Mar 28, 2024  
Academic Catalog 2016-2017 
    
Academic Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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PSY-705 Social Bases of Behavior

4 semester credits


The functioning of the individual within the context of the social environment is examined in this course. It comprises an appraisal of current research and theory in the sub-areas of social psychology, including perception of self and others, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, attitudes and social behaviors, and cultural/sexual roles.
Pre-requisites: PSY-500 , PSY-500A , PSY 525  or PSY 533  taken concurrently or completed prior.
Delivery Method: Distance/Electronically Mediated
Note: This course is only open to Clinical or Media PhD students or RCP certificate students.
Grading Default: Letter
Learning Objective(s):  

1. Know about social construction, including how we construct the concepts of normalcy and pathology, culture, gender, ethnicity, and social class.

2. Be familiar with the literature on group dynamics and leadership.

3. Know about cultural differences and similarities, including stereotyping, prejudice, oppression, and discrimination.

4. Be able to address sociopolitical influences that impinge upon the lives of identified groups (e.g., poverty, stereotyping, powerlessness, and marginalization).

5. Know the literature on attitudes and attitude change, including cognitive consistency, dissonance, persuasion, and the relationship of attitudes to behavior.

6. Understand the literature on social cognition, including person perception (know the classic studies on impression formation and attribution theory).

7. Be familiar with the literature on aggression and violence, with a focus on the role of social learning.

8. Understand the work on social influence (conformity, obedience, bystander psychology, cooperation, altruism, brutality).

9. Know the literature on interpersonal attraction and relationships.

10. Understand and be able to identify methodological problems in social psychology research, including demand characteristics.



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