Introduction to Social Psychology provides an overview of how the individual is
influenced by social context. Topics (as listed below) include prejudice,
romantic relationships, and persuasion. Psyc343 is a 3cr course. Psyc100 or
Psyc101 are prerequisites. The intimate size of the honors course is
intended to allow considerable discussion.
- Text: Baron, R. A., & Byrne, D. (2000). Social Psychology.
- Course topics
- What is social psychology?
- Methodology (Ch. 1)
- Social Perception (Ch. 2)
Spencer, S. J., Fein, S., Wolfe, C. T., Fong, C., & Dunn, M.
(1998). Automatic activation of stereotypes: The role of self-image
threat. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 24, 1139-1152
- Social Cognition (Ch. 2; Ch. 3)
- The Self (Ch. 5: pp. 173-195)
Brown, L. M. (1998). Ethnic stigma as a contextual experience: A
possible selves perspective. Personality and Social Psychology
Bulletin, 24, 163-172.
- Attitudes (Ch.4. )
- Prejudice (Ch. 6.)
- FILM: The Eye of the Storm
- Dovidio, J. F., Smith, J. K., Donnella, A. G., & Gaertner, S. L.
(1997). Racial attitudes and the death penalty. Journal of Applied
Social Psychology, 27, 1468-1487.
- Attraction & Close Relationships (Ch. 7 & Ch. 8: pp. 305-323)
Bazzini, D. G., & Shaffer, D. R. (1999). Resisting temptation
revisited: Devaluation versus enhancement of an attractive suitor by
exclusive and nonexclusive daters. Personality and Social Psychology
Bulletin, 25, 162-176.
- Social Influence (Ch. 9)
- FILM EXCERPTS: In search of Jim Jones; Power of the situation
- Aggression (Ch. 11)
Bushman, B. J. (1998). Priming effects of media violence on the
accessibility of aggressive constructs in memory. Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 24,537-545.
- FILM: The Stanford Prison
- Groups (Ch. 12)
- Applied Social: Focus on the Legal System (Ch. 13)
- Noncumulative Exams. The midterm and endterm exams will be
essay format. Each noncumulative exam
contributes 18% to the final grade.
- Final Exam. The cumulative final will be short answer
and identification, and contributes 18% to the final grade.
- Papers. Two 6-8 page papers each contribute 18% to the
final grade. The first paper assignment is to identify a major media
persuasion attempt (e.g., a television commercial; political campaign ad).
Analyze the persuasion attempt from the perspectives in Chapter 4, drawing
on other chapters when relevant. The second paper is to analyze a
contemporary (i.e., no earlier than 1995) film or television series with
reference to the literatures on stereotyping and prejudice; the film or
series should deal with fictional material, rather than being a
documentary or news program. All papers are due in class on the
In writing your papers, you may not solicit help from other people
(e.g., classmates, professors, other students, significant others) in
outlining or writing your paper. Note also that substantial paraphrasing
and borrowing of ideas without appropriate citation can be construed as
plagiarism, so be sure that you understand what constitutes a breech of
the honor code. You may request a copy of the honor code from your dean
or see it reprinted (with permission) on my webpages. A link to examples
of inappropriate citation and plagiarism also appears at this website:
- Critiques. Readings, on researve at the
Tilton library, will serve as
the focus of 5 class discussions. Two days prior
to each discussion, please submit brief
comments and questions about the article. Try to make and
support at least two points
(about 3/4 typed page). Please submit 3 copies by 3pm of the
due date to the envelope
outside my door. Two or three students will be assigned to cofacilitate
the discussion of the article,
and will receive copies of each student's comment.
These critiques comprise 15% of the
final grade. Late critiques defeat the purpose, and will not be accepted.
- Final Grade. You will notice that the noncumulative
exams, the final exam, and the long papers each contribute 18% to the
final grade. I will drop the lowest of
these 5 grades, so please do not
request "make-up" exams or paper deadline extensions. The critique and
class participation grades may not be replaced.
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Last updated 9/19/99