WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
Phoenix Campus
School of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging, learning-focused and distinctively Christian
environment for professional success and service to God and humankind.
PSYC 4310 Social Psychology (SOCI 4310)
TERM: Summer 2015
Instructor: Mike Spector
Contact Information: 602-653-6240 (cell) Email: mikespector08@gmail.com
Office Hours: set up via e-mail. Will respond within 24 hours and can meet students at Wayland Phoenix Campus, through e-mail, or
by phone at a mutually agreeable time
Class Time and Location: Wayland Phoenix Campus
Week 1: May 29,30 (Friday: 5:30pm – 9:30pm / Saturday 8:00am – 4:00pm)
Week 9: July 24,25 (Friday: 5:30pm – 9:30pm / Saturday 8:00am – 4:00pm)
Catalog Description: Individual experience and behavior in social situations with an emphasis on experimental procedures for
determining the nature of interpersonal relationships.
Prerequisite: PYSC 1301 or consent of instructor
Textbook: Social Psychology, Myers, McGraw-Hill, 11th Edition, 2012, ISBN 9780078035296
Optional Materials:
Course outcome competencies: the student will understand and be able to:
1. Demonstrate through field experiments, through class discussion, and in their portfolios critical thinking, by applying social
psychological phenomena to movies, books, and other projects as assigned.
2. Demonstrate through class discussion, and in their scholarly papers understanding of the major concepts and theoretical
framework of Social Psychology and the empirical research that evaluates these concepts.
Attendance: Students enrolled at one of the University’s external campuses should make every effort to attend all class meetings. All
absences must be explained to the instructor, who will then determine whether the omitted work may be made up. When a student
reaches that number of absences considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and file an
unsatisfactory progress report with the campus dean. Any student who misses 25 percent or more of the regularly scheduled class
meetings may receive a grade of F in the course. Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the
course syllabus, are considered a part of the University’s attendance policy.
Additional attendance policies: Attendance for on-site sessions mandatory. Regular weekly participation for online portion a must.
Service for the Disabled: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), it is the policy of Wayland Baptist
University that no otherwise qualified person with a disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be
subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the university. The Coordinator of Counseling Services serves
as the coordinator of students with a disability and should be contacted concerning accommodation requests at (806) 2913765. Documentation of a disability must accompany any request for accommodations.
Course requirements:
Students are expected to attend all “face to face” meetings. If a student is absent—excused or unexcused—it is his/her responsibility
to get notes from another classmate. Again, because of the scarcity in meeting times, it is the student’s responsibility to stay on top of
the readings.
There will be one field research assignment that will be due mid-semester (3-5 page paper) and a final paper (8-10 pages) due July 25.
Additionally presentations will be made based on that final paper during our call meeting on July 26.
Both assignments will be discussed in detail during the first class meeting and should cite references to the assigned weekly readings
and demonstrate connections between each student’s research and the theoretical framework defined through the readings.
Method of determining course grade:
Grading will be determined by three components; participation in both the face-to-face and online meetings, original research
demonstrated through the midterm project and final paper, and theoretical knowledge also demonstrated through the midterm project
and final paper.
The University has a standard grade scale:
A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F= below 60, W = Withdrawal, WP = withdrew passing, WF = withdrew failing, I =
incomplete. An incomplete may be given within the last two weeks of a long term or within the last two days of a microterm to a
student who is passing, but has not completed a term paper, examination, or other required work for reasons beyond the student’s
control. A grade of “incomplete” is changed if the work required is completed prior to the last day of the next long (10 to 15 weeks)
term, unless the instructor designates an earlier date for completion. If the work is not completed by the appropriate date, the I is
converted to an F.
Instructor's policy on Academic Dishonesty:
All papers, research, etc. should solely be the work of the student. There will be zero tolerance for plagiarism. Depending on the
severity, using another’s ideas as one’s own could result in a rewrite, zero, and/or referral to the dean. Collective work should be
attributed accordingly All written assignments will require a reference page.
Tentative Schedule (subject to change!):
Week 1 (5/30-5/31): Orientation, expectations, field assignment and final paper assignment; Read Chapters 1 and 9
Week 2 (6/2): Chapters 9 discussion part one
Week 3 (6/9): Chapters 9 discussions part two
Week 4 (6/16): Chapters 4 discussion part one
Week 5 (6/23): Chapters 4 discussions part two
Week 6 (6/30): Field Research paper due
Week 7 (7/7): Chapters 12 discussion part one
Week 8 (7/14 Chapters 12 discussion part two
Week 9 (7/25-7/26): Final Paper due, Chapter 16
Week 10 (8/4): Reflections
Additional Information: This is a tentative schedule. If the class needs to spend more time on an interesting topic, adjustments may
be made.