Social Psychology: 3 semester hours

Catalog description

A critical foundation course, social psychology is a bridge discipline involving both group and individual dynamics. Started in the U.S. at the University of Chicago during the early 19th century, social psychology provided the forum for significant interdisciplinary studies during the Great Depression, the World Wars and beyond. Research on basic human interpersonal and intra-group and inter-group dynamics are presented (Hawthorne effect, primacy effect, stereotyping, physical attractiveness, attribution bias, social power, compliance, obedience, risky-shift phenomenon) as well as their impact on race relations, gender and sex issues, systems (family, school, community institutions) and peer relations. Enculturation, socialization, group influences (significant and generalized others), and the impact of social sanctions as well as collective and behavioral attribution processes are covered.