Seminar:Advanced Social Psychology
PS540
332
McGuinn
Spring 2006
Tuesday, 3 - 5:30
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Instructor
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Dr. Julia Braverman
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Phone:
617 – 552-8788
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Office: 428i
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e-mail: braverju@bc.edu
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Office hours: Tuesday, 2 - 3PM
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Purpose
Social psychology is the study of the way people think and
behave and how their thoughts and behaviors are influenced by the social
context--other people and objects in the environment. In this graduate-level
course we will survey the theory and research in the major areas of social
psychology. I hope to teach students to approach questions about people and
their behaviors from the perspective of social psychology. In addition, I would
like to provide students with a working knowledge of the important theories and
terms in social psychology. Finally, I would like to familiarize students with
the research methods and research findings of social psychologists. The brief
lecture will be followed by a discussion of the theories and experimental
findings. Course requirements will be an open-ended midterm and a final paper.
In the final paper students will be asked to write a research proposal in the
selected topic. Pre-requirement: Introduction to Social Psychology (Ps241 or an equivalent).
Text
Course requirements and grading
- Class participation:
We will spend every class day in intensive discussion. You are expected to
read all materials for that day's class, and participate in the discussion
of the material. Each student will be responsible for presenting reading
materials multiple times during the semester. During the first day of
class you will pick days and papers to present. Depending upon class size,
student will give between 2 – 5 presentations. You should also prepare a
one-page handout summarizing that reading for the class. Also, each
student will be asked to prepare 2 questions for the discussion in class.
Please, use this form to e-mail me
your questions the day before the class. I will post the most
interesting questions online (Questions
of the day) to encourage the discussion.
- Midterm: Students will
receive a take home essay exam at the end of the semester. Completed exams
are due the next week (May10-th).
- Final paper: In the final written
assignment, you are asked to write a brief proposal (8 - 10 pages long)
that describes a research relevant to the topics discussed in class (or
any other social cognition topic). The final paper is due by the last day
of the class, December 7.
- Final Presentation: The 10 minute
presentation should explain the theoretical context for your proposed study,
the authors' hypotheses, how the hypotheses are going to be tested, and
the expected results and conclusions. All presentations will be held
during the last day of class, May 2nd.
- Grading:
- 10% Class
participation, including paper presentations, questions and the
participation in class discussion
- 35% Midterm
- 10% Final presentation
- 45% Final paper