SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY - PSY250 Spring 2021

Description: Introductions, Syllabus, Learning goals; Break Introduction to basic concepts (agency, culture, structure, institutions; psychological vs. sociological analysis, social psychology); Break VIDEO clip: What is social psychology? (5 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjTsx44-jeY), Discuss course assignments & letter to the instructor, due next time Handouts: Syllabus; Letter to the Instructor handout

Description: Lecture: “What is the Self?” & create a self-schema diagram Lecture: Introduction to Social Construction theory; Break More key concepts: ethnocentrism & cultural relativism; Lecture: Mills and the Sociological Imagination; Break Finish syllabus, ask Qs & discuss technology use in this class Readings: Shulman & Hewitt, Chapter 1: pgs. 1-9 C. W. Mills, The Promise of Sociology (All readings are on NEO) Assignments/deadlines: Letter to Instructor Due online in NEO

Description: Lecture: Basics of Social Psychology (Myers), Introduction to Symbolic Interactionism & Major Tenets (Hewitt); Break Theoretical Approaches in PSP vs. SSP; Application: Levels of analysis Readings: Shulman & Hewitt, Chapter 1: pgs. 22-30 Myers, Chapter 1: pgs. 3-15 (stop at “I knew it…”) Handout: Levels of Analysis handout

Description: Lecture: How is research done in Social Psychology? Experimental vs. Ethnographic research VIDEO: Lab Experiments: Critical Social Psychology (8 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN0z0Y1q4-E); Break Methods lecture: Correlation vs. Causation, Experiments, Ethics, Break VIDEO: 5 Psychology Experiments You Couldn’t Do Today (11 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ3l1jgmYrY); Discuss components of research paper assignment, interviews Readings: Myers, Chapter 1: pgs. 19.5 – 33 Kvale, Qualitative research interviewing, pgs. 1-16 Assignment: Begin reviewing for Quiz 1, next class

Online in TEAMS to take attendance, discuss quiz structure QUIZ 1 (MC, T/F, & Fill in the blank questions) online on NEO After Quiz 1: Begin designing your research project, ask Qs by email Reading: Kvale, Qualitative research interviewing, pgs. 27-37 Assignments: QUIZ 1 (all material from classes 1-4) Write draft of interview question set, due next class

Description: Lecture: History of Identity Development in Europe & North America; Lecture: Significant Symbols, Writing Workshop I, Break Lecture: Social Objects; Activity: Cell Phone Exercise; Break Workshop time: Discuss research projects, ask Qs, get clarification on research project assignment parameters, writing informed consent form Reading: Hewitt, Chap. 2 (pgs. 35-69) Handout: Writing Workshop I Assignments: Upload a first draft of the interview question set you will use in your project, due in NEO by 25 March, before class

Description: Lecture: Self-Concept, Social Self, Self & Culture, Break Perceived Self-Control, Learned Helplessness, Self-Presentation; Break Discuss writing your informed consent form for your research, ask Qs Reading: Myers, Chapter 2 (pgs. 38-74) Assignments: Draft of informed consent form, due in NEO by 01 April

Description: Lecture: Introduction to Goffman, Definition of the Situation VIDEO: Erving Goffman, the Performed Self & Class Discussion, Break (2 minutes; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z0XS-QLDWM&t=1s) Activity: Application of Goffman’s theoretical ideas in video clip analysis: Film clips from The Devil Wears Prada; Complete learning goal evaluations Reading: PDF, Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self, pgs. 1-16 Handout: Learning Goal Evaluations

Enjoy your break :-)

Description: Lecture: Attributing Causality, The Fundamental Attribution Error, Persuasion, Judging Others, Self-Fulfilling Beliefs, Break VIDEO: Social Thinking, Crash Course Psychology #37 (11 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6HLDV0T5Q8) Class discussion: The Stanford Prison Experiment Reading: Myers, Chapter 3 (pgs. 77-124) Assignment: Begin reviewing for Quiz 2, next class Begin conducting research interviews for your project

Quiz 2 (All material from second part of the course, March 18-April 15)

Description: Lecture: Friendships, Physical Attractiveness, Attribution, Gaining another’s esteem; Writing Workshop II (citations); Break Lecture: Passionate love and married love, Cultural differences in Arranged vs. Love Marriages; Class Discussion: Rewards of Relationships Reading: Myers, Chapter 10 (pgs. 427-463) Assignment: Continue conducting research interviews for your project

Description: Lecture: Self & the Physical Body, Short Writing Exercise: Relationship to your own physical body as it affects you as a self; Break Lecture: Deviance, Ethanol, and effects of alcohol use for identity Group discussion of norms for alcohol use across countries; Break Lecture: Marijuana & social norms for use across cultures (Becker) Reading: Becker (1953, PDF on NEO) “Becoming a Marihuana User” Assignment: Finish conducting interviews (3 required, see assignment)

Description: Begin reviewing your data/findings from interviews, ask Qs about how to incorporate course readings/concepts/themes into your project, Break; Writing Workshop III: Re-read the research interview project instructions together on NEO… Discuss how to include quotes from interviewees, how to cite and create a bibliography Complete faculty course evaluations on NEO Review for the final exam Assignment: Submit your final research paper to NEO by May 20, 11:00

Description: Discuss course overall… Which components worked well, What might be changed?  Break Short, informal student presentations of research questions & results; Final Exam Closing Letter to Instructor due on Monday, May 24 Final exam structure (MC, T/F, & Fill-in-the-blank questions) 40% of the final exam covers the material since quiz 2 60% is a cumulative review of all key terms, concepts, theories