00870 - Social Psychology

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Sociology (cod. 8495)

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, ideology, group membership) 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 program will comprise:

  • a brief history of social psychology and its underlined epistemological approaches;
  • the processes through individuals and groups develop their knowledge on the social world;
  • -non-verbal and verbal communication in interpersonal and intergroup relations;
  • explanations of pro-social and aggressive behaviours;
  • self and identity, their development and role in social cognition and behaviour;
  • how groups are formed, how individuals behave in groups, dynamics and processes of groups;
  • social categorization, intergroup processes and their consequences (discrimination, stereotypes, prejudice);
  • how others influence individuals’ cognitions, motivations and behaviours.

Readings/Bibliography

Palmonari, A., Cavazza, N. e Rubini, M. (2012). Psicologia Sociale (seconda edizione). Bologna, Il Mulino.

Palmonari, A., Cavazza, N. ( A cura di), (2012). Ricerche e Protagonisti della Psicologia Sociale. Bologna, Il Mulino.

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 in both their original form and modern adaptation. Comments and discussion 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

The exam aims at verifying the acquisition of the knowledge on the contents of the program described above. 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.

The final exam is in written form. It comprises 31 close-format questions to be answered in 35 minutes. The exam during the regular sessions concerns the entire program of the course.

Students who will follow all classes could do two intermediate exams, one in October, the other at the end of lessons. Both intermediate exams comprise 31 close-format questions to be answered in 35 minutes. The final mark is calculated averaging the marks of the two intermediate exams.

Students who are not satisfied of their marks can ask an oral exam, considering that the mark could increase or decrease of 4 points.

Complete oral exam could be requested in the following cases: difficulties in writing and reading, difficulties linked to the Italian language, several failed attempts to do the exam.

Any further material (books, notes, etc) is not allowed during the exam. Students with specific needs will ask for supplementary minutes during the exam.

Signing up on AlmaEsami is mandatory. Any problem to sign up should be reported to the office as soon as possible.

Teaching tools

Teaching material (power point presentations, papers, movies) will be made available on IOL (in accordance with copyright norms).

Office hours

See the website of Michela Menegatti

SDGs

Good health and well-being Gender equality Decent work and economic growth Reduced inequalities

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