Psychology 380 Tu/Th 2-3 p.m.
Fall, 1997 1324 East Hall
Psychology 380: INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY Syllabus
Instructor:
Professor Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D.
3006 East Hall (EH), blf@umich.edu, 763-1142
Office Hours: Tuesdays 3-4 p.m.
Wednesdays 2-3 p.m.
or by appointment
Graduate Student Instructors:
Bob Bauserman 3008 EH, 647-6981 rlbauser@umich.edu
* Section 004 TUE 4-6 Room 432 West Hall
* Section 012 FRI 10-12 Room 421 West Hall
Christine Branigan 3234 EH, 763-4222 branigan@umich.edu
* Section 006 WED 1-3 Room 3518 Frieze Bldg.
* Section 008 MON 1-3 Room 232 Dennison Bldg.
Lijun Ji 3237 EH, 647-3933, lijunji@umich.edu
* Section 010 MON 9-11 Room 271 Dennison Bldg.
* Section 013 WED 6-8 Room 271 Dennison Bldg.
Markus Kemmelmeier 3236 EH, 763-4222 markusk@umich.edu
* Section 007 WED 2-4 Room 3406 Mason Hall
Riia Luhtanen 5132 ISR, 327-9371 riia@ix.netcom.com
* Section 002 TUE 3-5 Room B239 East Hall
* Section 009 FRI 9-11 Room 224 Dennison Bldg.
Roberta Mancuso 3225 EH, 647-3933 rmancuso@umich.edu
* Section 011 THU 5-7 Room 1084 East Hall
John Zelenski 3249 EH, 763-5146 zelenski@umich.edu
* Section 003 FRI 11-1 Room 224 Dennison Bldg.
* Section 005 THU 10-12 Room 269 Dennison Bldg.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
People's social behavior and social experiences are multiply
determined. Social psychology is a field devoted to understanding
what these multiple sources of influence are and how they work. One
aim of this course is to introduce you to the perspectives, research
methods, and findings of social psychology. Another, equally
important aim of this course is to cultivate your own skills for
analyzing complex social events, both the everyday and the dramatic.
COURSE FORMAT AND REQUIREMENTS:
You should be aware that this is a demanding course. There is
considerable reading to be done and much to think about. Don't allow
yourself to get behind in the reading. You are expected to master the
basic material covered in the readings and in lectures, and to
participate actively in class and in the weekly discussion sections.
The lectures in this course are designed to supplement the
readings. As such, you can expect lectures to present ideas that are
not necessarily covered in readings. Your success in this course
depends on attending class regularly and taking thorough notes. If
you simply can not avoid missing a class, borrow notes from a
classmate.
The discussion sections led by your Graduate Student Instructor
(GSI) are intended to hone and expand upon the ideas covered in each
week's lectures and readings, and to conduct demonstrations and group
empirical projects. Sections begin meeting the week of September
8th. Your GSI will provide a separate information sheet listing
the deadlines you are responsible for in your discussion section.
(Grades will be lowered for missed deadlines.)
You are required to take three exams in this course. As noted in
the University Time Schedule, these exams are scheduled on
Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. The firmly scheduled
dates are: September 30th, November 4th, and December
9th. There will be no lecture on exam days. MARK THE EXAM
DATES & TIMES IN YOUR CALENDARS NOW & ARRANGE TO CLEAR OTHER
COMMITMENTS ON THESE EVENINGS. (Note: There is no exam during the
exam period.) As a general rule, make-up exams will not be
given. Exceptions to this rule are made only in dire, unavoidable
circumstances (e.g., serious illness or emergency) that are fully
documented (e.g., with official correspondence from physicians and/or
Deans) and preferably with advance arrangement made directly with
Professor Fredrickson. Make-up exams, when offered, are essay exams.
All exams, including the last one, are non-comprehensive. They will
cover material presented in readings, in lectures,
and in discussion sections across the specified dates.
These exams will be a combination of multiple-choice, short answer
and short essay.
You will have additional opportunities to convey your knowledge of
the course material in the three required course projects. You
will receive detailed procedures for these projects in handouts
distributed in your discussion section. In brief, the first project
requires you to give an oral presentation in your discussion section
on a helping behavior experiment you will conduct with your
classmates. The remaining two projects require short papers (5 pages,
plus or minus 2): In the one paper, you analyze a social norm
violation; in the other, you provide a comprehensive social
psychological analysis of a feature film.
Lastly, while not an assignment, I strongly encourage each of you
to make use of your GSI's office hours, my office hours, as well as
the Thursday post-class coffee ritual. Your GSI and I would be happy
to talk with you about your ideas and challenges related to the
course material, and about psychology more generally. We also welcome
your feedback on the course.
GRADING:
Your final grade in this course will be based on your achievements
on course requirements weighted in the following manner:
Exam #1: 20%
Exam #2: 20%
Exam #3: 20%
HELPING project: 10%
NORM paper: 10%
FILM paper: 10%
Participation in Section: 10%
Your GSI will communicate how your Participation in Section grade
will be determined.
Final letter grades are based on standard percentages, not curves,
as follows:
97 - 100% ... A+ 77 - 79% ... C+
93 - 96% ... A 73 - 76% ... C
90 - 92% ... A- 70 - 72% ... C-
87 - 89% ... B+ 67 - 69% ... D+
83 - 86% ... B 63 - 66% ... D
80 - 82% ... B- 60 - 62% ... D-
Letter grades assigned to papers will be converted to percentages
as follows:
A+.. 98% C+...78%
A .... 95% C .... 75%
A-.... 92% C-.... 72%
B+...88% D+...68%
B .... 85% D .... 65%
B-.... 82% D-....62%
REQUIRED READINGS: (Textbook & Coursepak available at
Ulrich's Bookstore)
TEXTBOOK:
Social Psychology, 2nd Edition
by Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson & Robin M. Akert
Published by Addison Wesley Longman, 1997
Available both NEW and USED
COURSEPAK:
A collection of required readings reprinted by Kelley's Kopies
is available for purchase at Ulrich's Bookstore
Schedule of Readings & Deadlines
Dates Topic Readings
Week 1 Overview
Th, Sep 4 Introductions & Overview TEXTBOOK Chapter 1
Week 2 Themes, then Research Methods
Tu, Sep 9 Evolutionary Perspectives COURSEPAK #1
Th, Sep 11 Research Methods TEXTBOOK Chapter 2
COURSEPAK #2
Week 3 Social Cognition
Tu, Sep 16 Schemas TEXTBOOK Chapter 3
Th, Sep 18 From Beliefs to Reality COURSEPAK #3
Week 4 Social Perception
Tu, Sep 23 Social Perception TEXTBOOK Chapter 4
Th, Sep 25 Detecting Deceit COURSEPAK #4
Week 5 First Exam, then Self Understanding
Tu, Sep 30 EXAM #1: 6-8 p.m. -- (no lecture 2-3 p.m.)
Covers material from Sep 4 to Sep 29
Th, Oct 2 Self Understanding TEXTBOOK Chapter 5
Week 6 Cognitive Dissonance
Tu, Oct 7 Cognitive Dissonance, Part 1 TEXTBOOK Chapter 6
Th, Oct 9 Cognitive Dissonance, Part 2 COURSEPAK #5
Week 7 Emotions & Attitudes
Tu, Oct 14 Emotions COURSEPAK #6
Th, Oct 16 Attitudes TEXTBOOK Chapter 7
Week 8 Conformity & Obedience
Tu, Oct 21 Social Norms TEXTBOOK Chapter 8
Th, Oct 23 Obedience COURSEPAK #7
Week 9 Group Processes
Tu, Oct 28 Group Behavior & Processes TEXTBOOK Chapter 9
(minus pp 321-323)
Th, Oct 30 Understanding Cults COURSEPAK #8
Week 10 Second Exam, then Interpersonal Attraction
Tu, Nov 4 EXAM #2: 6-8 p.m. -- (no lecture 2-3 p.m.)
Covers material from Oct 1 to Nov 3
Th, Nov 6 Initial Attraction TEXTBOOK Chapter 10
Week 11 Close Relationships & Prosocial Behavior
Tu, Nov 11 Close Relationships COURSEPAK #9
Th, Nov 13 Helping & Empathy TEXTBOOK Chapter 11
Week 12 Stereotypes & Prejudice
Tu, Nov 18 Stereotypes & Prejudice TEXTBOOK Chapter 13
Th, Nov 20 Gender Stereotypes COURSEPAK #10 & #11
Week 13 Aggression
Tu, Nov 25 Aggression & Violence TEXTBOOK Chapter 12
(plus pp 321-323)
Th, Nov 27 NO CLASS -- THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 14 Applying Social Psychology
Tu, Dec 2 Health Psychology TEXTBOOK Modules 1 & 2
Th, Dec 4 Psychology & Law TEXTBOOK Module 3
Week 15 The End
Tu, Dec 9 EXAM #3: 6-8 p.m. -- (no lecture 2-3 p.m.)
Covers material from Nov 5 to Dec 5