QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
SOCY 273 – SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
WINTER 2015
Tuesdays 8:30-10:00 am, Fridays 10:00-11:30 am
Botterell Hall, B147
Instructor: Robyn Saaltink
Email: 0rrs@queensu.ca
Office: Mackintosh-Corry - C503
Office hours: Tuesdays 10:00-12:00, or by appointment
TA Contact Information:
Midori Ogasawara - 4mo9@queensu.ca; Alana Saulnier - 12as32@queensu.ca
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
This course draws on both sociological and psychological perspectives to introduce major areas
of social psychological research and theory (e.g. identity, attraction, prosocial behavior,
attitudes). In general, the course involves exploration of and critical reflection on what varied,
and often conflicting, social research tells us about ways that social structures, everyday
interactions, and other people shape and impact our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. In
addition to applying research and theory to explain the micro-relations of our everyday lives, this
course will include emphasis on the ways social psychological practices and findings themselves
might contribute to our everyday experiences.
By the end of the semester, students should be able to:
 Identify assumptions, methods, and arguments pertaining to various approaches to major
areas of social psychological research and theory (e.g. self and identity, attraction,
attitudes)
 Evaluate social psychological research to identify strengths and limitations
 Compare and contrast divergent paradigms, theories, and studies
 Apply social psychological concepts and theories to analyze or explain everyday
experiences or events
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS
Dickerson, Paul. 2012. Social Psychology: Traditional and Critical Perspectives. New York:
Pearson.
This textbook is available at the Campus Bookstore
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OFFICE HOURS
TAs will hold “chunks” of office hours prior to exams and assignment due dates. Details will be
posted on Moodle and announced in class. If you would like to meet with a TA at other times
throughout the semester, you are welcome and encouraged to set up an appointment. Instructor
office hours will be held each Tuesday after class.
COURSE EVALUATION
Midterm exam
Critical response paper
Final exam
worth 25%
worth 35%
worth 40%
Date: February 10 (in class)
Date: March 13 (on Moodle)
Date: TBD (during exam period)
Midterm Exam (25%)
This test will be based on text and lecture material. It will consist of multiple choice questions.
Further details about the test will be discussed in class.
Critical Response Paper (35%)
The purpose of this assignment is to compare concepts learned in the course and apply them to
analyze a contemporary issue, situation, or event (or, in other words, something that happened in
“real life”). The paper will consist of a description of the issue or event and an analysis/
explanation of the issue or event drawing on course content. Assignment is to be submitted on
Moodle. Additional details about the assignment will be discussed in class and posted on
Moodle.
Final Exam (40%)
This test will be cumulative and will be based on text and lecture material. It will consist of
multiple choice and short and long answer questions. Further details about the exam will be
discussed in class.
GRADING
You will receive a percentage grade for each component of this course. Your final course
average will be converted into a letter grade following Queen’s Official Grade Conversion Scale:
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Queen’s Grading System
A+
90% and above
A
85% – 89%
A-
80% – 84%
B+
75% – 79%
B
70% – 74%
B-
65% – 69%
C+
60% – 64%
C
55% – 59%
C-
50% – 54%
F
below 50%
Firstclass
marks
Secondclass
marks
Pass
Failure
LATE PENALTY and EXTENSIONS
Extensions will be granted for medical or compassionate reasons only and will require
appropriate documentation. Students asking for extensions of 3 days or less must email their
assigned Teaching Assistant with the request. Emails should include the reason for the request,
the length of extension required, and information about appropriate documentation. Requests for
extensions of 4 days or longer should be directed to the Instructor.
Late assignments will incur a penalty of 5% per day. Assignments will not be accepted if they
are submitted more than 1 week after the due date.
MOODLE
This course will use Moodle, an e-learning software platform or Learning Management System.
You will find important and necessary course information on Moodle such as: the course outline,
TA information, announcements, and test and assignment guidelines. If you are having difficulty
with any aspects of Moodle, visit Queen’s Moodle Student FAQs at:
http://www.queensu.ca/its/moodle/studentfaqs.html.
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ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to attend all lectures. If you miss a lecture, you are responsible for any
missed announcements and content.
EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE
Email will be used to set up appointments and answer questions requiring quick points of
clarification only. It is far more effective to discuss in depth questions regarding course content
or assignments and exams in person, so you are encouraged to take advantage of TA and
Instructor office hours. If you cannot attend scheduled office hours, you are welcome to arrange
alternate meeting times over email.
(DIS)ABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS
Queen's University is committed to achieving full accessibility for people with disabilities. Part
of this commitment includes arranging academic accommodations for students with disabilities
to ensure they have an equitable opportunity to participate. If you are a student with a disability
and think you need accommodations, you are encouraged to contact the Disability Services
Office (DSO) (http://www.queensu.ca/hcds/ds/) as early as possible.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make this course accessible for you. If you
have accommodations approved through the DSO, please let me know about them as soon as
possible so that I can ensure I implement the accommodations appropriately.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is constituted by the five core fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness,
respect and responsibility (see www.academicintegrity.org). These values are central to the
building, nurturing and sustaining of an academic community in which all members of the
community will thrive. Adherence to the values expressed through academic integrity forms a
foundation for the "freedom of inquiry and exchange of ideas" essential to the intellectual life of
the University (see the Senate Report on Principles and Priorities
http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senateandtrustees/principlespriorities.html).
Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the regulations concerning academic
integrity and for ensuring that their assignments conform to the principles of academic integrity.
Information on academic integrity is available in the Arts and Science Calendar (see Academic
Regulation 1 http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/academic-calendars/2011-2012-calendar/academicregulations/regulation-1 ), on the Arts and Science website (see
http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/academics/undergraduate/academic-integrity), and from the
instructor of this course. Departures from academic integrity include plagiarism, use of
unauthorized materials, facilitation, forgery and falsification, and are antithetical to the
development of an academic community at Queen's. Given the seriousness of these matters,
actions which contravene the regulation on academic integrity carry sanctions that can range
from a warning or the loss of grades on an assignment to the failure of a course to a requirement
to withdraw from the university.
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DETAILED COURSE OUTLINE
Topic
Readings
Topic
1
Chapter 1
2
Introduction to Social
Psychology
Self and identity
3
Attraction
Chapter 3
4
Attribution
Chapter 4 and Chapter 5
5
Attitudes
Chapter 6
6
Stereotypes and Prejudice
Chapter 7
7
Prosocial Behaviour
Chapter 8
8
Social Influence and
Intragroup Processes
Applied Topics in Social
Psychology
Chapter 10
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Chapter 2
COPYRIGHT OF COURSE MATERIALS
This material is copyrighted and is for the sole use of students registered in SOCY 273. This
material shall not be distributed or disseminated to anyone other than students registered in
SOCY 273. Failure to abide by these conditions is a breach of copyright, and may also constitute
a breach of academic integrity under the University Senate’s Academic Integrity Policy
Statement.
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