PY213A SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY – 3 Credits
Iowa Lakes Community College 
 
PREREQUISISTES: None
 
DESCRIPTION:
Social Psychology is the study of various psychological approaches to social interaction.  It is the scientific study of how the behavior of an individual is influenced by and influences the actions of others in a social environment.
 
OBJECTIVES:
     After successfully completing this course the student will be able to: 
      1. define social psychology.
      2. explain research methods used in social psychology.
      3. explain the basic concepts and theories of social psychology and how social psychology translates from laboratory research to everyday life.
      4. demonstrate how we often do not know why we do what we do.
      5. demonstrate awareness of the social and psychological influences on social relations.
 
COURSE OUTLINE:

Part One: Introducing Social Psychology
1 – Doing Social Psychology
2 – Did You Know It All Along?

Part Two: Social Thinking
3 – Intuition: The Power and Limits of Our Inner Knowing
4 – Reasons for Unreason
5 – Clinical Intuition: The Perils of Psychologizing
6 – The Fundamental Attribution Error
7 – A New Look at Pride
8 – The Power of Positive Thinking
9 – Behavior and Belief

Part Three: Social Influence
10 – Gender, Genes, and Culture
11 – How Nice People Get Corrupted
12 – Two Routes to Persuasion
13 – Indoctrination and Inoculation
14 – The Mere Presence of Others
15 – Many Hands Make Diminished Responsibility
16 – Doing Together What We Would Never Do Alone
17 – How Groups Intensify Decisions
18 – Power to the Person

Part Four: Social Relations
19 – The Dislike of Diversity
20 – The Roots of Prejudice
21 – The Nature and Nurture of Aggression
22 – Do the Media Influence Social Behavior?
23 – Causes of Conflict
24 – Blessed Are the Peacemakers
25 – Who Likes Whom?
26 – The Ups and Downs of Love
27 – When Do People Help?

Part Five: Social Psychology Applied
28 – Who is Miserable – and Why?
29 – Who is Happy – and Why?
30 – Big Ideas in Social Psychology and Religion