Vanguard University
School for Professional Studies
Degree Program
“SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
PSYCHOLOGY”
PSYD #432
Student Guide
01/13
Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Social and Cultural Psychology examines interpersonal behavior as it is influenced by
social processes, culture, face-to-face interactions, and personality characteristics.
Among the topics covered are interpersonal and group behavior in relationship to social
values, diversity issues, norms, attitudes, roles, and social needs.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Social and Cultural Psychology examines how people think about, influence, and relate
to one another across various social settings. How such processes are influenced by
social mores, culture, face-to-face interactions and personality is also examined.
The Student will accomplish the following learning outcomes:
1. Describe social psychology and cultural studies in psychology, their place among
related disciplines, and the role of human values and research strategies in
science and practice of social psychology, as demonstrated by performance on
objective test and in class discussion.
2. Apply concepts related to social thinking, defined as the self in a social world,
including concepts such as self-concept, self-efficacy, self-serving bias and selfpresentation as demonstrated by performance on objective test, application
assignments, and in class discussion and activities.
3. Articulate understanding of social and cultural psychological processes from both
Christian and secular worldviews as demonstrated by performance on objective
tests, in class discussion and activities, and in “The Hiding Place” paper
assignment.
4. Demonstrate understanding of the development of social beliefs and judgments,
behavior and attitudes from both Christian and secular worldviews, and ability to
think critically about relevant social psychological and popular media arguments
as demonstrated by performance on objective test and in class discussion and
activities.
5. Apply concepts and issues related to social conformity, including acceptance,
compliance, obedience, persuasion, and group influence as demonstrated by
performance on objective tests, in class discussion and activities, and in “The
Hiding Place” paper assignment.
6. Discuss issues and concepts relevant to interpersonal and intergroup relations,
including issues related to prejudice, aggression, attraction and intimacy, altruism
and conflict resolution, and appreciation of practical steps essential to healthy
relationships between individuals and groups, including diverse social and
cultural groups. Understanding of cultural and social aspects of social relations
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
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will be demonstrated by performance on objective tests, in class discussion and
activities, and in experiential multicultural cultural paper and oral presentation
assignment.
The above Social and Cultural Psychology Student Learning Outcomes also contribute
to accomplishment of overall SLOs of SPS Psychology program, especially SLO 1
(Knowledge Base in Psychology) and SLO 7 (Socio-Cultural and International
Awareness), as well as SLO 3 (Critical Thinking Skills in Psychology), SLO 4
(Application of Psychology), SLO 5 (Values in Psychology), SLO 6 (Communication
Skills) and SLO 8 (Personal Development).
Social and Cultural Psychology class also reflects Vanguard University ETGs:
Intellectual Engagement: Social and Cultural Psychology will help students
understand the world we live in on a macro level
Spiritual Formation: Social and Cultural Psychology will address issues of integration
of psychology and the Christian faith as they relate to secular social theories as well as
assisting students to distinguish between culture and Christian doctrine.
Professional Excellence: Social and Cultural Psychology will help students develop an
understanding of how as Christians and those working in the helping professions we
can better understand and thus accommodate individuals in a holistic manner.
Sociocultural Responsiveness: Social and Cultural Psychology will help students
learn to appreciate cultural diversity through an examination of cultures' differing norms,
or expectations, that guide behavior. Additionally, students will learn to appreciate
differences of race, ethnicity, gender, and age within the biblical vision of inclusiveness
and the equal value of all people.
Responsible Stewardship: Social and Cultural Psychology will help students learn the
importance of developing a lifestyle of personal health and well-being by examining the
ways in which the various aspects of human nature (cognitive, behavioral, biological,
social-cultural, and spiritual) work together on a macro and micro level in our population.
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
TEXTS AND MATERIALS
Required texts:
Myers, D. G. (2012). Social Psychology (11th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Ten Boom, C. (1971/1984). The Hiding Place. Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen/Baker
Books.
COURSE POLICIES
DISABILITY SERVICES
For students with documented medical or psychological disabilities, please
contact the Coordinator of Disability Services to request reasonable
accommodations. The Coordinator of Disability Services is located in the
Counseling Center on the second floor of the Scott Academic Center and can
be reached at extension 4489 or by email at
disabilityservices@vanguard.edu
For students with a documented learning disability who would like to request
appropriate accommodations, please contact the Director of Learning Skills,
located upstairs in Scott Academic Center at extension 2540 or by email at
disabilityservices@vanguard.edu
DIVERISTY STATEMENT
The School for Professional Studies intends to foster a Christ-centered
community that promotes appreciation and respect for individuals, enhances the
potential of all members, and values differences in gender, race, abilities, and
generation. As such, we endeavor to communicate with honesty, to speak with
encouraging and edifying words, and to create a safe environment in our classes and
interactions.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Because this course meets only five times, it is important that students not miss
class unless it is unavoidable. To receive the full participation points students
must arrive on time to class with a working knowledge of each sessions
assignments and they must actively engage in class discussions.
Students who miss more than one class meeting (or more than five class hours)
in any given course will automatically receive a failing grade and need to retake
the course to obtain a passing grade.
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
STUDENT EVALUATION
Students in this course will be evaluated by the College’s 4.0 grading system. You
should refer to the Student Handbook for further details on the grading system.
The following criteria will be used in determining the student’s grade:
Assignment/Grading
4 Quizzes, 60 points each
Application Assignment
Book Report
Multicultural Assignment/Oral Presentation
Attendance/Participation
240
60
200
250/50
200
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS:
1000
Percentages
Points
93-100%
90-92.9%
87-89.9%
83-86.9%
80-82.9%
77-79.9%
73-76.9%
70-72.9%
67-69.9%
63-66.9%
60-62.9%
00-59.9%
930-1000
900-929
870-899
830-869
800-829
770-799
730-769
700-729
670-699
630-669
600-629
000-599
Points
Date Due
Week 2, 3, 4, and 5
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Weeks 1-5
STUDENT EVALUATION
Grade
Significance
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Exceptional
GPA
4.00
3.67
3.33
Above Average 3.00
2.67
2.33
Average
2.00
1.67
1.33
Below Average 1.00
0.67
Failure
0.00
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS AND POLICIES
Quizzes. Four brief 15 question multiple choice style quizzes will be given in weeks 2,
3, 4, and 5 to cover the reading in Social Psychology. Quizzes will be administered in
the beginning of the class.
Application Assignment. Students will apply principles of Social Psychology to the
real world and submit brief descriptions of their experience. This assignment is due in
Wk. 3.
You will select one of the of the ideas below, perform a norm-related or a social
influence related activity (or another activity of your choice approved by your professor),
and prepare a 2-3 minute class presentation and a 1-page reflection paper.
Violate a social norm (for more basic violations, repeat the action 4-5 times)
 Face the back in the elevator (4-5 observations).
 Stand right next to someone in the elevator even though there is plenty of space
(4-5 observations).
 Violate someone’s personal space when standing in line, having a conversation
or in another public situation (4-5 observations).
 When people ask how are you doing, tell them in detail about your day.
 At church or school, sit in “someone else’s” seat.
 Order and eat dessert first.
 Bring your own cheese to the burger place and ask them to put it on your
hamburger.
 Use formal eating etiquette when eating at a casual place or with friends and
family.
 Use poor table manners when in a more formal setting (e.g., eat with your
hands).
 Wear formal clothes to the a casual event.
 Finish every sentence (including addressing strangers) with “sweetie”.
Demonstrate social influence:


Try to persuade others to do an activity of your choice (see a movie, visit a
restaurant, volunteer, clean up the house, redecorate the office, etc).
Try to resist social influence (do not see a movie if you would rather stay home,
do not buy products someone is trying to sell you, say “no” to a coworker, etc).
Etc! Please do not do anything illegal or dangerous.
Presentation (20 pts):
 Describe the phenomenon (find the info in the text) and your expectations
regarding the people’s reactions to your behavior.
 Describe what you did.
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
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
Describe what happened – did most people conform to expectations? If not, why
do you think they didn’t? What do you experience (feelings, thinking) while doing
the assignment. How could your reaction be explained based on course
material?
This presentation needs to be very brief and very clear, and between 2-3 minutes.
You may use handout or Power Point if you wish, but the only illustration you need
is a picture of yourself doing the assignment.
Paper (40 pts):
 In the introduction, introduce phenomenon you explored ( in one or two brief
paragraphs). DO cite Myers here!
 In the method, describe what you did, people you included, and why you chose
those people.
 In the results, describe what did people do, what was their reaction. Did it go as
planned? Statistics/averages may be good to include too, if appropriate/possible.
 Finally, the discussion section should simply focus on whether or not the demo
“worked” overall, why you think it did (or didn’t), and your reaction to your own
behavior and experience in light of social psychology.
The paper does not need to be longer that 1, maximum 2 pages. The paper will be
graded on organization, clarity, analysis of the situation, and integration of course
material/relevant concepts.
Book Report: All students will complete a 5-7 page paper on the book The Hiding
Place. This paper should be in APA format and should include the following points:
- A Brief Summary of the Book
- An analysis of the book from a Social Psychology theoretical perspective (i.e.,
what theories were in action, how core principles of social influence, social
conformity, etc. apply to situations described in the book). You must include,
define and discuss at least 2 relevant social psychological principles/concepts.
- Describe how God’s commandments challenge us to combat such principles
(i.e., social influence, Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Social Conformity,
Persuasion, Obedience to Authority, etc.).
- Describe what you see as the main point the author is trying to communicate to
the reader.
APA Style - 50 maximum points possible
Summary - 50 maximum points possible
Social Psychological Analysis - 50 maximum points possible
God’s Influence - 25 maximum points possible
Author’s Main Point - 25 maximum points possible
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
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Multicultural Assignment – All students will attend a multicultural event (event must
be approved by the professor), which will challenge the student’s previously-held
assumptions about a particular race. Examples include spending the day in China
town, attending a church service of another culture, eating at an ethnic restaurant in an
ethnic neighborhood, spending time with a co-workers family, etc. Students will write a
4-5 page paper on this adventure, which will include the following:
Assumptions/Stereotypes held before - 25
Appropriateness of event for meeting assignment goals - 25
Detailed description of event - 50
Description of personal experience (reflection) - 50
Theoretical integration (you can relate your experience to some theory/ies) - 25
Discussion and summary - 25
Writing style (grammar, style, clarity, organization) - 50
Oral presentation – 50
The length of the oral presentation may vary based on the number of students in the
cohort, and will be announced by the professor (generally 5-10 minutes).
While this paper will not have the structure of APA research paper, standard APA
requirements regarding formatting (e.g., margins, font, page numbering) still apply.
The oral presentation should include an introduction, body (consisting of personal
reactions and one main point about what you wish to convey), and conclusion, allowing
time for class questions and brief discussion.
The main point being communicated should be clear to both the speaker and the
audience, and should clearly relate to the course content.
Student Assignments due by week:
Week 1:
Read Social Psychology, Ch. 1-3
Week 2:
Read Social Psychology, Ch.4-6
Quiz 1
Week 3:
Read Social Psychology, Ch.7-9
Quiz 2, application assignment due.
Week 4:
Read Social Psychology, Ch.10-13
Quiz 3; Book Report Due
Week 5:
Read Social Psychology, Ch. 14-16
Quiz 4 Multicultural Assignment Due
Oral presentations
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
LOGISTICS CHART
Hour
1
Week 1
Social
Psychology:
Introduction
Week 2
Quiz 1
Behavior and
Attitudes
Week 3
Quiz 2
Persuasion
Week 4
Quiz 3
Agression
Week 5
Quiz 4
Applied
Social
Psychology
Presentations
2
Basic
Concepts and
Research
Genes,
Culture, and
Gender
Group
Influence
Attraction
Optional Video
3
The Self
Conformity
Prejudice
Altruism
Presentations
Video
Video
Conflict and
Peacemaking
Hiding Place
Discussion;
Optional Video
Presentations
Video
4
Social Beliefs
and
Judgments
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
WEEK ONE
TOPICS:
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Social Thinking
Social Psychology: Basic Concepts and Research
The Self
Social Beliefs and Judgments
Video
ASSIGNMENTS DUE:
Social Psychology, Chapters 1-3
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
WEEK TWO
TOPICS:
Social Thinking (cont.) and Social Influence
Behavior and Attitudes
Genes, Culture, and Gender
Conformity
Video
ASSIGNMENTS DUE:
Social Psychology, Chapters 4 – 6
Quiz 1
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
WEEK THREE
TOPICS:
Social Influence (cont.) and Social Relations
Persuasion
Group Influence
Prejudice
Video
ASSIGNMENTS DUE:
Social Psychology, Chapters 7-9
Quiz 2, Application Assignment
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
WEEK FOUR
TOPICS:
SOCIAL RELATIONS (cont.)
Aggression
Attraction
Helping
Conflict and Peacemaking
Discussion of The Hiding Place
Optional Video
ASSIGNMENTS DUE:
Social Psychology, Chapters 10-13
Quiz 3, Book Report
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Social and Cultural Psychology: Student Guide
Vanguard University
WEEK FIVE
TOPICS:
Applied Social Psychology
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
ASSIGNMENTS DUE:
Social Psychology, Chapters 14-16
Quiz 4
Multicultural Assignment
Oral Presentations
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