dealt with severely, as outlined
in the University of Maryland Student Handbook, and can result in a grade of
"F" for the assignment or the course. For important information about
avoiding plagiarism and appropriately referencing material you wish to cite,
consult the University of Maryland Student Handbook.
You
are responsible for announcements made in class, which may include changes in
the schedule; therefore, please find someone in the class who can help you
recover material you miss! Please come prepared to discuss class material;
don’t be an academic parasite (someone who lets everyone else make
class-related contributions).
Attendance
is expected; in general, a student who attends fewer than half of the class
sessions will receive a grade of F(n).?Please be sure, prior to enrolling, that your job
responsibilities will not interfere with class attendance.
I
look forward to an interesting and enlightening experience in this course, and
encourage you to do the same!