17305 - Psychology of Group Relationships

Learning outcomes

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

Course contents

The following issues will be addressed:

1. Socio-psychological definition of a group
2. The psychology of crowds
3. Group socialisation and interaction processes
4. Justice and morality within groups
5. Group productivity and decision-making
6. Prejudice
7. Individual accounts of prejudice
8. Prejudice and intergroup relations
9. Social categorization and stereotypes
10. Stigmatization of prejudice target
11. New and old forms of prejudice
12. Sexism and sexual objectification
14. 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 2018) at the Cesena Campus of the School of Psychology and Education (address: p.zza A. Moro, 90).

Readings/Bibliography

Brown, R. (2005). Psicologia sociale dei gruppi. Bologna: Il Mulino (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5)

[Brown, R. (1999). Group processes: Dynamics within and between groups (2nd Edition). Wiley Blackwell].

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

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

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.

[Foreign students can replace this article with the following one:  Ellemers, N., Pagliaro, S., & Barreto, M. (2013). Morality and behavioural regulation in groups: A social identity approach. European Review of Social Psychology, 24, 160-193.]

Teaching methods

Classroom taught -lessons will require the active participation of students.

There will be some practise lessons in groups aimed at facilitating the understanding of some group phenomena.

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 functioning of social groups, their potentiality and their disfunctions; b) ability to understand the differences between individual and group behavior, and to identify the main group phenomena; c) knowledge of the origins of prejudice and social discrimination; d) ability to plan interventions of prejudice reduction and amelioration of group relationships.

The written examination will consist in 31 closed questions to be addressed in 30 minutes. Each correct answer will be scored 1. 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.

Students who will attend the classes (i.e., students who will attend at least the 66% of lessons as verified through signatures, and carry out an additional work) might choose to take the examination in two parts (which will be scheduled at the end of March and at the beginning of May). Students who will attend the classes can carry out a group or individual work during the classes. This work will contribute to the final mark.

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 teacher 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" 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