94202 - Social and Learning Psicology

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Docente: Paola Villano
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: M-PSI/05
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Teaching and Communication of Natural Sciences (cod. 5704)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the teaching is the study of social psychology, in its general and specific aspects. At the end of the course the student knows: (a) the main psychological theories that intervene in social cognition and self-knowledge; (b) the psychological processes underlying attitudes, opinions and behaviours; (c) learning styles; (d) the dynamics involved in conflicts between groups; (e) social influence, communication and persuasive communication models, useful to understand and manage interpersonal and group dynamics. Relevant issues such as cognitive processes of prejudice and stereotypes will also be addressed.

Course contents

The program will have as its object the study of social psychology, declined in its general and specific aspects. In fact, this discipline represents an important instrument of interpretation of reality, not necessarily aimed at the training of psychologists only, but also of educators and all the professional figures that revolve around the world of education and training. For these reasons, the course will deal with topics aimed at the formation of skills that will serve to better carry out their profession.

The course has two parts:

1. the theoretical framework of the discipline, within which will be presented the classical topics of the discipline - history, social cognition, perception, the Self and identity, attitudes / behaviors, persuasive communication, prejudices and stereotypes, acculturation processes and the importance of the cultural context in the formation and activation of cognitive processes.
2. The second part of the course will focus on specific topics concerning the psychological theories of learning, the main classical approaches to the study of school learning, motivation to learn, the various facets of learning (learning concepts and knowledge, metacognition and scientific disciplines, learning to study).

Readings/Bibliography

Cornoldi C., Meneghetti, C., Moè A., Zamperlini C. (2018) Processi cognitivi, motivazione e apprendimento, Bologna, Il Mulino (only chapters 1,2,3,4,7,8 and 9).

Villano, P. (2016) Psicologia sociale. Dalla teoria alla pratica, Bologna, Il Mulino.

Teaching methods

The lessons will be frontal, (except for the evolution of the Covid-19 emergency situation in Italy) conducted in an active and collaborative way. The student's involvement in the classroom will be strongly appreciated; the questions and issues that may arise in this context are particularly useful both for individual study and reflection in groups.

Assessment methods

The examination is carried out in written form and involves an evaluation in thirtieth. There will be 3 open questions (1 hour and 30 minutes) on the topics dealt with in the texts and which aim to assess not only the theoretical notions acquired during the course, but also skills such as the accuracy of psychological terminology, the ability to describe experiments and theoretical approaches, expositive clarity.

Teaching tools

slides

Office hours

See the website of Paola Villano

SDGs

Quality education

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.