03330 - Social Psychology I

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students:

- will have a general knowledge on the motivational and cognitive processes characterising social interaction and intergroup relations;

- will know and will be able to apply some basic theoretical and methodological tools to interpret such processes;

- will develop relational skills that allow to collaborate within teams composed by other professional figures.

Course contents

The course is the first of two modules that make up the course of Social Psychology. This first module is divided into 3 parts.

The first part illustrates the main characteristics and the level of analysis of social psychology and the preliminary notions of research methodology in this area.

The second part illustrates the following main topics of social psychology:

- Social cognition: knowing the social world, impression formation, social categorization.

- Social influence: conformity, minority influence, obedience.

- Attitudes: formation, transmission.

- The Self

- Aggressive behaviours: individual and social explanations, influence of media, reduction strategies.

- Pro-social behaviours: motivations, emphaty.

- Inclusion and exclusion: motivation to belong, exclusion from groups and its conseguences.

- Intergruoup prejudice: experiments, realistic conflict, social identity.

The third part illustrates an application of the theories of social psychology in the digital field (use of digital technology and its consequences, relational dynamics in social media, digital social exclusion).

These contents are highly relevant for the training of Social Workers who, in their professional practice, will work in a team with other professionals and will interact with individuals belonging to different groups. Therefore, it is necessary that they understand social processes that underlie interpersonal, intragroup, and intergroup relationships.

Readings/Bibliography

Andrighetto, L. e Riva, P. (2020). Psicologia Sociale. Fondamenti teorici ed empirici. Il Mulino. (except for chapters 12 - 13 - 14).

Teaching methods

The course will be taught trough frontal lessons but also videoclips will be used to illustrate the most important experiments of social psychology.

Team work will be organized to focus on the main topics and understand how social-psychological process explain real and daily life phenomena.

Comments and discussions will be strongly encouraged also in order facilitate the links with other subjects.

The frequency to the lessons will not be measured but it is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

Regular exams: The final exam is in written form. It comprises 31 close-format questions to be answered in 25 minutes (1 point for every correct answer, -0.25 for every wrong answer).

Early Exams: Students who regularly attend classes will be able to complete two early exams at the end of each module. These consist of a written test with 15 or 16 multiple choice questions to be completed in 12 minutes (1 point for each correct answer and 0 for each wrong answer).

The questions, although in close format, do not ask to simply memorize the key concepts, but to deeply understand the contents of social psychology and the ability to make connections among them.

Teaching tools

Teaching materials on specific topics will be made available in the platform Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Prati