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Miyazaki International College

Course Syllabus

Course Title ( Credits ) PSY315: Social Psychology (3 Credits)

Course Designation for TC N/A

Content Teacher

Instructor Futoshi Kobayashi, Ph.D.

E-mail address fkobayas@sky.miyazaki-mic.ac.jp

Office/Ext MIC 1-410/Ext. 3735

Office hours Affixed to His Office Door

Language Teacher

Instructor N/A

E-mail address N/A

Office/Ext N/A

Office hours N/A

Course Description:

This course provides a basic introduction to the field of social psychology, which studies how the

thoughts, feelings, and actions of a person are influenced by other people and social situations.

Throughout the semester we will cover topics such as the self, attitudes and attitude change, group

behavior, prejudice and discrimination, altruism, interpersonal relationships, conformity, and

persuasion, among others. Our focus will be on the development of these topics and current

research and application in these areas. Special emphasis will be placed on applying social

psychological principles in cross-cultural situations.

Course Goals/Objectives:

Upon completion of this course students should:

have knowledge of basic history and methods of social psychology.

have a basic understanding of concepts of social cognition including attributions and

schemata.

have a basic understanding of the concept of self and how that concept is used in various

cultures.

have a basic understanding of concepts related to social influence including conformity,

persuasion, and group dynamics and how these concepts are used in various cultures.

have a basic understanding of concepts related to social relations including attraction,

conflict, altruism, and prejudice as well as how these concepts are used in various cultures.

Tentative Course Schedule

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Day Topic Content/Activities

1 Introduction Discussion of the Syllabus

Explanation of the Goals and Purpose of the Class

Teaching Log-in Procedure of Moodle

2 Module 1: Doing Social

Psychology (1)

Theory, Hypothesis, Field Research, Correlational

Research, etc.

3 Module 1: Doing Social

Psychology (2)

Experimental Research, Independent Variable,

Dependent Variable, Random Assignment,

Informed Consent, etc.

4 Explain Project 1 Students can spend time for Project 1.

5 Module 2: Did You Know It All

Along?

Hindsight Bias, etc.

6 Module 3: Self-Concept:

Who Am I?(1)

Self and Culture, Self-Concept, Self-Schema,

Individualism, Collectivism, etc.

7 Module 3: Self-Concept:

Who Am I?(2)

Predicting Our Feeling, Planning Fallacy, Dual

Attitude System, etc.

8 Module 4: Self-Serving Bias Explaining Positive and Negative Events, Self-

Serving Bias, Unrealistic Optimism, False

Consensus and Uniqueness, Self-Esteem

Motivation, etc.

9 Module 5: The Power of

Positive Thinking

Locus of Control, Learned Helplessness versus

Self-Determination, Reflections on Self-Efficacy,

etc.

10 Project 1 Presentations All students present their Project 1.

11 Module 6: The Fundamental

Attribution Error

The Fundamental Attribution Error in Everyday

Life, Cultural Differences, etc.

12 Module 7: The Powers and

Perils of Intuition

The Powers of Intuition, The Merits of Intuition,

Remedies for Overconfidence, Constructing

Memories, etc.

13 Module 8: Reasons for

Unreason

Our Preconceptions Control Our Interpretations,

We Are More Swayed by Memorable Events than

by Facts, We Misperceive Correlation and Control,

etc.

14 Explain Project 2 Students can spend time for Project 2.

15 Module 9: Behavior and

Belief

Do Attitudes Influence Behavior?

Does Behavior Influence Attitudes?

The-Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon, etc.

16 Module 14: How Nice People Asch’s Studies of Conformity, Milgram’s Obedience

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Get Corrupted Experiments, etc.

17 Module 15: Two Routes to

Persuasion

The Central and Peripheral Routes to Persuasion,

The Elements of Persuasion: WHO says WHAT,

by what METHOD, to WHOM, etc.

18 Module 17: The Mere

Presence of Others

Why Are We Aroused in the Presence of Others?

Evaluation Apprehension, Driven by Distraction,

Mere Presence, etc.

19 Modules 18: Many Hands

Make Diminished

Responsibility

Many Hands Make Light Work, Social Loafing in

Everyday Life, etc.

20 Project 2 Presentations All students present their Project 2.

21 Module 19: Doing Together

What We Would Not Do

Alone

Deindividuation, Group Size, Physical Anonymity,

Arousing and Distracting Activities, Diminished

Self-Awareness, etc.

22 Module 23: The Roots of

Prejudice

Unequal Status, Socialization, Frustration and

Aggression: The Scapegoat Theory, Social Identity

Theory: Feeling Superior to Others,

Categorization: Classifying People into Groups,

Distinctiveness, Attribution, etc.

23 Module 24: The Nature and

Nurture of Aggression

Neural Influences, Genetic Influences, Blood

Chemistry, Frustration and Aggression, The

Learning of Aggression, Environmental Influences

on Aggression, etc.

24 Module 26: Who Likes

Whom?

Proximity, Mere Exposure, Attractiveness and

Dating, The Matching Phenomenon, The Physical-

Attractiveness Stereotype, Similarity versus

Complementarity, etc.

25 Module 27: The Ups and

Downs of Love

Passionate Love, Companionate Love, Equity,

Self-Disclosure, Divorce, etc.

26 Module 28: Causes of

Conflict

The Prisoner’s Dilemma, The Tragedy of the

Commons, Competition, Perceived Injustice,

Misperception, etc.

27 Module 29: Blessed Are the

Peacemakers

Does Desegregation Improve Racial Attitudes?

Cooperation, Common External Threats,

Superordinate Goals, Cooperative Learning, etc.

28 Module 30: When Do People

Help?

Why Do People Help?

Number of Bystanders, Noticing, Interpreting,

Assuming Responsibility, etc.

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29 Module 31: Social

Psychology and the

Sustainable Future

Increased Materialism, Wealth and Well-Being,

Materialism Fails to Satisfy, etc.

30 Explain Project 3 Students can spend time for Project 3. (Due is the

Final Day)

Finals

Required Materials:

Assigned Text

Myers, D. G. (2015). Exploring social psychology (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

ISBN-13: 978-1259251580

Bring the text, a highlighter, a red pen, a pencil, an eraser, an English-English dictionary, sheets of

paper, and an A-4 binder to every class. Keep all the materials from this class in the binder.

Course Policies (Attendance, etc.)

You are expected to be punctual and to attend all lessons. A delay or early departure will be counted

as a half (0.5) day absence. However, any absence, delay, or early departure can be excused if an

official document (e.g., doctor’s notes) is submitted to us within 7 days of such an occurrence.

When you miss a lesson, it is your responsibility to see your instructor afterwards (and perhaps

other students who attended the lesson), to find out how to catch up with the work you missed. If

you expect to be absent from a forthcoming lesson, you should email your instructor to explain your

absence at least one day in advance.

A maximum of four and a half (4.5) absences is allowed. The fifth

absence will automatically result in a withdrawal from the course.

Class Preparation and Review

Students are expected to spend at least one hour preparing for every hour of lesson, and one hour

reviewing and doing homework.

Grades and Grading

20% Quizzes

20% Homework

30% Group Presentations

30% Research Projects

Plagiarism

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Plagiarism is not acceptable at MIC. Students must submit their own work and not copy from other

sources, unless they credit their sources with appropriate referencing. Students caught copying

information from other sources and pretending that it is their own work will automatically result in a

grade of ‘F’ or withdrawal from the course.

Notes:

The schedule, policies, and procedures in this course are subject to change at the discretion of the

instructor.

No

Attempt

Emerging Developing Proficient Advanced

Critical Thinking

through Active

Learning

(ability to identify

and solve

problems;

information

gathering;

assessment of

credibility)

Student shows

motivation but

must learn the

concepts and

mechanisms

that apply to

critical

thinking, such

as information

gathering,

assessment

and synthesis

Beginning to

visualize the

ways in which

information can

be combined

and applied to

solving a given

problem, but

struggles with

complex and

relationships

Able to

contribute to

class

discussions,

and to

perform a

basic

analysis of

data, gather

and assess

resources,

and express

opinions in

an adequate

manner.

Insightful

comments in

class

discussions

Student shows

proven ability to

analyze data,

gather and

assess

resources, and

disseminate

opinions in a

scholarly

manner.

Advanced

Communication

Proficiency

(presentations,

social skills, email

etiquette)

Student is

unsuccessful

or finds it very

difficult when

attempting to

explain an

opinion or

respond to a

complicated

scenario. The

response may

Able to answer

questions and

give basic

information.

However,

inconsistent

pronunciation,

intonation and

stress may

sometimes

make their

Able to

create a

relevant

response

when asked

to express an

opinion or

respond to a

complicated

situation, but

pronunciation

Speaking is

clear, using a

broad range of

vocabulary and

relative jargon.

Student uses

appropriate

social cues and

nuance.

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be limited to a

single

sentence or

part of a

sentence.

responses

difficult

to understand or

interpret.

and grammar

can be

problematic.

Global

Perspectives

(cultural relevancy;

awareness of

current and

historical events

and global issues)

Student

expresses

one-sided

ideals from an

ethnocentric

point of view.

Completely

lacks

awareness of

world issues or

events.

Exhibits interest

and intrigue in

current events

and world

culture, but has

difficulty

understanding

relevancy.

Student is

aware of

current

events and

world

cultures, but

is unable to

apply macro-

level

situations to

her/his own

life.

Fully engaged in

current events

and shows and

understanding

of social

inequalities and

cultural

differences.

English Language

Ability

(reading, writing,

speaking)

Student shows

a lack of

confidence in

writing,

reading, and

oral

communicatio

n. Very

limited

vocabulary

knowledge,

struggles with

grammar.

Unable to form

questions

Adequate oral

and written

communication;

tends to have

difficulty clearly

expressing

ideas.

Proficient

oral and

written

communicati

on; relies

mainly on

familiar

vocabulary.

Should be

encouraged

to advance

beyond

comfort

zone.

Able to express

one’s self clearly

and succinctly

both in writing

and orally. Able

to use context

clues when

faced with

unfamiliar

vocabulary.