00870 - Social Psychology

Academic Year 2022/2023

  • Moduli: Elisabetta Crocetti (Modulo 1) Edita Fino (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Cesena
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Psychological sciences and techniques (cod. 8774)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student should be able to: a) understanding the link between social cognition and social behaviour; b) understanding the role of social factors (values, ideologies, group memberships) in the development of social cognition; c) understanding the positive and negative facets of the self-other-social context relation; d) understanding how social cognition affects social behaviour.

Course contents

The course begins with an introduction to social psychology, with hints on its historical development, and is then divided into three parts.

First part: SOCIAL THINKING
- Self and identity
- Social perception
- Attitudes and behaviors

Second part: SOCIAL INFLUENCE
- Conformism and obedience
- Persuasion
- Interaction in groups

Third part: SOCIAL RELATIONS
- Aggression
- Interpersonal relationships
- Altruism and prosocial behavior

In addressing the different themes, the main research methods used in social psychology will be discussed, through presentations of classical and ongoing studies.


These contents are highly relevant for the training of Psychologists who, in their professional practice, will work in a team 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

Myers, D. G., Twenge, J. M., Marta, E., Pozzi, M. (2019). Psicologia Sociale (III edizione). McGraw Hill Education. ISBN: 9788838695346 (All chapters, except Chapters 9 and 13)

Palmonari, A., Crocetti, E. (2011). Identità e concetto di sé. In A. Palmonari (a cura di), Psicologia dell’adolescenza (Terza Edizione) (pp. 67-90). Bologna: il Mulino. ISBN: 9788815232595

Teaching methods

The course will be taught trough frontal lessons. Videoclips/movies will be used to explain how psychological processes and behaviours happen in daily life, and to illustrate the most important experiments of social psychology.

Gamification techniques will be applied to engage students in the learning process.

Comments and discussions will be strongly encouraged in order to understand how social-psychological process explain real and daily life phenomena, and facilitate the links with other psychological domains.

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 Exam: Students who regularly attend classes will be able to complete the early exam at the end of the course (in December). It consists of a written test with 31 multiple choice questions to be completed in 25 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 will be made available in the platform Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Elisabetta Crocetti

See the website of Edita Fino

SDGs

Good health and well-being Reduced inequalities

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