PSY 2120: Social Psychology
SPRING 2015 (ONLINE)
**IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU PRINT THIS SO THAT YOU HAVE A HARD COPY
TO REFER TO AT ALL TIMES.**
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor:
Michael Sakuma, PhD
Email:
sakumam@dowling.edu, michaelsakuma@mac.com
NOTE: PUT 2120 student in all subject headers
Office Hours: I endeavor to respond to all email within 24-48 hours. Office hours in
person can
be arranged and, in fact, is encouraged.
Phone:
(206) 437-1937
Check blackboard announcements for up to date current information for this class.
EXTERNAL WEBSITE FOR THE CLASS- has links to materials and podcast
www.livingtotem.com/dowling/2120SP15O/
Course Description
This course offers a broad introduction to social psychology, the scientific study of
human social influence and interaction. We will explore the various ways people think
about, affect, and relate to one another. The course will cover topics such as the social
self-concept, social judgment, attitudes, persuasion, conformity, aggression, helping
behavior, prejudice, and interpersonal relationships. The goals of this course are to (a)
improve your understanding of social psychological explanations for social influence and
interaction and to (b) improve your understanding of the research methodologies
commonly used to understand social influence and interaction.
Texts/Materials
Required*: Kassin/Fein/Markus. Social Psychology. Cengage. 9th Edition.
NOTE: YOU MAY GET the 8th edition- Which will be much cheaper (check amazon.com and
abebooks.com). You will get more out of the class this way (and possibly be able to get a book,
just a few years old, real cheap). Trust me, it will make your life easier for just a few dollars. You
may pass the course without the book, but it is highly unlikely that you will do well and you
definitely will not learn as much.
Course Calendar
TOPIC
Week 1
INTRODUCTION
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1
OPEN
CLOSE
26-Jan
2-Feb
SYLLABUS
Week 2
RESEARCH
2
2-Feb
9-Feb
Week 3
Self
3
16-Feb
Week 4
Perception
4
Week 5
Test 1
9-Feb
16Feb
23Feb
2-Mar
9-Mar
9-Mar
16-Mar
Week 6
Week 7
attitudes
Conformity
Week 8
Group Process
Week 9
Test 2
Week 10
SPRING BREAK
Week 11
Stereotypes
Week 12
Attraction
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
6
7
8
16Mar
23Mar
30Mar
23-Feb
2-Mar
23-Mar
30-Mar
6-Apr
6-Apr
13-Apr
9 13-Apr
20-Apr
Helping Others
10 20-Apr
27-Apr
Aggression
FINAL
11 27-Apr
4-May
4-May
7-May
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SYLLABUS
Grading Policy
You will be able to track your grade throughout the term. Grades will be determined by
your performance on two midterms, a final exam, and weekly assignments that combine
for a fourth assessment. Assignments combine for your score by the following rubric:
EXAM 1
25% 1 per term
EXAM 2
25% 1 per term
EXAM 3 FINAL
25% 1 per term
Discussion Board 10
assignments
10% WEEKLY
Paper
15% 1 per term
Alternate Assignments 8/10 done increases
grade 1/2 step.
WEEKLY
Each student is responsible for:
•
Completing reading assignments and discussion board
•
Completing THREE examinations
•
Communicating with me consistently so that I know when there is a problem and we
can figure out how to fix it. Emailing me is the best way to contact me.
Attendance
Professors are required to keep attendance records and report absences throughout the term.
Excused absences can be granted for medical reasons, school sponsored activities, and
employment-related demands including temporary duty. Attendance will be taken at the
beginning of each class.
GRADES:
Discussion Board
We are using a discussion board for this class (see your turnitin.com account). There are 10
conversations- your task is to add to the conversation, weekly in a meaningful way. The minimum
length of contribution is something like 20 words (so something like “i agree” wouldn’t count). I
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SYLLABUS
want you to be able to add something meaningful- like something you learned somewhere else,
something you found on the internet (with a description) something you are having trouble
understanding (so someone else can help you)... think of it as having class discussion outside of
class. You are constrained by the topic (i.e. don’t change the subject to schizophrenia in the
anxiety discussion thread) but what you talk about, and what you choose to share is entirely up to
you. I especially like when people bring in things from other places and we learn from each
other- or bring an idea in a different way that helps someone understand (other than the way I
have chosen to present it). I will close the threads as we move along (usually after the test of that
material). Make sure you keep up because YOU CANNOT GO BACKWARDS (i.e. if you get to
the end of the semester, and realize that you never participated, I will not reward you and
(functionally) punish people who did the work on time by allowing you to fill in the gaps later on. If
you stay on top of things, this avoids the whole problem, and my job as being fair to all is made
easy.
You must participate in all 10. You will get a 3 if your contribution is outstanding (rare) 2 if your
contribution is novel/helpful or insightful (likely). 1 if it seems to me that you didn’t think much
about the task (likely if you don’t think about your response) and 0 if you didn’t do it at all (definite
if you don’t do it) . I cannot tell you when the discussion thread will close but it will not close
before the week that it is discussed, and it will likely be around the time of the test for that
material.
Tests: MC and Essay
Paper: This paper is designed for you to demonstrate understanding of key Social Psychological
concepts and to apply these concepts to your lives. You will be given a list of 60 topics. You must
choose 10 on which to do your paper. This paper is due on 5/1/15 .
The paper is to be 10 pages in length, about a page for each of the 10 concepts you choose to
explain. For each concept, you will write about a page that describes the concept and explain
how some event in your own life can be described/explained by this concept. In other words,
you have to relate the concepts you choose to yourself, in some meaningful way. Note- copied
definitions or word-for-word thoughtless descriptions of the concepts will get an automatic zero
for that definition. Your papers will be uploaded to turnitin.com so this will be easy to detect.
The choice of specific Social Psychological topics is up to you, choose 10 concepts from the list
of 60 topics on the next page :
Self Esteem
Conformity
Self Fulfilling Prophecy
Obedience
Self Handicapping
Central Route Persuasion
Hindsight Bias
Peripheral Route Persuasion
Memory Construction
Cult Indoctrination
Locus of Control
Attitude Inoculation
Self Serving Bias
Disclosure Reciprocity in Relationships
Learned Helplessness
Reward Theory of Attraction
Impression Management
Physical Attractiveness Stereotype
Fundamental Attribution Error
Matching Phenomenon
Cognitive Dissonance
Social Exchange Theory
Self Perception Theory
Passionate Love
Attitude Formation
Two Factor Theory of Emotion
The link between opinion and actions
Explanatory Style
Foot in the Door Phenomenon
Depression
Gender Roles
Happiness
Evolutionary Psychology
Cultural Differences
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SYLLABUS
Gender Differences
Social Time
Social Distance (proxemics)
Social Facilitation
Evaluation Apprehension
Deindividuation
Discrimination
Anonymity and Behavior
Prejudice
Racism
Sexism
Discrimination
Realistic Group Conflict Theory
Group Behavior
Social Loafing
Group Polarization
Group Think
Psychological Reactance
Learning of Aggression
Psychological Influences of Aggression
Observational Learning
Displacement and Aggression
Media Exposure and Aggression
Altruism
Bystander Effects in Helping
Social Responsibility Norm
IS THERE BONUS FOR THIS CLASS? Bonus is something that I like to offer
to highly motivated students, not to ones that do not make time to do the
regular requirements of the class
That said, if you use an alternate assignment to make up for a
missed assignment, there is no bonus opportunity.

If you do all the regular assignments and 8/10 the alternate
assignments I will bump up your grade 1/2 step (i.e. if your final
average is a b+, you will get an a-).
These assignments (listed on the external website) are readings that
you do that pertain to the topic we are doing. Answer the
questions at the end of the reading to complete the assignment
(and send the answers to me).
You do not need to do these every week, however, you cannot do them
all at the end. You may do any of them before the first exam and
only up until the first exam. Then the second batch opens and is
good up to the second exam and so on. So, if the first exam is in
week 6 and you have 6 alternate assignments at that time, you can
do any of the 6 up until the first test. When we start the material
for the second test, you cannot go back and do any of the first 6.
REFERENCE:
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SYLLABUS
Course Policies
Submission of Work:
 A class week is defined as the period of time between Monday 12:01 am EST and
Sunday at 11:59 PM EST. The first week begins the first day of the term/semester.
Assignments scheduled for completion during a class week should be completed and
successfully submitted by the posted due date.
 Create a back up file of every piece of work you submit for grading. This will ensure that a
computer glitch or a glitch in cyberspace won't erase your efforts.
 When files are sent attached to an email, the files should be in either Microsoft Word,
RTF, txt, or PDF file formats. MAKE SURE WORK IS NOT IN Microsoft Works format
(WPS).
•
Submission of Late Work: Late work will only be accepted with permission granted
beforehand via email. No exceptions can be made in fairness to the class.


General email: Students should use email for private messages. When sending email
other than assignments, please identify yourself fully by name and class in all
emails.
Please check the Announcements area before you ask general course questions (i.e.
how do I submit assignment 3?). If you don't see your question there, then please
contact me.
What to do if you experience technical problems

If you experience computer difficulties (need help downloading a browser or plug-in, you
need help logging into the course, or if you experience any errors or problems while in your
Online course, click on the button in your Online Classroom, then click on the help desk menu
item, and then fill out the form or call the help desk for assistance.
 If the issue is preventing you from submitting or completing any coursework, contact me
immediately.
DISABILITY GUIDELINES
 Dowling College is committed to meeting the needs of all students that meet the criteria
for special assistance. These guidelines are designed to supply directions to students
concerning the information necessary to accomplish this goal. If you have questions,
please contact Student Services 631 244 3144.
Academic Honesty
Academic integrity is the foundation of the academic community. Because each student has the
primary responsibility for being academically honest, students are advised to read and
understand all sections of this policy relating to standards of conduct and academic life.
Academic dishonesty includes committing or the attempt to commit cheating, plagiarism, falsifying
academic records, and other acts intentionally designed to provide unfair advantage to the
students.
 Cheating includes, but is not limited to, intentionally giving or receiving unauthorized aid
or notes on examinations, papers, laboratory reports, exercises, projects, or class
assignments which are intended to be individually completed. Cheating also includes the
unauthorized copying of tests or any other deceit or fraud related to the student's
academic conduct.
 Plagiarism involves the use of quotation without quotation marks, the use of quotations
without indication of the source, the use of another's idea without acknowledging the
source, the submission of a paper, laboratory report, project, or class assignments (any
portion of such) prepared by another person, or incorrect paraphrasing.
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SYLLABUS


Falsifying academic records includes, but is not limited to, altering grades or other
academic records.
Other acts that constitute academic dishonesty include:
o Stealing, manipulating, or interfering with an academic work of another student or
faculty member.
o Collusion with other students on work to be completed by one student.
o Lying to or deceiving a faculty member.
In the event of alleged academic dishonesty, an Academic Dishonesty Incident Report will be
submitted to the Dean of students.
TURNITIN.COM INFORMATION
I will send you an invitation to the class (to your dowling.edu account so make sure this is active).
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SYLLABUS