Fall 2008
11:15am- 12:10pm MWF
Dunlap 104
Instructor: Stephen Smith
Office Hours: 2-4pm TR; 1-3pm F
Dunlap Hall Room 202A
Contact Info: e-mail: ssmith@ngcsu.edu
tel. 706-864-1890
Text: Myers, D.G. (2008). Social Psychology. (9th ed.)
Catalog Description: A survey of the effects of the social environment on human behavior. Coverage includes: aggression, altruism, attitude change, audience effects, conformity, group dynamics, interpersonal attraction, sex roles, and social perception.
Goals: The main goal of this course is for you to achieve a full understanding of how social psychological knowledge is accumulated and what we know and don't know about human social behavior and its causes. After this course, you should be able to hold more enlightened discussions on a wide variety of topics, such as capital punishment, gender differences, romantic attraction, divorce, altruism, obedience, self-esteem, etc. In addition, your ability to understand the actions of both yourself and others should be greatly increased.
Methods:
1. Attending lectures, listening closely, asking questions.
2. Studying for, taking and reviewing quizzes and exams.
3. Watching films that convey aspects of social psychology, and writing papers in which you discuss some of the relevant concepts.
4. A few fairly simple homework assignments that require you to apply course materials (the first one is the toughest)
Attendance Policy: About 18% of your grade is based on attendance. All absences are treated equally, so there is no need to tell me why you are sick, provide physician’s notes, etc. The only penalty for absences is missing out on the participation points for that day.
If you want a chance to make up for
missed class participation points, you can do outside work in the form of
reading and summarizing social psychology articles. Contact me for details.
Course Content by Day
8/20 review syllabus; T/F quiz for bonus points
8/22 research methods in social psych (ch. 1); HW assignment #1
8/25 self-concept (ch. 2); ch. 1 quiz
8/27 self-concept (ch. 2)
8/29 HW #1 due; ch. 2 quiz; social cognition (ch. 3)
9/3 social cognition (ch. 3)
9/5 social cognition (ch. 3)
9/8 ch. 3 quiz; attitudes (ch. 4); persuasion (ch. 7)
9/10 influence and persuasion
9/12 cults (ch. 7)
9/15 ch. 4&7 quiz; forensic psych (ch. 15)
9/17 forensic psych (ch. 15)
9/19 ch.15 quiz; obedience & conformity (ch. 6); HW assign #2
9/22 obedience & conformity (ch. 6)
9/24 movie #1
9/26 movie #1
9/29 ch. 6 quiz
10/1 prejudice (ch. 9); HW assignment #3,
10/3 ch. 9 quiz; aggression (ch. 10)
10/6 aggression (ch. 10); movie #1 paper due
10/8 HW #2 due; movie #2
10/13 movie #2
10/15 HW #3 due; movie #2, movie discussion; ch. 10 quiz
10/17 attraction (ch. 11); HW assignment #4
10/20 attraction (ch. 11)
10/22 ch 11 quiz; helping (ch. 12); HW assignment #5; provide list for movie #3
10/24 movie #2 paper due; more on helping
10/27 HW assignment #4 due; group influence (ch. 8)
10/29 ch. 12 quiz; conflict (ch. 13)
10/31 HW #5 due; any other topics in ch. 8/13; begin movie #4
11/3 movie #4
11/5 movie #3 paper due; ch. 8&13 quiz; movie #4
11/7 debate #1
11/10 debate #2
11/12 debate #3
11/14 debate #4
11/17 review game; movie #4 paper due
11/19 debate #5
11/21 debate #6
11/24 TBD
12/1 review for Final Exam
12/8 Final Exam (10:30am)
Basis of evaluation:
3-page Movie Analysis Papers: 50 points x 4 papers = 200 points
Homework assignments: 20 points x 5 assignments = 100 points
Class participation: 33 “regular” days x 3 pts per day = 99 points
6 debate days x 5 pts per day = 30 points
up to 20 additional points can be earned by asking and answering questions
In-class quizzes = 11 at 10 points each = 100 points (drop lowest)
Debate assignment = 100 points Final Exam = 100 points
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Academic Integrity Policy
NGCSU Honor Code: "On my honor, I will not lie, cheat, steal, plagiarize, evade the truth or tolerate those who do." Suspected violations of the Academic Integrity policy should be referred to me. If I conclude that a violation of the Academic Integrity policy has occurred, I will either (1) penalize the student and file an incident report with the Academic Integrity Council or (2) refer the matter directly to the Academic Integrity Council. The penalty for any violation will be a zero on the assignment in question, and/or and F in the course, depending on the severity of the violation. All work in this class is subject to electronic plagiarism verification. I reserve the right to perform such verifications.
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
North Georgia College & State University (NGCSU) is committed to the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities and to the principle of individual rights and responsibilities. To that end, the policies and procedures of NGCSU reasonably ensure that a person with a disability is not, on the basis of that disability, denied full and equal access to and the enjoyment of academic programs and co-curricular activities or otherwise is subjected to discrimination in such programs and activities.
The policies for access by individuals with disabilities at NGCSU are designed to ensure full compliance with all pertinent federal and state legislation, specifically to include Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
To receive disability accommodations, the student should contact the Coordinator of Disability Resources, Office of Academic Support Programs, Room 207 Barnes Hall. Approval of reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Class evaluations: Class evaluations at NGCSU are now conducted on-line through Banner. Evaluation of the class is considered a component of the course and students will not be permitted to access their course grade until the evaluation has been completed. The evaluations will be accessible beginning one week prior to Final Exam week. Specific instructions will be made available when the surveys are activated.