Psychology 2720A 650

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY 

LONDON               CANADA 

Department of Psychology 

Summer Distance (May 3 – July 23, 2021) 

 

Psychology 2720A    Section 650 

Introduction to Social Psychology 

 

 

  1. CALENDAR DESCRIPTION 

 

An introduction to the theories, findings, methods, and problems encountered in the study of people as social beings. Emphasis will be placed on experimental research, conducted both in the laboratory and in the field. Content areas include: attitudes and social cognition, social interaction and influence, group processes and applications of social psychology. 

 

Antirequisite(s): Psychology 2070A/B, Psychology 2780E, the former Psychology 2712F/G. 

 

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. If you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course. 

 

Prerequisite(s): A mark of at least 60% in 1.0 credits of Psychology at the 1000 level. 

 

Course Weight: 0.5 

 

 

2.0 COURSE INFORMATION 

 

Instructor: Dr. Corey Isaacs  

Office Hours: held via Zoom by appointment 

Email: cisaacs3@uwo.ca 

 

The best way to contact me is by email. Please include “Psych 2720A-650” in the subject line and send emails only from your Western email account. I will always do my best to respond to your email within 48 hours, but during busy times it may take a little longer. 

 

Time and Location of Classes: This course will be offered online asynchronously—you will not be required to “attend” any weekly class sessions. 

 

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness @Western (https://www.uwo.ca/health/) for a complete list of options about how to obtain help. 

 

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147. 

 

 

3.0 TEXTBOOK 

 

Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Akert, R. M., & Fehr, B. (2021). REVEL Social Psychology (7th Canadian Edition). Pearson Education Canada, Inc. (ISBN: 9780135498613) 

 

The etextbook is an integrated part of the REVEL website and includes access to all of their online tools, including the audio book and study aids. You may purchase a REVEL access code via the Western Book Store website or directly from Pearson’s website (https://catalogue.pearsoned.ca/educator/product/Revel-for-Social-Psychology-Seventh-Canadian-Edition-Access-Card/9780135498613.page). 

 

When you're ready, you can access your textbook at https://console.pearson.com/enrollment/cg5y3q.  

If you need help, check out these Revel student resources: https://www.pearsonhighered.com/revel/students/support/ 

 

 

4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES 

 

By the end of the course students should have an understanding of the basic theories, methods, and findings in various areas of social psychology. The topics include attitudes, conformity, aggression, helping behaviour, social relations, social cognition, and prejudice. 

 

4.1  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

 

Learning Outcome 

Learning Activity 

Assessment 

Identify and describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in social psychology. 

Readings, Lectures, Online Discussions 

Exams, Online Discussions, Optional Essay, OWL Quizzes 

Interpret and critically evaluate social psychological research. 

Readings, Lectures, Online Discussions 

Exams, Online Discussions, Optional Essay, OWL Quizzes 

Apply psychological theories and concepts to the understanding of everyday problems. 

Readings, Lectures, Online Discussions 

Exams, Online Discussions, Optional Essay, OWL Quizzes 

Communicate accurately, clearly, and logically, in a way that would be broadly understandable to a non-specialist audience. 

Online Discussions 

Online Discussions, Optional Essay 

Recognize the limits of one’s own knowledge and knowledge in the field of psychology. 

Readings, Lectures, Online Discussions 

Exams, Online Discussions, Optional Essay 

Work collaboratively with others to achieve a goal. 

Online Discussions 

Online Discussions 

 

 

5.0 EVALUATION 

 

5.1   EXAMS (75% of final mark) 

 

This class includes two midterm exams (each worth 20%) and a final exam (worth 35%), which will be administered synchronously online. Exams will cover material from both the textbook and the OWL Units. The final exam will be cumulative (i.e., it will assess material from the entire course), with an emphasis on material from Units 9 – 12. 

 

Exams will be administered synchronously via OWL and will require attending a Zoom meeting for the duration of the exam. You must have a working webcam installed for each exam session. While the exams are open-book, you are expected to work independently. 

 

5.2   MAKEUP EXAMS 

 

There will be no makeup exams for the midterms. If a student is absent from a midterm exam with permission from their Academic Dean’s office, that portion of their course grade will be reassigned to the relevant portion of the final exam (i.e., the portion of the final exam that covers the material tested on the missed midterm). The final exam makeup may be in a different format (e.g., short-answer, essay) from the regular exam. 

 

5.3   EXAM PROCTORING 

 

Tests and examinations in this course will be conducted using Zoom. You will be required to keep your camera on for the entire session, hold up your student card for identification purposes, and share your screen with the invigilator if asked to do so at any time during the exam. 

 

More information about the use of Zoom for exam invigilation is available in the Online Proctoring Guidelines at this link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/onlineproctorguidelines.pdf  

 

Completion of this course will require you to have a reliable internet connection and a device that meets the system requirements for Zoom. Information about the system requirements is available at the following link: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us. Zoom servers are located outside Canada. If you would prefer to use only your first name or a nickname to login to Zoom, please provide this information to the instructor in advance of the test or examination. 

 

5.4   ONLINE DISCUSSIONS (25% of final mark) 

 

There will be a discussion forum posted to OWL each week (12 throughout the course), and you will be required to participate in any FIVE of the discussions throughout the term to earn the Online Discussions component of your course grade. You can choose to participate in six discussions, in which case your BEST FIVE OF SIX discussion grades will be used to calculate your Online Discussions grade. If you participate in more than six discussions, your grade will be based only on the FIRST SIX—any additional discussions beyond the first six will not be graded. The ‘Introduce Yourself!’ forum is NOT graded. 

 

Forum grades will be earned based on the quantity and quality of your contributions to these discussions. A successful student in online education is one who takes an active role in the learning process. You are therefore encouraged to participate actively in the discussions to enhance your learning experience throughout the course.  

 

Discussions will be graded for the quality and content of your contributions. Quality posts may include: 

  • providing additional information to the discussion 
  • elaborating on previous comments from others 
  • presenting explanations of concepts or methods to help fellow students 
  • presenting reasons for or against a topic in a persuasive fashion 
  • sharing your own personal experiences that relate to the topic 
  • providing a URL and explanation for a topic you researched on the Internet 

 

For each discussion, you will be assigned a grade out of 4 based on your discussion posts. Grades will be assigned as follows: 

0 = Incomplete (no posting, question not answered) 

1 = Unsatisfactory (minimal contribution, few if any responses to other students) 

2 = Satisfactory (discussion topic addressed, minimal contribution to discussion) 

3 = Excellent (posting meets all criteria, provides a valuable contribution to discussion) 

4 = Outstanding (posting(s) go beyond basic requirements, present additional information from outside the textbook, and interact well with the other students) 

-1 = Penalty for not posting a question prior to the deadline of midnight on Monday. 

 

Each discussion will be open for seven days, from 12:05 AM on Sunday until 11:55 PM the following Saturday. You will be required to post at least one question to your group (before midnight on Monday) about the previous week's topic as a starting point for discussion. You will also be required to respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts before 11:55 PM on Saturday. Once the discussion closes, no more posts can be made. Please post early in the week to avoid last-minute problems, and always back up your work (screenshots of your forum posts are ideal), as “technical difficulties” is NOT an acceptable excuse for missing a discussion deadline. 

 

 5.5   OPTIONAL ESSAY (5% of final mark, taken from lowest exam grade) 

 

You have the OPTION of submitting a 5-page essay (see the Assignments page on OWL for full details). If you choose to submit an essay, the weight of your lowest (midterm or final) exam grade will be reduced by 5%, and that 5% portion of your course grade will be based on your essay instead. If you choose NOT to submit an essay, this component will have NO impact on your course grade.  

 

The essay is due by midnight on Friday, July 16, 2021. There is a 10% per day late penalty, and the absolute latest that it can be submitted is Wednesday, July 21, 2021. 

 

You may write your essay on any relevant topic, but it MUST include: (i) a description of a real-world example of some topic/behaviour related to the course or textbook material, and (ii) an examination of that real-world phenomenon that uses one or more theories or perspectives from our course or textbook. The objective is to give you an opportunity to do some research/reading beyond the textbook, and to apply what you’ve learned in the course to a specific, real-world example. 

 

As an example of an applicable essay topic, you might examine/critique a political ad campaign through the lens of a social-psychological model of persuasion. Does the campaign seem to be based on any research evidence or relevant scientific theory? How effective do you think the campaign may be, given what you’ve learned about social psychology? Could it be improved? How? 

 

 5.6   IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT GRADES 

 

Please note that there are no additional options for course credit, and course grades will not be rounded up nor increased on the basis of things like program requirements. Exceptions to the course grading scheme will only be made if academic accommodations have been approved by your Faculty Dean’s Office. 

 

Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, in rare cases this may be deemed necessary to ensure the grades are valid and meaningful. The expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages: 

 

70%  1000-level to 2099-level courses 

72%  2100-2999-level courses 

75%  3000-level courses 

80%  4000-level courses 

 

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf): 

 

A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level 

A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average 

B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory 

C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements 

D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable 

F below 50 Fail 

 

 

6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE 

 

Midterm Exam 1 (Units 1 - 4) 10:00 AM on Monday, May 31, 2021 

Midterm Exam 2 (Units 5 - 8) 10:00 AM on Monday, June 28, 2021 

Final Exam (Cumulative, emphasizing Units 9 - 12) TBA (July 26 - 29) 

Online Discussions Sunday – Saturday each week 

Optional Essay due by Friday, July 16, 2021 

 

 

7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE 

 

Changes to the class schedule will be announced on the OWL course website. Students are responsible for being aware of announcements made on the course—website . 

 

DATES 

OWL UNIT 

READING 

TOPIC 

May 3 - 8 

Unit 1 

Chapter 1 

Introduction 

May 9 - 15 

Unit 2 

Chapter 2 

Research Methods 

May 16 - 22 

Unit 3 

Chapter 3 

Social Cognition 

May 23 - 29 

Unit 4 

Chapter 4 

Social Perception 

Monday,  May 31, 10:00 – 11:00 AM 

MIDTERM EXAM 1 (Units 1 – 4) 

May 30 - June 5 

Unit 5 

Chapter 5 

The Self 

June 6 - 12 

Unit 6 

Chapter 6 

Attitudes 

June 13 - 19 

Unit 7 

Chapter 7 

Conformity 

June 20 - 26 

Unit 8 

Chapter 8 

Group Processes 

Monday,  June 28, 10:00 – 11:00 AM 

MIDTERM EXAM 2 (Units 5 – 8) 

June 27 - July 3 

Unit 9 

Chapter 9 

Interpersonal Attraction 

July 4 - 10 

Unit 10 

Chapter 10 

Prosocial Behaviour 

July 11 - 17 

Unit 11 

Chapter 11 

Aggression 

July 18 - 23 

Unit 12 

Chapter 12 

Prejudice 

TBA (July 26 - 29) 

FINAL EXAM (Cumulative; Emphasis on Units 9 – 12) 

 

 

8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES 

 

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf 

 

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com). 

 

Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating. 

 

In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.  

 

Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University. 

 

 

9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES 

 

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:  
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12 

 

The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf 

 

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:  

  1. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours). 
  1. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration. 
  1. For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate. 

 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html 

 

Students seeking academic consideration: 

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work 
  • are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence 
  • must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence 

 

Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term. 

 

 

10.0 CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR RETURN TO LOCKDOWN: IN-PERSON & BLENDED CLASSES 

 

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the term that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online, as determined by the course instructor. 

 

 

11.0 STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE 

 

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette: 

  • please “arrive” to class on time 
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet) 
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material 
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise 
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak 
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable 
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting 

 

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following: 

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question. 
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking. 
  • Self-identify when speaking. 
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise). 

 

General considerations of “netiquette”: 

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course. 
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing. 
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate. 
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately. 

 

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct. 

 

 

12.0 OTHER INFORMATION 

 

Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca   

 

Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca  

 

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:  

http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html 

 

- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct 

- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations 

- Policy on Attendance 

- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines 

- Policy for Assignments 

- Short Absences 

- Extended Absences 

- Documentation 

- Academic Concerns 

- 2021-2022 Calendar References 

 

If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf 

Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca). 

 

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.