Social Perception:

Catalog description

This seminar focuses on a wide selection of current research and theoretical perspectives on how we perceive other people. Topics include how object and person perception differ, developmental and adult versions of “theories of mind” about others, spontaneous inferences and implicit theories about others, cultural differences in these phenomena, the nature and uses of trait concepts, the interaction of automatic and controlled processes in person perception, and non-verbal cues and communication. Accuracy in person perception, and stereotyping, are major research areas in their own right, and are only briefly considered here. Students are expected to contribute to discussions of the readings each week, make two presentations during the semester on related readings of their choice, and write a research proposal on a topic of particular interest to them. There is also a final exam.