PSY708 Social Psychology II (Attitudes, Groups)

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2018
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Petr Macek, CSc. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Lukas Blinka, PhD. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Kamila Dufková (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Petr Macek, CSc.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: prof. PhDr. Petr Macek, CSc.
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
PSY707 Social psychology I
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course introduces basic concepts of social psychology, especially in the area of social behavior. More concretely, following themes are included: attitudes, social behavior and attitudes, interpersonal relationships,group processes, social behavior, standards, and norms.
Syllabus
  • Themes of lectures:
  • (1) Attitude: definition, structure. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components of attitude. Different aspects of attitude (complexity, consistency, stability). Attitude change, persuasiveness. Theories of attitude (L. Festinger, F. Heider, D. Bem, C. Hovland, S. Chaiken, R. Petty, J. Cacioppo). Attitude and behavior (Fishbejn, I. Ajzen, R. Fazio).
  • (2) Social influence: conformity, compliance, obedience (M. Sherif, S. Asch, S. Milgram). Informational social influence. Normative social influence. Compliance as a request to change of behavior. Obedience to authority.
  • (3) Interpersonal attraction and close relationships. Social attraction, influencing factors (proximity, similarity, reciprocity, physical attractiveness). Psychological theories of interpersonal attractiveness (H. Kelley, J. Thibaut, D. Buss). Profits and losses in close relationships (trust, anxiety, competency, responsibility). Similarities and complementarity in the intimate partnerships. Loneliness.
  • (4) Variability of social behavior. Helping and hurting. Cultural determinants, norms and standards. Individualism and collectivism, value orientation (H. Triandis, S. Schwartz, S. Kitayama). Prosocial orientation and prosocial behavior. Evolutionary, personal, and situational influences (bystander effect, pluralistic ignorance, diffusion of responsibility, E. Wilson, H. Kelley, J. Thibaut, R. Cialdini, C. Bateson). Aggression, dispositional and personal infuences, situational causes of aggression, tolerance to aggression (L. Berkowitz, A. Bandura, R. Baron, N. Malamuth).
  • (5) Small group: Definition, basic attributes, and key characteristics of small groups. Structure and dynamic of groups, development of group behavior. Influences of groups on individual: social facilitation, social loafing, deindividuation. Group decision, groupthink, group polarization. Leadership in groups. Sociometry.
  • (6) Social stereotypes and prejudices. Media influences on stereotypes. Social norms, myths (W. Lippmann, G. Allport, S. Fiske). Crowd, crowd behavior, theories of crowd (G. LeBon, R.W. Brown, Turner, N. Smesler). Psychological aspects of anonymity in society.
Literature
  • VÝROST, Jozef and Ivan SLAMĚNÍK. Sociálna psychológia. info
  • ARONSON, Elliot and Robin M. AKERT. Social psychology. Edited by Timothy D. Wilson. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005, xxxvii, 65. ISBN 0131327933. info
Assessment methods
This course is based on lectures, reading of literature, and active active participation on seminars. Student will receive a final letter grade (A-F) for semester based on the following components: seminar paper, test of terminology, and final written exam (test).
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Teacher's information
http://is.muni.cz/el/1423/podzim2008/PSY107/
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2000, Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2018, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2018/PSY708