Social Psychology
Syllabus
PSYC 221
Block 1
August 20 to
September 12,
2007
Instructor: Dr. Tom Harlow
Office: 214 Gray
Phone: 636-7300 ext.5284
Email (The best way to reach me): tharlow@tusculum.edu
As verification that you can access your email and as a means to help me enroll everyone
into the class Sakai account, all students must email me through their school accounts
in the first two days of class. Notes, quizzes and general class announcements will be
available on Sakai. If you do not email me you will not have access to these resources.
Class Times: Monday-Friday 12:30-3:30
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-11:00 (other times by appointment)
Classroom: 117 Library
Prerequisites: PSYC 101
Required Readings: Baron, R.A., Byrne, D., & Branscombe, N.R. (2006). Social psychology
(11th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Other readings will be handed out in class or available on reserve in the library. Note that
the textbook has an excellent web site (Textbook Home page) which contains exercises to help
demonstrate the material, hot links to relevant sources, and practice tests over the chapters.
Course Description: This course will examine how individuals think about, influence, and
relate to one another, and the impact of social situations on the individual. Students will gain an
understanding of: the relationships between attitudes and behavior; how we explain our own and
others’ behavior; cultural influences on behavior; why we conform with others’ expectations and
how we can resist social pressure; the roots of aggression, altruism and prejudice; and the
development of attraction and love. Throughout the course, theoretical information will be
applied to situations and dilemmas in our current society. Students will be encouraged not only to
develop a scientific approach to their thinking about social situations but also to recognize the
influence of cultural and personal values in all scientific inquiry.
GOALS: This course provides a systematic introduction to the field of social
psychology, which is the scientific study of how the thoughts, feelings, and actions of a
person are influenced by other people and social situations. Throughout the course we
will cover topics such as the self, attitudes and attitude change, group behavior, prejudice
and discrimination, pro-social behavior, interpersonal relationships, conformity,
emotions, and persuasion, among others. Our focus will be on both the historical
development of these topics as well as current research and application in these areas.
Special emphasis will be placed on applying social psychological principles to everyday
life.
Competency: Ethics of Social Responsibility.
Objectives:
1. To define social psychology and give examples of the discipline's central concerns.
2. Application of the scientific method to help you understand how other people impact
how we think, act, and feel.
3. To be introduced to types of experimental designs employed in Social
Psychology, and be able to interpret results in the contexts of theories.
4. Demonstrate familiarity with major phenomena investigated in Social
Psychology
5. Be able to use the principles learned in the course to explain or solve problems
faced in the "real world"
These objectives shall be demonstrated and assessed through class discussion, quizzes,
exams (comprised of multiple choice, short answer and essay questions), article reviews,
and a term project that includes a paper and presentation.
Teaching Philosophy: Perhaps it is because I am a social psychologist that I view learning as a
social process. Like Vygotsky, I tend to believe we learn best from each other and by teaching
one another. We learn by communication with each other and by doing things ourselves. I view
my role in the classroom as that of a facilitator. I will set the stage by sharing my knowledge of
course content and by introducing activities and assignments that will help you develop and apply
your knowledge of social psychology, and hopefully have some fun at the same time.
Course Policies:
Policy regarding extra credit: Extra credit is available through study group performance.
Study Groups
If you study at with at least one other student in the class meeting twice before a test,
you may be awarded bonuses on the immediately preceding test, based upon the group's
average improvement between tests. Up to 10 points may be added to the earlier test (if
the group improved by an average of ten points or more between two tests). For the first
test an automatic +3 points will be awarded to study groups. Groups must email me
before each test to let me know names of the current group members. The email should
also indicate a specific concept the group spent considerable time on in each of the two
meetings.
Policy regarding missed exams: Except under extreme circumstances, which are left to the
discretion of the instructor, no make up exams will be given. A total of 3 exams will be
given throughout the course. Exams will emphasize recently covered material. If a
student is unable to attend class on an exam day or chooses to miss an exam, that exam
will be scored as a zero.
Course Operation:
1. Class attendance and academic misconduct policies as stated in the 2006-2007
Student Handbook will be followed. Any student missing more than three
class meetings, including a combination of late arrivals and early leaves, will
fail the course (any combination of two late arrivals and/or early-leaves will
constitute one absence). Instances of class disruption, suspected cheating, or
plagiarism will be handled by the instructor in a manner consistent with the Code
of Student Conduct.
2. To create and preserve a classroom atmosphere that optimizes teaching and
learning, all participants share a responsibility in creating a civil and nondisruptive forum. Students are expected to conduct themselves at all times in a
manner that does not disrupt teaching or learning. The instructor is authorized to
take such steps as are necessary when behavior of the student disrupts the normal
classroom procedure. Instructors may remove a student for the single class session
in which such disruptive behavior becomes continuous and/or serious and may
initiate disciplinary proceedings (see the Code of Student Conduct or Associate
Dean of Students). Violations of the disciplinary code may result in serious
sanctions such as probation, academic reassignment, institutional suspension or
dismissal. In addition, instructors have the right to limit classroom discussion in
order to meet the educational objectives of the class session. Any continued
disruption of class will result in a report to the Associate Dean of Students
for a conduct code infraction.
These are some examples of disruptive classroom behavior:

Monopolizing class discussion

Rude, disrespectful, contemptuous, or offensive language,
posturing, or gestures

Aggressive, hostile, or confrontational language,
posturing, or gestures

Sleeping

Chattering

Excessive or disruptive lateness

Engaging in unrelated tasks

Interruptions caused by cell phones, pager/beepers, and
other electronic devices

Unexcused exiting, or premature preparing to exit class
Academic Resource Center:
Please contact the Academic Resource Center for any disability-related services or
inquiries. You may also access additional academic support through the Academic
Resource Center. For either service, please contact Jill Jones at 423-636-7300 or 1-800729-0256 ext.5683. You may also email directly at jjones@tusculum.edu. The
Academic Resource Center is located on the first floor of Annie Hogan Byrd (rm. 100).
The mailing address is: Tusculum College Academic Resource Center, Box 5065,
Greeneville, TN 37743.
Class participation: Daily assignments and discussion (5%)
Your class participation grade will be based on your ability to answer and ask questions
that reflect your familiarity with the readings and material presented in class. People learn
best and help others learn when they participate. This means asking questions, sharing
experiences, and challenging the ideas put forth by anyone. In addition to taking notes
over the readings before class, expect to turn in daily homework assignments.
Mastery Quizzes for all chapters will make up 10%
There will be two mastery quizzes for each chapter. An online pretest may be taken
anytime before we cover the material in class. Immediately following class discussion of
each reading assignment there will be an in-class quiz. I will record your highest grade
for each chapter on these open note (but not book) quizzes.
TESTS /EXAMS 60%
Tests will make up 60% of your grade. There will be 3 exams. The format will be a
combination of take-home essays, short answer, and multiple-choice questions.
ARTICLE REVIEW 10%:
Students will review two articles (each of your reviews should be 3 to 4 typed pages) from a
psychological journal of their choice. Ideally, this should help you to familiarize yourself with the
professional journals available in social psychology while giving you the opportunity to critically
review/analyze the work of an expert in the field. You may choose to focus on theoretical or
applied articles. The first two pages of your review should give a brief description of the article
including the author’s focus or theoretical orientation. The second two pages should be your
analysis/opinion of the article or concept presented. If you have a question about what article may
be an appropriate journal article to review, ask me. Correct spelling and punctuation are expected
on all writing assignments. Late papers will receive a 10% deduction of credit. Click here for an
Article Review Handout with more details.
PROJECT 15%
The remaining 15% of your grade will come from your term project and paper. Please see
Video Project Handout for more details. These are intended to allow you to apply your
knowledge of social psychology to "the real world," and to offer you choices in the way
you demonstrate this knowledge. In lieu of a final exam we will share the fruits of these
projects with one another in the form of brief presentations.
Grading Grading Formula
Take your Term Project Grade
for example 91 multiply it by
15=13.65
___% X .15=
add this to
Your Article Review Average for example 100 multiply it by .10 = 10
___% X .10 =
add this to
Your Exam Average for example 87 multiply it by .60 = 52.2
___% X .60 =
add this to
Your Quiz Average
for example 96 multiply it by .10 = 9.6
___%X.10=
add this to
Your participation and attendance
for example 96 multiply it by .05 = 4.8
___%X.05=
13.65+10+52.2+9.6+4.8= 90.25
In the example the overall grade would be an A-
GRADING SCALE:
A = 93-100
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D = 65-69
F = 64 and below
Tentative Course Schedule
Day 1
Monday 8/20
Chapter 1
Introduction to the class and to Social
Psychology
Day 2
Chapter 1
Tuesday 8/21
Day 3
Wednesday 8/22
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 1
Chapter 2 Social Cognition
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 2
Day 4
Thursday 8/23
Chapter 3
Social Perception
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 3
Day 5
Friday 8/24
Chapter 4 Attitudes
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 4
Day 6
Monday
8/27
Test I
Day 7
Tuesday
8/28
Chapter 5
The Self
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 5
Day 8
Wednesday
8/29
Chapter 6
Prejudice
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 6
Day 9
Begin Chapter 7
Thursday
8/30
Interpersonal Attraction
and Selected readings from Chapter 8
(Close Relations)
In-Class Quiz over Chapters 7 & 8
Day 10
Friday
8/31
Film:
Remember the Titans
First Article Review Due
Day 11
Monday
9/3
Test II
Tentative visit to Dr. Pope’s computer lab
to practice video editing using Movie
Maker
Day 12
Tuesday
9/4
Chapter 9
Social Influence In-Class Quiz over
Chapter 9
Day 13
Chapter 10
Wednesday
9/5
Pro-social Behavior
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 10
Day 14
Thursday
9/6
Chapter 11
Aggression
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 11
Day 15
Friday 9/7
Chapter 12
Groups
In-Class Quiz over Chapter 12
First half of Appendix A
Applications in Law
Film: Twelve Angry Men
(or Monday)
Second Article Review Due
Day 16
Monday
9/10
Day 17
Tuesday 9/11
Day 18
Wednesday
9/12
Film: Twelve Angry Men
Test III
(time to work on projects or adjust
schedule)
Presentation of Projects & Project Papers
Due