Sociology 530

Introductory Social Psychology

Social psychology is the study of the influences on and consequences of social interaction.  It is concerned with the relationships between the individual and other persons or groups of people.  This course presents a survey of theory and research in social psychology. We will first study the process of socialization, and the development of the person's self-image or identity.  Next, we consider the individual as a social actor, and influences on behavior such as attitudes, social influence and persuasion, and social motives such as aggression and altruism.  The third major section involves a detailed analysis of social interaction.  The fourth section looks at processes which occur in groups, including conformity, productivity and leadership.  The course concludes with a consideration of links between the individual and the society and phenomena such as status attainment, social influences on health, and deviant behavior.

The course involves a variety of activities, including lecture, discussion and other activities during lecture, videos, and discussion sections.  Each of these is intended to contribute to your learning of social psychological concepts and research methods, and developing the ability to apply what you have learned to your understanding of yourself and the social world.  I include several types of activities because people learn in different ways,  Your mindful atention to each of these components will maximize what you gain from participating in this course.
 

Examinations and Grading:

In addition to the assigned readings, there will be two examinations, a midterm and a final exam.  Both examinations will be essay, written in class.  There will be both short answer (identify and define) and longer essay questions.   The first exam will be worth up to 30 points, and the final will be worth up to 50 points.

This course also has a "laboratory" component, consisting of several exercises.  Each exercise requires you to collect data or assess information relevant to various topics in social psychology.  Each exercise will require 2 to 5 hours to complete.  Four of these exercises are to be completed during the course, about one every 3 weeks.  Each exercise will be worth up to 10 points.

Discussion Sections:

This semester, everyone taking the course is required to register for and attend a discussion section.  We will do a variety of things in section, but the emphasis will be on discussion.  This  is your opportunity to get actively involved with the course material.  Each week we will give you an opportunity to ask questions about the readings or the material presented in lecture.  We will  discuss topics and events related to the course.  Before the exams, we will review the material to be covered.

You can earn two points for each discussion meeting that you attend.  

Course Evaluations:

The Department of Sociology conducts student evaluations of most courses near the end of the semester.  These evaluations include questions about the instructor and the teaching assistant(s) of the course.  Students who have more immediate comments, complaints, or concerns about the teaching assistant may report them to the instructor, John DeLamater.  Students may also discuss their concerns with Professor James Montgomery, Chair, 8128 Social Science.