17305 - Psychology of Group Relationships

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the students will a) know the functioning social groups, their potential and possible disfunctions; b) be able to understand the differences between individual and group behavior; c) be able to understand the differences between group and intergroup behavior; d) know the origins of prejudice and social discrimination.

Course contents

The course is organized in two teaching modules. The following topics will be addressed.

Module 2 (45 hours; Professor Silvia Moscatelli)

1. Prejudice
2. Individual accounts of prejudice
3. Categorization and stereotypes

4. Prejudice in children

5. Intergroup conflict and social identity

6. Crowds as social groups

7. The role of morality in intragroup and intergroup relations

8. Gender bias

9. Sexual prejudice

Module 1 (15 hours; Professor Edita Fino)

10. New and old forms of prejudice

11. The perspective of the victim
12. Prejudice reduction

 

The course will resume some classical topics of social psychology (e.g., intergroup conflict), with the aim of examining in depth such issues and illustrating their theoretical and research development. Thus, the course of social psychology should be intended as preparatory for the course of psychology of group relations.

The course will take place during the second semester (from February to May 2024) at the Cesena Campus of the Psychology Department (address: p.zza A. Moro, 90).

Readings/Bibliography

Brown, R. (2013). Psicologia del pregiudizio. Bologna: Il Mulino

[English version: Brown, R. (2010). Prejudice: Its social psychology (2nd edition). Wiley-Blackwell]

Brambilla, M. e Sacchi, S. (2022). Psicologia sociale del pregiudizio. Raffaello Cortina Editore. This handobook is only suggested. Chapters 9 and 10 (gender prejudice and sexual prejudice) are mandatory for the exam.

Pagliaro, S. e Di Cesare, C. (2013). La moralità in psicologia sociale: L’importanza di un approccio basato sui gruppi. Psicologia Sociale, 2/2013, 193-210.

Psicologia delle folle [cap. 1 Brown (2005), Psicologia sociale dei gruppi. Il Mulino; see also the handbook of Social Psychology course]

To pass the exam, students should study the chapters and articles indicated above and also know the topics addressed during the classes (and in the slides uploaded in Virtuale), even when such topics are not addressed in the exam materials. Seminars held by guest scholars are part of the exam materials. The slides of regular classes and seminars will be available online on Virtuale.

Teaching methods

Classroom lessons will require the active participation of students.

During the course students will carry out group work on specific topics.

Assessment methods

The examinations aims at werifying students' achievement of the following outcomes:

a) knowledge of the origins of prejudice and social discrimination; b) ability to understand group behavior and its causes; c) ability to plan interventions of management and amelioration of group relationships.

The examination will consist in 31 closed questions to be addressed in 25 minutes. Each correct answer will be scored 1; each incorrect answer will be scored 0. In order to pass the exam, students should provide at least 18 correct answers. With 30 correct answer, the mark will be 30; students who provide correct answers to all the 31 questions will obtain the mark of 30L.

Erasmus students and students who have right to additional examination time should email the teachers before the examination. Erasmus students might use a paper dictionary during the examination.

Students might carry out a group (i.e., a group presentation during classes). The group work (with a mark ranging from 0 to 3) will contribute to the final mark. The evaluation of the group work will consider students' ability to present the scientific article (up to 1 points) and to critically refer to the broader social issue and/or to the theoretical approaches addressed during the lectures (up to 2 points).

Students who want to take the exam are required to register through almaesami before the deadline. Students who will not be able to register due to technical problems before the deadline should communicate it to the secretary. The teachers will decide whether they can take the exam.

Teaching tools

Slides (PowerPoint). Slides used during the lectures will be available for students on the "Insegnamenti online" (IOL) platform.

During the lessons, the teacher will signal scientific articles which students could use for group or individual additional work.

According to Law n°170/2010 students with diagnoses of DSA and students with disabilities are entitled to the specific forms of assessment and can use the allowed support tools during the exam (electronic devices, supplementary time, etc.).

Office hours

See the website of Silvia Moscatelli

See the website of Edita Fino