Note: Changes to the syllabus will be announced in class, and the updated syllabus can be downloaded by clicking on link: http://www.craiganderson.org/wp-content/uploads/caa/Classes/580syllabus24.htm.
1. The first is a short introductory textbook on social psychology. Exploring
Social Psychology, 9th Edition, by David G. Myers & Jean M. Twenge (2021). We will
cover this book rather quickly to be sure that everyone has a basic grasp of
social psychology. For most students, most of this will be a review. Paperback
versions of this edition are available online from: the publisher (https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/exploring-social-psychology-myers-twenge/M9781260254112.html
) and Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Social-Psychology/dp/126057072X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
). If you opt for the paperback version, be sure to get the International
Edition, not the Mass Market edition. An eBook version is available from the
publisher.
2. The
second is the 2012 Handbook of Psychology, Volume 5: Personality and Social
Psychology, 2nd Edition, Irving B. Weiner (Editor-in-Chief),
Howard A. Tennen & Jerry M. Suls, Volume 5 editors. It
is available for free electronically through the ISU library.
3. The third is the 2019 Advanced Social Psychology, 2nd Edition,
by Eli Finkel & Roy Baumeister.
You can order a hard copy directly from
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/advanced-social-psychology-9780190635596?cc=us&lang=en&.
New, used, and eTextbook copies are available at lower prices at https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Social-Psychology-State-Science/dp/0190635592/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Advanced+Social+Psychology%3A+The+State+of+the+Science+2nd+Edition&qid=1629134599&s=books&sr=1-1
4. The fourth source is the 2010 Handbook of Social Psychology, 5th Edition, edited by Susan Fiske, Daniel Gilbert, and Gardner Lindzey. It is available for free electronically through the ISU library.
Below are instructions that worked last year to access the content from both #2 (Handbook of Psychology) & #4 (Handbook of Social Psychology). If these don’t work, contact the library for new instructions.
a. Go to the URL lib.iastate.edu
b. Search the book title
and the last name of the first author/editor for the edition you are searching
(e.g. Handbook of Psychology, Weiner) in the search bar at the top
of the web page (important note: Handbook
of Social Psychology is actually titled, simply, Social Psychology in the
library's database)
c. After clicking the
search icon or pressing enter (step 2), utilize the Filter Results function on the far
right side of the web page by selecting Full Text Online & Books and click Apply Filters. This will narrow
your search significantly.
d. Then, scroll to find
the appropriate text and authors for the resource for which you are searching
e. Once you've found the
text, click the link labeled Online
Access. This will take you to a separate page giving you access to the
resource
f. On this separate page,
click the Table of Contents tab
near the top of the web page.
g. From the Table of
Contents, simply select the appropriate drop down tabs
until locate the appropriate chapter title for the assigned reading (e.g.
Chapter 21: Evolutionary Social Psychology. In Fiske & colleagues' Handbook
of Social Psychology)
5. A number of additional
articles are required reading. Links to each are in this syllabus (see “Reading
assignments” below).
Optional Readings
I've also linked a number of optional readings in the syllabus, in case you want to explore a topic further. There will be no exam questions from the optional readings.
Supplemental Readings
I’ve created a folder of supplemental readings on various topics. They are not listed in this syllabus. Some of them are classics in social psychology. Some are very recent papers that I’ve found particularly interesting. Some of them are from Social Area Qualifying Exam reading lists. Some cover important topics in Social and Personality psychology that we simply haven’t the time to cover in class. There will be no exam questions from the supplemental readings. You can access them by clicking on this link: https://iastate.box.com/s/ac8qg0j5gzlykrceft5u1o2cag2s9nru
Regular class meetings will involve 3 different types of class activities.
1. Summary. This consists of a brief summary of the assigned reading material, about 10 minutes per chapter or article. I will randomly choose students to present the summaries at the beginning of each class. The best way to do this is to prepare outlines of the main points for each reading, and bring them to class with you.
2. Discussion. We will discuss questions about the material brought in by all class members. Starting with Week 4, each student is to prepare 2 discussion-type questions for each chapter/article assigned for that week. These questions may be about something you didn't understand in the reading, something you disagree with, possible connections to other phenomena, or something that might lead to interesting speculations. These questions are to be emailed to me at least two hours prior to the class meeting, with the subject line consisting of the course number, meeting date (month and day) and your last name. For example, if the questions are for the readings to be covered on September 23rd and your last name is Bagadonuts, the subject line would be “580Sep23Bagadonuts.” You may use your questions to help with the summary and/or discussion, or you may choose not to use them. You may share them with other class members.
3. Update. Beginning with Week 4, one or two students will each review an empirical article (1 per student) related to the topics covered in the reading assignment. The chosen article must be (a) relevant to any of the assigned readings for that week; (b) have been published within the last 3 years; (c) be from one of the APA journals listed on this website: (https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals ) OR from one of the APS journals listed on this website (https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications ). An article from the “optional” readings, the “supplemental” may be used if it meets all three of the requirements listed above.
The review
should include the following parts: (a) Summary of how study(ies) relate(s) to the assigned reading (e.g., support,
contradict, extend...); (b) Description of 1 study (10 minutes, oral) to
illustrate how such research is conducted; (c) Outline of the article,
including full reference, design (IVs, DVs, MVs), brief methods, results &
implications. Parts a & c are to be printed and distributed to all class
members including the instructor (electronic distribution is acceptable if done
at least 24 hours prior to the class meeting). Parts a & b are to be
presented orally (PowerPoint is optional. If you want to use PowerPoint, bring
your laptop & an appropriate adapter (if necessary) for our classroom. To
sign up for specific date, go to this shared CyBox spreadsheet:
https://iastate.box.com/s/eor3kf12fs34dsh6881shs5ec72pxnsb. Note: If sign-ups are not complete by
October 1, I may randomly assign those who have not yet picked a date to one of
the empty slots.
Thursday individual meetings will
begin in Week 4. From Week 4 throughout the rest of the semester, I will hold 2
individual meetings of about 25 minutes each in my office (or online) to
discuss your research ideas, projects, and papers. You can sign up for your
meetings at the following CyBox spreadsheet:
https://iastate.box.com/s/k332om2mgk0vq5hsqevyzmne4m0ow51f.
Please sign up for two different date/time slots, one early (Sept. or Oct.) and
one later (Nov. or Dec.). If there are openings remaining
after Oct. 1 (depends on class size), feel free to sign up for a 3rd
individual meeting.
Your first meeting
will be to discuss your interest in taking this class, your career goals,
possible paper topics, and how these may be related. Later meetings will focus
on your research paper (see below). I will be available for additional
appointments either during my office hours or by appointment.
There will be 2 exams composed of short answer and medium length essay questions; each will be worth 20% of your grade. Your term paper will be worth 25%. In-class summaries will be worth a total 10%. Your update presentation will be worth 5%. Your discussion questions will be worth 10%. General participation in class discussions will be worth 10%. (Note that I will not take off points for asking specific questions about the readings; if you don't understand something be sure to ask about it in class and in your written questions. In other words, you need not make every discussion question a major theoretical crisis.)
You should select a research topic and clear it with me by the end of Week 9. To clear your topic, you must present me with a 1 page (double spaced) proposal along with at least 15 references (on a separate page) that you have read and believe will be relevant to your final paper. The final research paper itself should be a research proposal in social psychology (broadly defined). It should include an abstract, a review of the relevant literature, a clear statement of the problem to be addressed, and a concrete proposal designed to test or demonstrate the idea proposed. It may (but doesn't need to) include results from a few pilot participants or hypothetical results. Ideally, the proposed research will actually be carried out at some point in your graduate career. You should feel free to have your classmates or others read and comment on early drafts. I will be happy to comment on an early draft if it is submitted to me before Thanksgiving Break. The research paper is due at noon on Friday, Week 15.
I dislike giving page limits, but I know that some idea of what is expected
will be useful. I do not think an adequate paper can be produced in less than
15 pages (including references); I do not want to read an overly lengthy one
(i.e., more than 25 pages). Exceptionally concise writing and thinking, or
exceptionally interesting writing and ideas may, of course, warrant shorter or
longer papers. The paper should be in APA style. As an example, here is a link
to the manuscript version of a recently accepted paper from my lab:
https://iastate.box.com/s/62wta62n5co3x0r1mgw1i84dfr3qefta
Here is a link to some APA resources: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/jars-high-school-students.
Student Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this course you will be able to:
· Understand and discuss the main concepts and theories of social psychology
· Give brief oral summaries of empirical journal articles in social psychology
· Write research proposals which summarize a specific area of social psychology and propose original research that is designed to advance that area
· Present research proposals to other psychologists in a clear a concise manner.
|
Week # |
Source |
Reading
Assignments
|
|
Week 1: Aug 27, 29 |
Myers
|
p. 1 through Module 8
|
|
Week 2: Sep 3, 5 |
Myers
|
Modules 9 - 20
|
|
Week 3: Sep 10, 12 |
Myers
|
Modules 21 - 31
|
|
Week 4: Sep 17, 19 |
580link 580link Finkel 580link 580link 580link 580link |
Submit Discussion questions (see above) by 10:40 a.m. each Tue. for
full credit. Begin Tuesday Updates & Thursday individual
meetings. The
Emergence of Contextual Social Psychology. Pettigrew (2018) Optional: A Century of Social Psychology… G. R. Goethals (2007) Chap. 16: Evolutionary Social Psychology. Maner & Kenrick (2019) Optional: Ein-Dor & Hirschberger (2016) on attachment theory and survival Optional: Cosmides & Tooby (2013) on evolutionary psychology Optional: Hurst et al. (2017) on women’s fertility, jealousy, mate guarding Optional: White et al. (2013) on disease threat, attractiveness, & voting |
|
Week 5: Sep 24, 26 |
580link 580link 580link 580link Finkel Tennen 580link 580link |
Banich, (2009). Executive Function…. ONLY pp. 89-90. Schmeichel & Tang (2015). Individual differences in executive functioning… West et
al. (2020) effects of action video games on executive function Optional: Diamond (2013) on Executive Functions Optional: Gustavson
et al., 2020. On impulsivity, internalizing,
genetics Optional: Sasser 2017 on preschool intervention & executive
function Chap. 4: Social Cognition. Susan T. Fiske (2019). Optional: Chap.
11: Social Cognition & Perception. Bodenhausen ... (2012) |
|
Week 6: Oct 1, 3 |
580link Finkel 580link 580link 580link 580link 580link 580link Finkel 580link 580link |
Strack, F., & Deutsch, R. (2004). Reflective and impulsive ... Chap. 12: Prejudice, stereotyping, & discrimination. Dovidio & Jones (2019)
Optional:
Bratt et al., 2016 on prejudice and social dominance orientation Optional: Cartei et al. 2020. Children's implicit stereotypes Optional: Kteily & Bruneau (2017) consequences of Trump dehumanization Optional: Saleem et al. (2015) on Reducing Prejudice…Attachment Security Optional: Golec et al. (2024) on Mindful-gratitude…reducing prejudice. Optional: Barlett&Scott (2023). Cyber-Racism Chap. 5: The Self. Baumeister (2019) Optional: Crocker et al. (2017) on Selfishness and Otherishness Optional: Costabile (2016). Narrative construction, social perceptions… Optional: Bleidorn et al. (2023). Income effects on self-esteem. |
|
Week 7: Oct 8, 10 |
580link Finkel 580link 580link Finkel Fiske 580link 580link |
Leary, M.R. (2007). Motivational and emotional... Optional: Chap. 14. Emotion. Mendes (2019). Optional : Barrett et al., 2011, Context in emotion perception Optional
: Keltner et al., (2023), on Basic Emotions. Chapter 6: Attitude structure & change. Petty et al. (2019) Optional: Chap. 10. Attitudes Banaji & Heiphetz (2010) Optional: Saleem & Anderson, (2013). Arabs as terrorists… Optional: Tracy, Klonsky, & Proudfit on affective science and clinical science |
|
Week 8: |
|
Exam 1 on Tuesday, Oct. 15, regular class time and place. |
|
Week 9: Oct 22, 24 |
580link 580link 580link 580link 580link 580link |
Blankenship
et al., 2019. Role of attitudes in violence… Optional: Blankenship & Wegener, (2008). Opening the mind... Costabile & Madon (2019). Downstream effects of… Optional: Slusher & Anderson, (1996). Using causal persuasive explanations... Optional: Greitemeyer (2023) on debiasing COVID19 beliefs. Chap. 9: Emotion. Keltner & Lerner (2010). Optional: Parks-Leduc et al., 2015. Personality traits & personal values Optional:
Sawyer & Gampa (2018). Black lives matter |
|
Week 10: Oct 29, 31 |
Tennen 580link Finkel 580link 580link |
Chap. 22: Altruism and Prosocial Behavior. Snyder & Dwyer. Optional: Saleem et al. (2017). Person and situation effects…prosocial behavior. Gentile et al. (2009). The effects of prosocial video games on prosocial behaviors… Optional: Smith
et al. 2017 on Cooperation and storytelling. Optional: Chap. 19. Judgment & Decision Making. Vohs & Luce, 2019. Optional:
Dawes, 1979. On improper linear models & decision making |
|
Week 11: Nov 5, 7 |
Finkel 580link 580link 580link 580link Tennen 580link 580link Finkel |
Chap. 8. Aggression. Brad J. Bushman (2019). Optional: Warburton & Anderson (2015). Social psychology of aggression. Optional: Anderson & Bushman (2018). Media violence…GAM update Optional: Krizan & Johar (2015). Narcissistic rage revisited Optional: Muris et al. (2017) on the dark triad Chap. 20: Social Conflict, Harmony, and Integration. Dovidio et al. (2012) Optional: Davies…Pettigrew (2011). Cross-group friendships… Optional: Hewstone…(2014) on Intergroup Contact and conflict Optional: Chap. 11. Intergroup relations. Marilynn B. Brewer. (2019). |
|
Week 12: Nov 12, 14 |
Finkel 580link 580link 580link 580link 580link |
Chap. 10: Close relationships. Shelly L. Gable (2019). Gilbert & Daffern (2011), Personality disorder & violence Finkel et al. (2017). 14 close relationship principles. Optional: Cohen et. al, 2015. Hugging…stress-buffering Optional: Orehek…(2018). People as means...goals...interpersonal relations Optional: Faure…(2018). Nonverbal beh/dyadic interaction/close relationships |
|
Week 13: Nov 19, 21 |
580link Finkel 580link 580link |
Chap. 18: Personality in social psychology. Funder & Fast (2010). Optional: Mikulincer & Shaver (2020). Benefits of attachment security Markon, K. E., Krueger, R. F., &
Watson, D. (2005).
Delineating... Optional: Chap. 20: Personality. Charles S. Carver (2019). Optional: Widiger et al. (2019)-Hierarchical Psychopathology Optional: Kotov et al. (2017). Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology |
|
Nov 25-29 |
None |
Thanksgiving Break |
|
Week 14: Dec 3, 5 |
Tennen 580link 580link 580link |
Chap. 24: Culture and Social Psychology. Miller & Boyle (2012). Kitayama et al. on genes and social orientation Optional:
Oyserman (2017) on culture and subculutures Optional: Cross et al. (2014). Cultural prototypes & dimensions of honor GaertnerSedikides...(2018) on Pancultural
self-enhancement. Optional: Anderson et al. (2017) on cross-cultural media violence effects |
|
Week 15: Dec 10, 12 |
Tennen Finkel 580link 580link 580link |
Chap. 14: Social Influence and Group Behavior. Forsyth.
2012 Optional: Chap. 7: Social influence. Cialdini & Griskevicius (2019) Pyszczynski et al., 2015. Thirty
years of terror
management theory. Optional: Evans & Stanovich, 2013, on Dual-process theories Optional: Ryan & Deci (2019), Self-Determination Theory Research paper due midnight on Friday. |
|
Week 16 |
Final exams |
Exam 2: Date/time to be announced |
If you are
not feeling well, you should stay home and focus on your health. Should you
miss class due to illness, it is your responsibility to work with your
instructor to arrange for accommodations and to make up coursework, as
consistent with the instructor’s attendance policy.
Public
health information for the campus community continues to be available on Iowa
State’s public health website. All public health questions should be directed
to publichealthteam@iastate.edu.
The class will follow Iowa State University’s policy on academic dishonesty. Anyone suspected of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Students Office.
Iowa
State University is committed to assuring that all educational activities are
free from discrimination and harassment based on disability status. Students
requesting accommodations for a documented disability are required to work
directly with staff in Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to establish
eligibility and learn about related processes before accommodations will be
identified. After eligibility is established, SAS staff will create and issue a
Notification Letter for each course listing approved reasonable accommodations.
This document will be made available to the student and instructor either
electronically or in hard-copy every semester. Students and instructors are
encouraged to review contents of the Notification Letters as early in the
semester as possible to identify a specific, timely plan to deliver/receive the
indicated accommodations. Reasonable accommodations are not retroactive in
nature and are not intended to be an unfair advantage. Additional information
or assistance is available online at www.sas.dso.iastate.edu,
by contacting SAS staff by email at accessibility@iastate.edu,
or by calling 515-294-7220. Student Accessibility Services is a unit in the
Dean of Students Office located at 1076 Student Services Building.
This class follows the Iowa State University Dead Week policy as
noted in section 10.6.4 of the Faculty
Handbook.
Iowa
State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age,
ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender
identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a
U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed
to Office of Equal Opportunity, 3410 Beardshear
Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612,
Hotline 515-294-1222, email eooffice@iastate.edu
Iowa State University welcomes diversity of religious
beliefs and practices, recognizing the contributions differing experiences and
viewpoints can bring to the community. There may be times when an academic
requirement conflicts with religious observances and practices. If that
happens, students may request the reasonable accommodation for religious
practices. In all cases, you must put your request in writing. The instructor
will review the situation in an effort to provide a reasonable accommodation when
possible to do so without fundamentally altering a
course. For students, you should first discuss the conflict and your requested
accommodation with your professor at the earliest possible time. You or your
instructor may also seek assistance from the Dean of Students Office at
515-294-1020 or the Office of Equal Opportunity at
515-294-7612.
Free Expression
Iowa
State University supports and upholds the First Amendment protection of freedom
of speech and the principle of academic freedom in order to foster a learning
environment where open inquiry and the vigorous debate of a diversity of ideas
are encouraged. Students will not be penalized for the content or viewpoints of
their speech as long as student expression in a class context is germane to the
subject matter of the class and conveyed in an appropriate manner
No
employee, student, applicant, or campus visitor is compelled to disclose their
pronouns. Anyone may voluntarily disclose their own pronouns.
If you are experiencing, or have experienced, a problem
with any of the above issues, email academicissues@iastate.edu