Social PsychologySOP 3004-08 & 09

Joanna Goplen

Today:

• Syllabus

• Themes of Social Psychology

Read Your Syllabus!

• Social Psychology is life!– Meets liberal studies requirement

• We meet early and often, but attendance will help your grade dramatically– Notes posted (but not full story)– Get contact info from 2 others

• Learning environment• Readings

Grading

• Tests– 4 unit tests (40 quest.) worth 80 points each

• Study guides posted

– 4 online quizzes (10 - 20 quest.) worth 20 points each

• Extra Credit– 10 points random in class assignments– 10 points research participation (or writing)

• Do this early!

Make Up Policy

• Contact me to make up any excused and documented absence!

• Sometimes we have good reasons to miss- but no documentation – Last day of class is official make up day– Can make up one exam and/or one quiz during

this class period without excuse• Cannot use notes/book on quizzes made up on this

day

Final Exam

• Cumulative

• Optional– Can only help you– Cannot be taken early

• Will replace lowest test grade– Will not replace a zero

Grades

• Everything out of 400

• Extra credit added before dividing by 400

• Correct rounding

Course Overview

• Topics

Student Information Form

• Please fill out the student information form and turn into me at end of class

• DON’T FORGET! This counts as first day attendance!

The scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another

•Broadly interpreted

What is Social Psychology?What is Social Psychology?

What are we interested in?

• Social psychology has a range of topics including but not limited to:

How do we see ourselves and relate to others?

Why do we make the decisions we do?

What determines who we are attracted to?What determines who we are attracted to?

What causes racism and can we combat it?

What determines when and who we help?What determines when and who we help?

Is there such a thing as true altruism?

When do we act aggressively?

Does venting frustration reduce aggression?

How are people persuaded?

How can we increase self-control?

Contemporary Social Issues

Some Common Themes

• We are evolved cultural animals

• We put people first

• Selfish Impulse VS. Social Conscience

• We have duplex minds

Evolved Cultural Animals

• Sometimes we forget- we are animals!

• The environment we evolved to thrive in is different than the one we live in now

Putting People First

• Other people have a strong influence on our psychology

Selfish Impulse Vs. Social Conscience

• Nature says, “Go,” culture says, “Stop.”

• Competing Internal and External Drives

The Duplex Mind

• Automatic and nonconscious vs. controlled and conscious

• A lot goes on that we are unaware of!

Next Class• What is social psychology?

• Read Chapter 1

Before you Leave• Turn in your student information sheet