| Semester 1, 2023 Toowoomba On-campus | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | School of Psychology and Wellbeing |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Requisites
Pre-requisite: PSY1010
Overview
Social psychology is a branch of psychology dedicated to the study of how people think about, influence and relate to each other. This course introduces students to the scientific study of social behaviour and provides an understanding of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives and research methods in social psychology. This understanding of human social behaviour must be considered by researchers and practitioners in all areas of psychology.
Social psychology is introduced as the study of social behaviour at multiple levels from individual processes through to community-level social phenomena. Basic concepts of social psychology are introduced (e.g., socialisation, self-esteem, altruism, aggression, attitudes, communication, interpersonal relationships, prejudice, group processes, cultural issues, leadership and social influence). Applied skills relevant to assessment and research relevant to this field of psychology are also covered (e.g., assessing different kinds of evidence and applying theory to social problems).
Course learning outcomes
On completion of this course students should be able to:
- Identify major theories relating to social processes of behaviour at the level of individuals, groups and communities;
- Explain the effects of social influences on individuals and groups across a variety of social settings;
- Reflect on one's own beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours regarding social phenomena;
- Think critically about social behaviour and assess different kinds of evidence used to analyse social phenomena;
- Apply social psychological theories to particular social problems with a view to understanding the impacts and antecedents of those issues at the level of individuals, groups and communities;
- Work in groups to produce a report and oral presentation.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Social psychology, socialisation, culture and social research methods. | 8.33 |
| 2. | The social self, social cognition, and attribution theory. | 8.33 |
| 3. | Social processes and the environment. | 8.33 |
| 4. | Language, communication and social skills. | 8.33 |
| 5. | Attitudes and attitude change. | 8.33 |
| 6. | Affiliation, attraction, and loneliness. | 8.33 |
| 7. | Love, marriage, and family issues. | 8.33 |
| 8. | Aggression. | 8.33 |
| 9. | Prosocial behaviour. | 8.33 |
| 10. | Groups, leadership and group decision-making. | 8.33 |
| 11. | Social influence. | 8.33 |
| 12. | Intergroup behaviour, prejudice and discrimination. | 8.37 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
(Students should note that both hard copy and eBooks are available. Students may find that by buying Mindtap, that the eBook is included in the price. Students should be aware that if they purchase their textbook from a source outside Australia, it may be a different version.)
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning document | No | 20 | 1,2,4 |
| Report | No | 30 | 1,3,5 |
| Presentation (ind, grp, mltmd) | Yes | 20 | 1,5 |
| Quiz | No | 30 | 1,2,4 |