Psychology 2400
Social Psychology - Service-Learning
Fall 2013
Lectures: T/TH 1:35 – 3:05pm
School of Education, Room 112
Instructor:
Office:
Email:
Phone:
Office hours:
Dr. Sadie Leder
336C Roberts Hall
sleder@highpoint.edu
(336) 841-9430
TBA and by appointment
Required Text:
Kassin, S., Fein, S., & Markus H. R. (2010). Social Psychology (8th edition). New York: Wadsworth,
Publishing. (ISBN: 0-495-81240-4)
Course Webpage: (http://blackboard.highpoint.edu)
It is important to check the course website regularly in order to get important announcements, lecture
notes, and grades. This is also where you can access class assignments and homework.
Course Description:
Social psychology examines how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by various aspects
of our social contexts, including the people and situations that we encounter in our environments. The
goal of this course is for students to gain both an applied and theoretical understanding of social
psychological concepts, including altruism, social influence, aggression, prejudice, perception, attitudes,
interpersonal attraction, and group decision-making. Emphasis will be placed on gaining an
understanding of the major theories, research methods, and findings in social psychology.
We will also focus on the development of critical thinking skills and the application of social
psychological principles to our everyday lives. In particular, this service-learning course will ask students
to consider the role that social context plays in the motivation of both pro-social & and negative behavior,
the treatment of stigmatized vs. privileged group members, as well as grapple with the moral question of
how they are not only influenced by their environments, but shape them in return. Students will immerse
themselves in service that asks them to step outside their typical surroundings. Through observation and
interaction with individuals who may be of different political, racial, socioeconomic, or regional
affiliation, they should develop a deeper understanding of the course material and character development
that extends far beyond the scope of this semester-long experience.
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Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course you should be able to: (1) demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts,
theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings within the study of social psychology; (2) employ critical
and creative thinking to explain the powerful influence that people have on each other’s attitudes, feelings,
and behaviors, (3) articulate how hands-on participation in service-learning facilitates an interdisciplinary
understanding of the relationship between social psychology and other programs of study, (4) identify
moral and social issues, as well as work to apply research in social psychology to these important topics
both inside and outside of the classroom, (5) undertake upper-level college coursework that builds from
the basic principles of social psychology, and (6) understand how the tools of social psychology help each
of us better serve our community .
Service Learning Procedures:
The service work is a critical component for allowing students to understand how the lessons presented in
class are related to real life outcomes. To get a true sense of psychology as a science, it is important for
students to immerse themselves in the experience and become familiar with how our thoughts and
behaviors are a manifestation of a number of personal and social elements. Accordingly, all students in
this course are required to spend 25 hours in service to the organization with which they are paired. Before
beginning their service hours, students will be introduced to a representative of the organization, receive
an orientation to service learning as a teaching pedagogy, agree to the Service Learning Code of
Professional and Ethical Behavior, and sign a Partnership Agreement. All students must begin their
service learning experience by Thursday, Sept 5th, as it is necessary for the required Weekly Service
Learning Reflections.
This experience should provide a more meaningful understanding of the course material, allowing for
more personal and informative in-class discussions, a deeper degree of contemplation for course
assignments, and a more lasting impact on their character development as they work to transition into
civically engaged and responsible adults.
Service learning is not an internship or simply volunteering – it is a pedagogical model that will
deepen your understanding of the course material by exposing you first-hand to the ethical issues
we discuss in class. You will perform service work that aids our local community and that service
work will advance your thinking about ethics and education.
The following Venn Diagram illustrates the three central components of a service learning
pedagogy and how it is different from other activities. The Diagram is a synthesis of two sources:
http://www.csus.edu/cec/director_msg.stm
and
http://mgmoses.com/Jumpstart/SectionII/Chap1%20Overview%20SL/Defining_SL.html
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Our community partner this semester is:
The Salvation Army’s Boys & Girls Club
http://www.salvationarmycarolinas.org/commands/highpoint/bgc
121 Southwest Cloverleaf Twice
High Point, NC 27263
881-5444
Course Requirements:
Exams. There will be three exams. Exams will be a combination of multiple-choice and short
answer/short essay questions. These exams will cover ALL lecture and text material covered prior to the
exam date. Exams (including the final exam) will NOT be cumulative. Please note that these exams are
challenging and will require you to learn quite a bit of information as well as to apply this information in
novel contexts. Exams are scheduled to take 90 minutes, and all students must begin the exam at the
scheduled class time. No student will be permitted to start the exam after the first person has finished and
handed their exam in, and NO exam will be accepted for late credit.
Make-up Exams: Make-up exams are granted only for legitimate reasons as per University
sanctions. Except for in the case of an emergency, students should notify the instructor prior to missing an
exam to schedule a make-up. The instructor reserves the right to decide when a make-up exam is
appropriate and may administer the make-up exam in a different format from the original exam.
Weekly Reflections. Each week I would like for you to complete an online journaling activity.
Essentially, you will use our blackboard course website to complete weekly “thought papers.” In these
assignments, I would like for you to reflect on how your service-learning experience relates to the material
presented in class. The goal is to get students to critically consider how social psychology theories relate
to and impact not only their own lives, but those of the people around them. Your service-learning
experience should provide you with the opportunity ponder a number of ethical questions related to how
one’s situation or environment may shape their opportunities and experiences. Some questions will relate
specifically to a particular topic covered in the course, like stereotypes and prejudice or helping behaviors,
while others are applicable to the overarching, broader topic of social psychology. I would love to see you
critically examine both the ethical and psychological relevance of your experience.
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At the end of the semester, students will be asked to review each of their weekly entries in
preparation for one final meta-reflection. At this point, students will be asked to put into their own
words what they have gained from the opportunity to participate in both class lectures and service-learning
experiences. All entries will be private, so they will only be viewed by you and the instructor. Entries
should be at least a half a typed page, double-spaced for full credit (minimum 250 words). Entries that are
short or late will be penalized. Entries over 3 days late may not be accepted for credit.
Group presentation. During the regularly scheduled final exam period for our class, we will
meet for presentations. For this assignment, groups of 3-5 students will be formed by the professor. The
students will make formal presentations describing the kind of service work performed and the role such
service and the partnering organizations played in furthering their understanding of social psychology.
Whether examining the influence of social pressures on conformity and obedience or the context of the
situation in the demonstration of helping behaviors, group members will select one topic that they can
collaborate on. Groups will be required to meet with the professor outside of class to review the selected
topic and proposed presentation. Students will jointly give a 30-45 minute presentation on how their
service experience related to what they have learned this semester in class. A student's grade for the
project will be based on evaluations of the quality of the information prepared and presented (as judged by
the instructor) and evaluations of a student’s contribution to the final project (as judged by the student's team
members). Each student will receive an individual grade for the project based. Additional grading
guidelines include: (1) the quality of the description of service work completed and its value, (2) the
understanding of social psychological principles, (3) the depth of reflection on the relationship between who
we are and what we do as it is shaped by situational influences, and (4) creativity and professionalism of
the presentation. Students should dress up as if they were going to a business interview. The presentation
should be well-practiced. Those who do not present as part of their group project will lose all points
associated with that portion of the assignment.
Homework: Students will complete assignments that explore psychological principles and
demonstrate how the topics discussed in class influence life outside of the classroom. Specific
instructions and due dates for each exercise will be given when the exercise is assigned. Late exercises
will be penalized, and assignments more than 3 days late may not be accepted for credit.
Attendance: Your attendance for each class is mandatory. I will circulate an attendance sheet
during each class, and it is your responsibility to sign the sheet before you leave. Signing another
individual’s name, regardless of intent, is a violation of the University Honor Code and will be treated as
such. Students who miss 2 consecutive classes or who miss more than 3 total classes will have their
names submitted to the University as part of the Academic Alert/Class Attendance Probation Program. In
this class, two tardies will equal one absence. Please note that High Point University does not excuse any
student for being absent. Students are requested to send me an email prior to being absent in class.
Extra Credit: I will also provide opportunities to earn extra credit points in this course. If you
miss any of the extra credit activities, there is no way to make them up.
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Your final grade for this course will be calculated using the following formula:
Exam #1
Exam #2
Exam #3
Group Presentation
Weekly Reflections
Homework
Class Participation
Total
20%
20%
20%
20%
10%
8%
2%
100%
-
Grading scale for this course is as follows:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
Percentage
100-93
92-90
89-87
86-83
82-80
79-77
Grade
C
CD+
D
DF
Percentage
76-73
72-70
69-67
66-63
60-62
Below 60
Class Preparation and Conduct:
In order to get the most out of this course, you will need to read assigned material prior to coming to class.
The class presentations are designed to present important topics, clarify difficult concepts, and expand on
key issues from the text. However, due to time limitations, not everything from the text will be
discussed in class. Therefore, if you have not read the text, you may find class presentations fast-paced
and hard to follow. If you begin to feel lost, please come to see me as soon as possible.
As class time is so valuable, disrespectful behavior will not be permitted. Activities like sleeping,
emailing, and texting are not only disruptive to your acquisition of knowledge, but they disturb/distract
your classmates. At the beginning of each class, cell phones and similar devices should be turned off and
computer use should be limited to class relevant activities (NOT email, IM, or social networking). If I
feel that your behavior is disrespectful or disruptive to the class, I reserve the right to ask you to stop what
you are doing, hand over the device for the remainder of class, and/or possibly leave the class. Disruptive
behavior (including texting) will be reflected negatively in your class participation grade.
Policies on Cheating:
Any acts of cheating, plagiarism, or collusion are inconsistent with the maintenance of academic integrity
and direct violations of the University Honor Code. All members of the University community are honor
bound to refrain from such behaviors and honor bound to confront any violation of the University Honor
Code. Consequently, cheating, plagiarism, and collusion will not be tolerated in this course and the
instructor will impose or seek to impose all relevant sanctions which are deemed appropriate by the
instructor and/or the University Honor Code. You are responsible for understanding what behaviors
constitute cheating, plagiarism, or collusion.
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Service Learning Agreements:
All students in the course will be required to abide by the policies set forth by the HPU Service
Learning Program in its Code of Professional and Ethical Behavior and Partnership Agreement.
Students will sign the documents near the start of the semester. Failure to abide by these policies
will be treated as a breach of the University’s Honor Code and students may be referred to the
Honor Council for punishment. Students are expected to take the initiative to complete their
service hours, and they are responsible for the penalties to their grades if they do not complete
the hours.
Disability Support Program:
Students who require classroom accommodations due to a diagnosed disability must submit the
appropriate documentation to Disability Support in the Office of Academic Development, 4th Floor Smith
Library. Requests for accommodations should be made at the beginning of a course. Accommodations
are not retroactive. Contact Rita Sullivant, Coordinator of Disability Support, rsulliva@highpoint.edu,
336-841-9061 for additional information.
Course Evaluations:
All students are expected to complete course evaluations in the week preceding final exams. These
evaluations, which are delivered online, are an important part of High Point University’s assessment
program. Your cooperation in completing them is greatly appreciated. As the end of the semester draws
near, you will receive information from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment about how to
complete online evaluations.
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Social Psychology – Fall 2013
Tentative Class Schedule
Date
Tues 8/20
Thurs 8/22
Tues 8/27
Thurs 8/29
Tues 9/3
Thurs 9/5
Tues 9/10
Thurs 9/12
Tues 9/17
Thurs 9/19
Tues 9/24
Thurs 9/26
Tues 10/1
Thurs 10/3
Tues 10/8
Thurs 10/10
Tues 10/15
Thurs 10/17
Tues 10/22
Thurs 10/24
Tues 10/29
Thurs 10/31
Tues 11/5
Thurs 11/7
Tues 11/12
Thurs 11/14
Tues 11/19
Thurs 11/21
Tues 11/26
Thurs 11/28
Tues 12/3
FINAL EXAM TIME
Topic
Introduction & What is Social Psychology
Social Psychology, cont.
Introduction to Service-Learning
The Social Self
The Social Self
Self
Person Perception
Perception
Exam #1
Stereotypes, Prejudice, Discrimination
Stereotypes
Stereotypes
Attitudes
Attitudes
Conformity
Conformity
Fall Break – No Class
Fall Break – No Class
Conformity
Exam #2
Group Processes
Group Processes
Group Processes
Attraction
Attraction
Attraction
Attraction
Prosocial Behavior
Prosocial Behavior
Thanksgiving Holiday – No Class
Exam #3
Group Presentations
Reading
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
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SERVICE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Student Name: ___________________________________________________________
Student phone: _____________________ Student e-mail: _________________________
Agency: ________________________________________________________________
Part I: Students are expected to:








Abide by the Service Learning Code of Professional and Ethical Behavior.
Fulfill the minimum requirement of service hours listed in the syllabus during the semester in
which the class is taken.
Communicate with the Service Learning liaison and site supervisor about any scheduling changes.
Fulfill all agreed upon duties and responsibilities at the service placement.
Be open to learning about cultures and lifestyles that are different from their own.
Speak with their supervisor and/or instructor if uncomfortable or uncertain about what they are to
do while at their site.
Respect the confidentiality of the people served.
Participate in the evaluation process at the beginning and end of the semester.
Part II: Community Partners are expected to:







Communicate with the Service Learning liaison about available service hours.
Orient students to the agency’s mission and goals so that they may better understand their role
within the agency.
Provide work that is significant and challenging to the students, as well as conducive to learning
and reflection.
Provide training, supervision, feedback, and resources for the students to succeed during their
service experience.
Ensure a safe work environment and reasonable hours for the students to perform their service.
Hold students accountable for completing the minimum requirement for service hours.
Complete a Service Learning Placement Contract with each student at the beginning of the
semester and a Service Learning Placement Work Assessment at the end of the semester.
Part III: Agreement
Please indicate and record your consent by signing below. Please retain copies for your own records.
Students should submit a copy to the instructor as soon as possible.
_____ Students check here if you are willing to allow your journal entries and any other reflections on the
work of the agency to be shared with a representative from the agency.
Student signature: ________________________________________________ Date: _____________
Supervisor signature: _____________________________________________ Date: _____________
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