78597 - Social Psychology of Morality and Prejudice

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students a) will know the main theoretical approaches concerning the psychosocial processes underlying social judgement and its main dimensions (morality, competence and sociability); b) will know the studies on the primacy of morality in interpersonal and intragroup interactions; c) will know the main accounts of intergroup prejudice, with particular attention to its embodied aspects; d) will be able to identify the interventions of prejudice reduction and social inclusion which are more appropriate for specific groups and social contexts.

Course contents

The course will provide evidence on the issues of morality and prejudice, with a particular focus on studies that have tried to integrate psychosocial and neuroscientific approaches in order to understand the reciprocal influence among neural, hormonal, immunological processes and psychosocial behaviors. Specifically, the course will cover the following topics:

- The biological and physiological bases of moral judgment, stereotypes, and prejudices
- The cognitive and emotional processes associated to social judgment, stereotypes, and prejudices

- Psycho-social models and neuroscientific contributions to morality

- Moral emotions and embodied processes

- Automatism and control in stereotypes and prejudice

- The influence of social context on the processes underlying stereotypes and prejudices
- Implicit prejudice
- The role of physiological responses as mediators of explicit intergroup phenomena
- The consequences of stereotypes and social stigma
- Strategies of stereotype change and prejudice reduction, with a particular attention to cognitive techniques and the role of embodiment

The lectures will take place during the first semester (from September to December 2017) at the Cesena Campus of the School of Psychology and Education (address: Piazza A. Moro, 90)

Readings/Bibliography

Sacchi, S., & Brambilla, M. (2014). Psicologia della moralità (chapters 1, 3, 4, 5). Roma: Carrocci Editore.

Gantman, A. P., & Van Bavel, J. J. (2015). Moral perception. Trends in Cognitive Science, 19, 631-633

Cushman, F. A., Young, L., & Greene, J. (2010). Our multi-system moral psychology: Towards a consensus view. In J. Doris et al. (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Moral Psychology. Oxford University Press

Kubota, J. T. & Ito, T. A. (2009). You were always on my mind. How event-related potentials inform impression formation research. In T.D. Nelson & L.B. Sharp (Eds) Handbook of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination (pp.333-345). NY: Psychology Press .

Devine, P., & Sharp, L. B. (2009). Automaticity and control in stereotyping and prejudice. In T.D. Nelson & L.B. Sharp (Eds) Handbook of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination (pp. 61-87). NY: Psychology Press.

Derks, B., Inzlicht, M., & Kang, S. (2008). The neuroscience of stigma and stereotype threat. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 11, 163–181.

Crisp, R. J. & Turner, R.N. (2011). Cognitive adaptation to the experience of social and cultural diversity. Psychological Bulletin, 137, 242–266

Suggested reading: Derks, B., Scheepers, D., & Ellemers, N. (2013). Neuroscience of prejudice and intergroup relations. Psychology Press.

Teaching methods

Lectures.

Practice lessons and discussions with students during classes.

Assessment methods

The written examination aims to verify the achievement of the following learning outcomes:

- knowledge of the main theoretical approaches to the psycho-social processes underlying moral judgment;

- ability to integrate psychosocial approaches and neuroscientific evidence in the explanation of the role of morality in social interaction and reasoning;

- knowledge of the main accounts of intergroup prejudice; ability to integrate psychosocial approaches and neuroscientific contributions relative to topics such as social categorization, automatism and control in stereotyping and prejudice, consequences of social stigma;

- ability to identify the possible interventions of prejudice reductions and promotion of social inclusion that are more appropriate for different groups and social context, with particular attention to the cognitive strategies aimed to the reduction and modification of stereotypes and prejudice.

During the written examination, students will respond to some questions relative to the topics addressed during the lectures. They will also carry out (individually or in groups) additional works aimed to examine in depth the issues addressed during the lectures and to help develop students' reasoning and research project ability. During the examination it is not allowed to refer to textbooks, notes, or computer support.

The student is required to complete the online registration (Almaesami) within the terms in order to be admitted to the exam. In the case of technical problems the student is required to promptly contact the Segreteria Studenti and email prof. Moscatelli (within the terms) who will consider the request and decide about the admission.

Teaching tools

Slides (PowerPoint)

Office hours

See the website of Silvia Moscatelli