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Psychology 260 Course Information
Course Title: Social Psychology
Semester: Fall, 2010
Instructor: Scott Plous
Time: 1:10-2:30 PM, Tuesday and Thursday
Classroom: Kerr Lecture Hall (107 Shanklin)
Enrollment Limit: 150 students
Credit: 1.0 A/F (graded only)
Teaching Apprentices: Devon Hopkins, Emily Kossow, Lauren Mandell, Chelsea Osterman, Joanna Seirup, Alexandra Wang
Course Assistants: Emily Brackman, Emily Byrne, Baomie Fang, Cella Jones
For Fall, 2011: TA Application Form and CA Application Form
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Instructor and TA Office Hours
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| Name |
Time and Place |
Top-Secret Hotline |
Devon Hopkins |
Wed, 3:00 - 4:00 pm
103 Judd, x3976 |
(301) 509-4777 |
Emily Kossow |
Thu, 10:30 - 11:30 am
103 Judd, x3976 |
(609) 410-3793 |
Lauren Mandell |
Sun, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
103 Judd, x3976 |
Email preferred |
Chelsea Osterman |
Tue, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
103 Judd, x3976 |
(860) 680-6503 |
Scott Plous |
Tue/Thu, 2:45 - 3:45 pm
219 Judd, x2368 |
(860) 685-2368 |
Joanna Seirup |
Fri, 10:30 - 11:30 am
103 Judd, x3976 |
(917) 740-5146 |
Ally Wang |
Mon, 8:00 - 9:00 pm
103 Judd, x3976 |
Unlisted |
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This course provides an overview of classic and contemporary research in social psychology. A wide range of topics will be covered, including:
- Self-Perception
- Cognitive Dissonance
- Conformity
- Obedience
- Social Influence
- Persuasion Techniques
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- Interpersonal Attraction
- Group Dynamics
- Stereotypes and Prejudice
- Conflict Resolution
- Happiness and Well-Being
- Sustainable Living
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Prerequisites:
No prerequisites are required, though many students have found it helpful to take "Foundations of Contemporary Psychology" (Psyc105) or "Psychological Science" (Psyc101) before this course. Students who have taken other general introductions to social psychology, such as "Exploring Social Psychology" (Psyc263) at Wesleyan, are not eligible to take Psyc260.
Attendance:
Because the lectures will cover material that goes beyond the readings, class attendance is absolutely essential (including the class before Thanksgiving Break). Repeated late arrivals to class, or talking while the instructor or other students are speaking, may result in lengthy prison sentences. Please be punctual and refrain from talking in class when others are speaking.
Cell Phones and Other Devices:
Before each class session begins, please turn off all cell phones, pagers, recording devices, video games, portable hair dryers, chainsaws, jet engines, and nuclear reactors.
Readings:
Unless otherwise noted in class, the required readings are as follows:
I strongly recommend buying Myers' textbook, but if you'd rather not, copies of Social Psychology are on reserve in Olin Library (don't use earlier editions of the textbook; too much material is different from the current edition). Also, you can buy a 180-day subscription to an e-text version, in either online or downloadable format, from CourseSmart.
Assignments:
During the semester, you'll be given several class assignments worth a cumulative total of 30 course points:
Three of these assignments are web-based, and two are participant-observation activities that invite you to experiment with your life and report on the results. The details of each assignment will be given in class a few days before the assignment is due. If at any point you prefer not to complete an assignment (or if your attempt to complete it is unsuccessful), you can still receive full credit by turning in a one-page report discussing the barriers that prevented you from carrying out the assignment. Late assignments will not be accepted except in the event of a serious illness or family emergency; please back-up your work and print a copy at least one day before it's due.
Illustrations
On most Tuesdays, I will begin class by sharing a few illustrations of topics covered in the preceding week. In addition, the TAs and I will compile links to web sites and videos that illustrate course topics, and we'll post these links on a Sites of the Week web page. You're invited to contribute illustrations -- from the web or elsewhere -- whenever you encounter items that might be of general interest to the class. If you contribute an illustration, please try to include a full length account with complete reference information (date, volume, issue number, and page numbers, or web address in the case of an illustration from the Internet).
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To avoid the stress of grades based solely on a midterm and final examination, the course will include three examinations and five assignments (the third exam will take place during finals week but will not be longer or count more than the exam before it). All three exams will cover material from class as well as the readings, and all three will contain a mixture of fixed choice formats (roughly 20 general multiple choice items, 15 applied multiple choice items, and 25 true-false items). Here are a few examples:
Multiple Choice Examples
1. Julia is about to go on a first date with LaVon, whom she has emailed through a singles web site but has never met in person. If Julia fears rejection, she might exhibit self-handicapping behavior by:
A. Talking about her high salary to impress LaVon
B. Pretending that she has a broken arm to get sympathy
C. Arriving late so that she has an excuse if LaVon doesn't like her
D. Bringing LaVon an expensive box of chocolates
2. Research suggests that the overjustification effect is mainly a function of self-______:
A. presentation
B. perception
C. serving biases
D. monitoring
True-False Examples
1. As used in social psychology, "attitudes" are generally evaluative in nature (positive or negative), whereas "opinions" need not be.
2. In David Rosenhan's article "On Being Sane in Insane Places," the sanity of the pseudopatients was never detected by hospital workers or other patients on the ward.
Before you turn in a completed exam, please check that no items have been accidentally skipped. In the event that a full page of items is skipped, 50% credit will be given for true-false items and 25% for multiple choice items (the average value that would be received by chance responding), and the final exam score will be rounded up or down to the nearest whole point.
Please note: Make-up exams or extensions will NOT be given, except in the event of a serious illness or family emergency (e.g., death of a relative). If you're not feeling well before an exam, please contact me right away rather than taking the exam, because once an exam is taken, the score you receive cannot generally be erased.
To help prepare for the tests, see Tips on Taking Multiple-Choice Tests and Online Social Psychology Quizzes. The Myers textbook also comes with a CD-ROM that contains study questions.
Because students often take awhile to develop a successful study strategy for the exams, the first exam will count less than the later two exams. Specifically, the first exam will count for 120 course points (2 points for each of 60 items on the test), and the later two exams will each count for 180 points (3 points per test item). Final letter grades will be determined by adding together points from two different sources: (1) the three exams (worth a total of 480 points), and (2) the five assignments (worth a total of 30 points). In other words, all course points are counted equally, regardless of whether they come from exams or assignments.
During the semester, you will be able to check your point total by clicking on the GradeGetter link at the top of this page. Within one week of turning in an assignment or receiving a scored exam, you should check GradeGetter and email me immediately if you discover an error (after that time, your scores will generally remain fixed). Likewise, if after speaking with the TAs you feel that your answer to an exam item marked wrong should actually be considered correct, you have one week to email me a statement explaining why your answer is correct.
Once the course is over, your cumulative point total will be translated into a final letter grade. Because the exams in this class will be created from scratch, it is difficult to specify in advance how various exam scores will translate into particular letter grades. Nonetheless, you may use the following cutoffs from a previous year as a rough guide in translating course point totals into letter grades (the final cutoffs will be different from these, but not by much). These cutoffs are based on Peterson's, which is the most common method for translating between grades and 100-point scales.
| Letter Grade |
Cumulative Point Total |
| A+ |
97.0% and above |
| A |
94.0% and above |
| A- |
90.0% and above |
| B+ |
87.0% and above |
| B |
84.0% and above |
| B- |
80.0% and above |
| C+ |
77.0% and above |
| C |
74.0% and above |
| C- |
70.0% and above |
| D+ |
67.0% and above |
| D |
64.0% and above |
| D- |
60.0% and above |
| F |
Below 60.0% |
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Laptops and Special Needs
Laptops are permitted, but studies suggest that they lower student performance and grades (e.g., from surfing the web in class, answering email, and other multitasking), so I wouldn't advise bringing one unless you really need it. Also, if you have a disability or any special needs, please notify me and the Dean's Office during the first week of the semester, and I'll do my best to accommodate them. The TAs and I are committed to creating the most inclusive and supportive learning environment possible.
Here's a statement that Wesleyan asks instructors to include in all course syllabi:
It is the policy of Wesleyan University to provide reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities. Students, however, are responsible for registering with Disabilities Services, in addition to making requests known to me in a timely manner. If you require accommodations in this class, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, so that appropriate arrangements can be made. The procedures for registering with Disabilities Services can be found at:
Tentative Course Outline and Readings
Assignments should be read in the order below following each class (except for assignments immediately before an exam, which may be read early if you prefer).
Tuesday, Sep. 7: Introduction
Thursday, Sep. 9: The Social Construction of Reality
Tuesday, Sep. 14: Interpreting Behavior ("Interpersonal Perception Task" DVD) 
Thursday, Sep. 16: Attributional Biases
Tuesday, Sep. 21: The Relationship Between Attitudes and Behavior
Deadline: Random Assignment Assignment Due
- Myers Chapter 4--Behavior and Attitudes (pp. 122-140)
- Myers, D. G. (2001, December). Do we fear the right things? APS Observer, 14(10).
- Optional reading: Larrick, R. P., & Soll, J. B. (2008). The MPG illusion. Science, 320, 1593-1594.
Thursday, Sep. 23: Cognitive Dissonance
Tuesday, Sep. 28: Deindividuation and Dehumanization ("Quiet Rage" Video)
Thursday, Sep. 30: First Examination
Tuesday, Oct. 5: Obedience to Authority ("Obedience" Video)
Thursday, Oct. 7: Conformity ("Candid Camera" DVD Clips)
Tuesday, Oct. 12: Persuasion: An Overview of Tactics
Thursday, Oct. 14: Compliance
Tuesday, Oct. 19: Fall Break!
Thursday, Oct. 21: Negotiation and Group Dynamics ("Abilene Paradox" Video)
Tuesday, Oct. 26: Individual Versus Group Performance (Class Experiment)
- Myers Chapter 8--Group Influence
Thursday, Oct. 28: Group-Level Biases
Tuesday, Nov. 2: The Faces of Prejudice ("A Class Divided" and "Blue Eyed" DVD)
- Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (2003). An ambivalent alliance: Hostile and benevolent sexism as complementary justifications for gender inequality. In S. Plous (Ed.), Understanding prejudice and discrimination (pp. 225-231). New York: McGraw-Hill.
- Gaertner, S. L., Dovidio, J. F., Banker, B. S., Rust, M. C., Nier, J. A., Mottola, G. R., & Ward, C. M. (2003). The challenge of aversive racism: Combating pro-White bias. In S. Plous (Ed.), Understanding prejudice and discrimination (pp. 491-499). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Thursday, Nov. 4: Group Discussion on Discrimination (20/20 DVD Clip on Prejudice)
Tuesday, Nov. 9: Aggression ("Bobo Doll" and "Does TV Kill?" DVDs)
Thursday, Nov. 11: Second Examination
Tuesday, Nov. 16: Attraction and Intimacy
Thursday, Nov. 18: Bystander Intervention ("Brother's Keeper" DVD)
- Myers Chapter 12--Helping
Tuesday, Nov. 23: The Psychology of Giving and Taking
Deadline: Web Interview Assignment Due
- Myers Chapter 15--Social Psychology in Court
Thursday, Nov. 25: Thanksgiving Break!
Tuesday, Nov. 30: Peace and Conflict Resolution
Thursday, Dec. 2: Clinical Applications of Social Psychology
Tuesday, Dec. 7: Tips on Leading a Happy Life
Thursday, Dec. 9: Empathy--A Magic Bullet?
Saturday, Dec. 18: Third Examination
10:00-11:20 am in Shanklin 107 (where class normally meets)
[Note: Please do not ask to take the test early in order to start winter break sooner. The Registrar sets exam times, and even if the TAs and I were able to prepare the exam before the Registrar's stipulated time, administering the test at multiple times would create extra work for the TAs and CAs when they are taking their own exams. We thank you for your understanding.]
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