PSYC 250: Social Psychology

Winter, 2013

Gary S. Gregg

people.kzoo.edu/ggregg

Course Description

The course has two main components:

1. Studying classic experiments and core theories in social psychology. This year the course will cover conformity, authority and authoritarianism, attitudes, persuasion, media effects, cognitive dissonance, and violence.

2. Conducting a group research project which involves analyzing and reporting quantitative data. Students will learn to use SPSS to create and manage data sets, and run and interpret basic statistical tests.

Many class meetings will be divided into two parts. During the first, we will examine and discuss the readings. Students will lead these discussions, and I will provide background as necessary. During the second part, research groups will work on their projects, in consultation with me.

Each year the course has a theme to help provide focus and coherence, and this year’s theme will be the social psychology of violence – the roles of group conformity, authority, norms, media models, and military training.

Grading will be based on:

Research project: 40%

Three quizzes 45%

Class participation 15%

Social Psychology Syllabus

Texts: Aronson, The Social Animal Aronson, Readings About The Social Animal Grossman, On Killing

Electronic Reserves: links on my WebPage syllabus and library Course Reserves

	Conformity and Obedience
Week 1 Tues	Introduction SPSS: Data Management
Week 1 Thur	Conformity SPSS: Hypothesis Testing	Social Animal, Chapt 2: pp. 13-35 Readings: Milgram, “Behavioral Study of Obedience" Readings: Asch, “Opinions and Social Pressure”
Week 2 Tues	Obedience	film: Milgram’s Obedience Experiment Social Animal, Chapt. 2: pp. 35-48 Milgram, Obedience to Authority [electronic reserve] Burger, Replicating Milgram [electronic reserve]
Week 2 Thur	Conformity and Violence	film: Zimbardo's Prison Experiment Milgram, Obedience to Authority, Epilogue [handout] Kelman & Hamilton, “Sanctioned Massacres” [electronic reserve] Lecture Notes Readings: Archer & Gartner, “Peacetime Casualties…”
Week 3 Tues	Authoritarianism	Brown, R., “The Authoritarian Personality and the Organization of Attitudes” Part I Part II      [electronic reserve] Lecture Notes Altemeyer Notes
Week 3 Thur	Helping Behavior	Social Animal, Chapt 2: pp. 48-57 Readings: Darley & Bateson, “From Jerusalem to Jericho...”
Week 4 Tues	Quiz	[ Lab: SPSS & Analysis of Variance ]
	Cognitive Dissonance, Persuasion, Mass Media
	Topic	Reading
Week 4 Thur	Cognitive Dissonance	Social Animal, Chapt. 5: pp. 181-222 Festinger, When Prophecy Fails (excerpts)
Week 5 Tues	Cognitive Dissonance	Social Animal, Chapt. 5: pp. 223-241 Readings: Aronson, “Dissonance, Hypocrisy & Self-Concept”
Week 5 Thur	Cognitive Dissonance	Social Animal, Chapt. 5: pp. 242-251 Readings: Axsom & Cooper, "Reducing Weight by Reducing Dissonance" Freedman & Fraser, "Compliance Without Pressure"
Week 6 Tues	Attitudes & Persuasion	Social Animal, Chapt 3: pp. 59-84 Readings: Dabbs & Leventhal, “Effects of Varying the Recommendations in a Fear-Arousing Communication”
Week 6 Thur	Mass Media Effects	Social Animal, Chapt. 3: pp. 84-115 Readings:Phillips, “The Impact of Mass Media Violence on U.S. Homicides” Statistics Notes -- review, regression & correlation
Week 7 Tues	Quiz	[Lab: SPSS: Regression and Correlation ]
	Violence
Week 7 Thur	Violence: Catharsis & Modeling	Social Animal, Chapt. 6: pp. 253-271 Readings: Berkowitz, “Effects of Observing Violence”
Week 8 Tues	Media and Violence	Social Animal, Chapt. 6: pp. 271-299 Readings: Bushman, "Does Venting Anger Feed or Extinguish the Flame? Readings: Malamuth, "Predictors of Naturalistic Sexual Aggression"
Week 8 Thur	Violence	Grossman, On Killing. Intros, Sect. I, Sect II (pp. 43-66) Pape, "The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism" [elect. reserve]
Week 9 Tues	Violence	Grossman, On Killing. Sect. IV, pp. 231-245 Gibson, Warrior Dreams Chapt. 9 [elect reserve]
Week 9 Thur	Violence	Grossman, On Killing. Section VIII Hage, "Comes a Time... Understanding Palestinian Suicide Bombers" [elect. reserve]
Week 10 Tues	Quiz	Stat Notes -- chi square Stat Notes -- t-test & ANOVA Stat Notes -- regression & correlation
Week 10 Thur	Symposium