_____________________________________________________________________________________ PSY 340: Social Psychology, Spring 2015
Thursdays, 9:30-10:45am, AL-201
Online lectures are archived through Blackboard Collaborate
_____________________________________________________________________________________ CONTACT INFORMATION:
Professor: David Marx
Email: [email protected] (email is the best way to reach me) Telephone: 619-594-8708
Office: South Life Sciences, room 160 Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:00-2:00 PM
Teaching Assistants: Adrian Shadaram (Head TA), Morgan Chelednik, Kiana Spencer, Kimberly Martinez, and Lauren Sherman
Email: [email protected] (Adrian Shadaram) Email: [email protected] (Morgan Chelednik) Email: [email protected] (Kiana Spencer) Email: [email protected] (Kimberly Martinez) Email: [email protected] (Lauren Sherman) Office: North Life Sciences, room 24A (in the basement) Office Hours: Adrian Shadaram: Tuesdays, 11:00 to 12:00
Morgan Chelednik: Thursdays, 3:30 to 4:30 Kiana Spencer: Wednesdays, 12:30 to 1:30 Kimberly Martinez: Mondays, 2:00 to 3:00 Lauren Sherman: Mondays, 10:00 to 11:00
COURSE OBJECTIVES, GOALS, AND LEARNING OUTCOMES:
This course is an introduction to social psychology and the methods used by social psychologists to examine everyday human behavior. It is a general overview of the core concepts and ideas within social psychology. Upon completion of this course you should have a basic understanding of:
1. How social psychologists answer questions about social behavior. 2. How we process information about other people.
3. The social nature of the self-concept and self-presentational behaviors. 4. The associations between attitudes and behavior.
5. Variables that influence message processing and persuasion. 6. How others elicit conformity and obedience.
7. When and why we are likely to help others. 8. Situational determinants of aggressive behavior.
9. The origin and effects of stereotypes and prejudice (and how these can be reduced). 10. Variables that influence intergroup conflict.
11. How groups influence the judgments made by individuals in social situations. 12. The distinctions between automatic and controlled processes.
13. The roles of persons, situations, and person-situation interactions as causes of behavior (SLO 1.3) 14. Explain the similarities and differences among the research methods used by psychologists. (SLO 4.2)
COURSE MATERIALS:
The textbook (Myers, 2010. Social Psychology, 11th edition) is required. It can be purchased at the SDSU Bookstore (Aztec Shops) or other local bookstores. Note that you can buy the international version of the textbook online for much cheaper. From time to time I will be talking about research that is not covered, or not well covered, in the book. Do not panic. If you pay attention to the lectures then you will receive all the information you need to answer any questions that may appear on the exams. If you are interested in getting a copy of the articles, then please let me know.
There is also the option of purchasing the Connect Access Code for the LearnSmart Study Modules. Although these modules are NOT required for the course, nor will any points be given for working on the modules, I think they can be very helpful because you can complete your coursework anytime, anywhere, and have the ability to review and practice key material from the book. Plus, McGraw-Hill Connect gives you access to the interactive eBook, videos, and LearnSmart Study Modules. For more information or to view the FAQs go to: http://www.connectstudentsuccess.com/
Where and How to Purchase McGraw-Hill Connect:
1) SDSU Bookstore: Your bookstore has this package, which includes the print book and the Connect Code. You will need The Connect Code to access the online study modules. The code is included in the package. To register you follow the same steps as below, but you enter your code. 2) Online: All digital. You can purchase Connect Plus (Ebook, no print book, and access to all the Connect/LearnSmart content) directly from the course website.
• Login to BlackBoard. Find your PSY 340 section.
• Connect / McGraw-Hill assignment folder first assignment. • You’ll be taken through the registration process.
• Enter your email address.
• Enter your access code, select “Buy Online”, or you can “Start Courtesy Access”. • Complete the registration form, click “Submit”
If you need any Technical Support (e.g., forgotten password, wrong code, etc.) then contact McGraw-Hill Education Customer Experience Group at (800) 331-5094. Make sure to get your case number for future reference if you call the Customer Experience Group line again.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS COURSE:
Please read the information below. It will provide you with my policies, give you basic information about the structure of the course, provide information about how to use the Blackboard Collaborate classroom system, and direct you to the appropriate people if you have questions.
1) Copies of lecture slides and lecture format: Copies of the PowerPoint slides from the in-person lectures will be available on Blackboard under Course Documents (NB: These slides are a basic framework for that day’s lecture and will NOT serve as a substitute for the lecture itself). The only way to ensure that you receive all the information is to attend the lecture and fill in the gaps in the slides. In doing so, I hope to encourage you to listen and get involved in the lecture rather than passively follow along. Consequently, you should be able to think at a deeper level about the material discussed in lecture. In addition to the lecture slides there will be a number of demonstrations, exercises, and videos that will highlight certain topics.
2) Tuesday’s lectures (online): As you know, Tuesday’s lectures will be online through the Blackboard Collaborate program, which is accessed through Blackboard (see below). You can access it from any computer with an Internet connection. It is recommended, but not mandatory, that you use Firefox as your browser for the online sessions. Other browsers may be unstable. For this course, all online lectures will be pre-recorded. Do not panic, the only thing you miss with the pre-recorded lectures is the ability to ask questions. The upside, of course, is that you can listen to the lectures anytime you want. Plus, if you are so inclined you can listen to future lectures any time you want: all lectures will be available approximately the first week of the semester. 3) Archived, online lecture instructions: Here is what you need to do to listen to the archived, online lectures. Sometime before the first online session scheduled (January 27), you should: 1. Log in to SDSU Blackboard via this link: http://blackboard.sdsu.edu/webapps/login 2. Click on Psy340 – Spring 2015.
3. Click on the Tools button in the menu on the left-hand side. 4. Click on the Blackboard Collaborate icon.
5. Click Recordings.
6. In the Start Date box, change the date from 2012 or earlier and then click Go. 7. All recordings should now be listed with the appropriate date for the course.
8. IF this is your first time running Blackboard Collaborate, you will need to download and install the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher.
9. To download Blackboard Collaborate, click on Download the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher and follow the instructions.
10. For questions on how to download Blackboard Collaborate, refer to this website: http://help.blackboard.com/en-us/Learn/9.1_SP_14/Student/090_Tools/Blackboard _Collaborate/20_Blackboard_Collaborate_Launcher
4) Technical issues with Blackboard Collaborate: I am NOT a computer support expert. I CANNOT HELP you if you experience technical issues while using Blackboard Collaborate for the archived, online sessions. Please follow the steps below instead of contacting me, because the folks at Blackboard Collaborate will provide better help than I am able to provide.
Fortunately, setting up and using Blackboard Collaborate goes smoothly for most students. If you run into problems, then carefully re-read the instructions above. The most common cause of problems is not running the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher. If you still have trouble, then you can get help by calling 877-382-2293. There is also a help link once you are running Blackboard Collaborate. I have already verified that the archived, online lectures work on both PCs and Macs—so you should have no problem listening to all the online lectures.
5) Questions: If you have a question, then READ THE SYLLABUS before you email me. Most questions can be answered by the syllabus—it is detailed for a reason. If you email me asking about something that is in the syllabus, then I will either not reply or will reply by directing you to the syllabus. If you have questions about the content of the class, which I welcome, then it is usually best to ask these before, during, or after class instead of over email. I will be able to give you a more complete and helpful answer that way. If you are interested in reading a particular journal article, then you can find most of them using the database PsycInfo, available through the SDSU library. If you still have questions, then make sure to contact the right person. Here are the people you should contact for different concerns or questions:
Grades: First, look on Blackboard to see your current grades. For more questions involving your grade, contact the Professor, David Marx.
Technical issues with Blackboard Collaborate: Help on the Blackboard Collaborate page or 877-382-2293.
Notes from a class you missed: One of your classmates.
Further information about a class topic: Contact the TAs. They are here to help you succeed in the class. Seriously, they are here to help you, so use them.
6) Attendance for exams and lectures: Out of respect for your classmates and me, please do your best to be on time for the lectures and exams. If you are late, then enter as quietly as possible without speaking to your neighbors about the things you have missed so far. These types of
discussion should occur outside of class. I do not take attendance. You are not required to attend al the lectures, but I strongly suggest that you attend all of them.
If you miss an in-person Thursday class DO NOT ASK the TAs or me if there was anything you missed (of course there was). Remember, class cannot be conveyed over e-mail. Please get the notes from another class member, but remember that getting notes will not give you the complete picture. Coming to class is important because I will go over content or pose questions that are not covered in the book, but will be on the exams. The easiest way to do well in this course is to come to class, read the assigned chapters, and listen to the online lectures!
Some students who miss class send emails via Blackboard to the whole class asking for notes. Most students hate seeing these e-mails and typically do not respond. A better approach is to ask someone in person when you come to class—you might even make a friend. And think carefully about how you share notes. Sharing with a few people is a nice thing to do; e-mailing your notes to everyone in class via Blackboard (which a few people have done in the past) is not wise—it encourages lazy behavior.
7) Classroom atmosphere: I encourage you to participate in the lectures and I will do my best to create a classroom atmosphere conducive to active participation. As a consequence, you should feel comfortable asking questions and contributing to class discussions. I expect everyone to show respect for each other and to refrain from actions that might disturb other students in the class. 8) Special accommodations: If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, then it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. You must do this before the first exam on February 12. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon a disability cannot be provided until you have presented me with an
accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
Cheating on an exam will result in disciplinary action. Also, plagiarism will not be tolerated. Claiming credit for a class activity that you did not complete is a form of academic dishonesty and will result in disciplinary action. If you are unsure about what constitutes academic dishonesty then please ASK me before you do anything that could result in disciplinary action.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES:
To be prepared for emergencies, each student is responsible for becoming familiar with the evacuation plan specific to each classroom. The evacuation plan is posted within each classroom and should be examined on the first day of class.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Midterm 1 February 12 Chapters 1, 2, 3 Midterm 2 March 5 Chapters 4, 6, 7 Midterm 3 March 26 Chapters 10, 13, 15 Midterm 4 April 23 Chapters 9,11, 12
Final Exam May 14 Comprehensive (with an emphasis on Chapters 5 and 8) EXAM INFORMATION:
The four midterms will include material from the assigned textbook chapters and associated lectures, including any demonstrations or videos. Basically anything is fair game as long as it was covered in the book or during lecture. Please note that you should bring a large red ParSCORE form FF-288-PAR-L for the first exam. For subsequent exams, you can use this same large form or the smaller red ParSCORE F-289-PAR-L or F-289-ERI-L. Also make sure to bring a No. 2 pencil to each exam. Other scantrons CANNOT be used. The four midterms and final exam will be multiple-choice. The 4 midterms are worth 45 points each, and the final exam is worth 70 points. In general, the best way to prepare for the exams is to keep up with the readings, attend or listen to all lectures, and make sure that you clearly understand the concepts and processes discussed in the lectures or the textbook. I DO NOT provide review sheets; however, I am always happy to meet individually so that I can tailor my help to your needs. I also encourage you to meet with the course TAs who can provide additional help and advice.
NB (1): Due to the nature of this course, I will be UNABLE to offer make up exams. It is imperative for you to plan accordingly, so that you DO NOT miss any exams. Of course, if an emergency occurs, then inform me AS SOON AS YOU CAN and I will give you a make-up exam provided that you have the proper documentation of your emergency. READ EXAMPLES BELOW.
What constitutes an emergency: You are ill and need to see a doctor immediately, a death in the family, a car accident, a religious holiday falls on the exam date, etcetera (you get the idea, right?). What DOES NOT constitute an emergency: You will be attending a friend’s wedding, family reunions, vacations, attending a concert, you overslept, etcetera (you get the idea, right?).
NB (2): However, if you are taking part in an official SDSU activity that requires you to be away from campus on a given exam date, then you should make arrangements with me to take the exam on an alternative date. Please bring proper documentation and see me PRIOR to the first exam (February 12) if you need to make such arrangements for any of the exams. If you DO NOT make such arrangements BEFORE the first exam then I will assume you do not need any special arrangements.
FINAL EXAM:
The final exam is comprehensive. Comprehensive means anything that was covered during the semester is fair game for the final exam. A word to the wise: If you keep up with your reading and attend or listen to all lectures on a regular basis, then the final exam should be fairly straightforward. This is true for all exams; the best strategy is to stay up to date on the readings and your lecture notes.
GRADING PROCEDURES:
Letter grades will be assigned on the total points (250) from your five exams. NB: The grades are already adjusted in your favor. For example, 90% and above is an A. I DO NOT offer any additional extra credit opportunities; however, there will be a chance to earn extra points on each exam. Please note that any work done with the LearnSmart Study Modules will not count towards your grade and is solely for personal growth/preparation for the exams. Also note that there are NO POINTS associated with the online lectures. To calculate your grade, just add up the points from your five exams and then find the letter grade that corresponds to your total points for the course. Use the percentages to determine your grade for each exam, but remember your final grade is NOT based on percentages—these percentages are only a guideline for you to use when figuring out how you are doing in the course.
250 Total Points for Course Percentages and Grade Equivalent
250 - 225 = A 100% - 90% = A 224 - 215 = A- 89% – 86% = A- 214 - 205 = B+ 85% - 82% = B+ 2004- 195 = B 81% - 78% = B 194 - 185 = B- 77% - 74% = B- 184 - 175 = C+ 73% - 70% = C+ 174 - 165 = C 69% - 66% = C 164 - 155 = C- 65% - 62% = C- 154 - 145 = D+ 61% - 58% = D+ 144 - 135 = D 57% - 54% = D 134 - 125 = D- 53% - 50% = D 124 - below = F 49% - 0% = F POSTING GRADES:
As soon as possible after each exam I will post the grades. Grades will be posted in the Gradebook section on the Blackboard site, and I will notify everyone by email when the grades are posted. This posting will provide a record of your exam performance to date. If you want to see what you missed on an exam, then come to one of the TAs’ office hours to see your scantron. If your grade is not posted on Blackboard, then email us immediately. Do not wait!
PSY 340: Social Psychology, Spring 2015 Thursdays, 9:30-10:45am, AL-201
Date Lecture Topic (Chapter) Pages
Jan. 22 Course Overview and Introduction to Social Psychology Ch. 1: 3-16 Jan. 27 Research Methods and Two Classic Experiments (ONLINE) Ch. 1: 16-29 Jan. 29 Videos: The Power of the Situation & Constructing Social Reality no reading Feb. 3 Self-Esteem and Self-Biases (ONLINE) Ch. 2: 50-74
Feb. 5 Self Knowledge Ch. 2: 33-50
Feb. 10 Heuristics and Attributions (ONLINE) Ch. 3: 77-117
Feb. 12 Midterm 1, Chapters 1, 2, 3 (45 questions)
Feb. 17 Persuasion and Social Pressures (ONLINE) Ch. 7: 226-263 Feb. 19 Persuasion and The Simpsons (episode: The Joy of Sect) no reading
Feb. 24 Conformity and Obedience (ONLINE) Ch. 6: 187-223
Feb. 26 Attitudes and Behavior Ch. 4: 119-134
Mar. 3 Attitudes and Attitude Change (ONLINE) Ch. 4: 134-148
Mar. 5 Midterm 2, Chapters 4, 6, 7 (45 questions)
Mar. 10 Social Psychology and the Law (ONLINE) Ch. 15: 555-584
Mar. 12 Video: Twelve Angry Men no reading
Mar. 17 Aggression and Intergroup Conflict (ONLINE) Ch. 10: 353-365 Mar. 19 Video: Killing Screens and Influences on Aggression Ch. 10: 365-391 Mar. 24 Conflict and Peacemaking (ONLINE) Ch. 13: 481-518
Mar. 26 Midterm 3, Chapters 10, 13, 15 (45 questions)
Mar. 31 No class, Spring Break April 2 No class, Spring Break
Apr. 7 Helping Behavior and Altruism (ONLINE) Ch. 12: 439-479
Apr. 9 Attraction and Relationships Ch. 11: 393-437
Apr. 14 Love, Jealousy, and Relationships (ONLINE) Ch. 11: 393-437 Apr. 16 Video: Crash and Introduction to Stereotyping Ch. 9: 307-319 Apr. 21 Stereotyping and Prejudice (ONLINE) Ch. 9: 319-351
Apr. 23 Midterm 4, Chapters 9, 11, 12 (45 questions)
Apr. 28 Group Influence (ONLINE) Ch. 8: 265-303
Apr. 30 Culture and Gender Roles Ch. 5: 151-184
May 5 Gender Issues (ONLINE) Ch. 5: 151-184
May 7 Course recap/review for final no reading
