Module PSYC3081: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Department: PSYCHOLOGY

PSYC3081: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Prerequisites

• Social and Developmental Psychology (PSYC2021) OR Modules to the value of 100 credits from Level 2 Applied Psychology (C810)

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To introduce students to new theoretical and methodological approaches in social psychology.
• In the Michaelmas Term, recent work on social cognitive neuroscience will be introduced
• In the Epiphany Term, the main focus will be on evolutionary psychology

Content

• The first part of the module will focus on the way in which humans and other animals use social cognition to guide their actions, with particular emphasis on the neural substrates of these mechanisms.
• Introduciton to the cognitive neuroscience of social behaviour
• Neural substrates of social behaviour in monkeys
• Modulation by social context: the role of the prefrontal cortex
• Theory of mind in non-human species
• "Self" in social behaviour
• Autism and the amygdale
• Moral behaviour
• Depression as a social disorder
• Summary of the topic
• The second part of the module examines the paradigm of evolutionary psychology, its empirical application to the study of mate choice and aggression, and its extension to encompass cultural evolution.
• Evolution and evolutionary psychology
• Short term mate selection
• Long term mate selection
• Same-sex competition and aggression
• Family conflict
• Problems with the evolutionary approach
• The psychological infrastructure of culture
• Co-evolution: memes and genes

Learning Outcomes

• Detailed knowledge of the major approaches used in social cognitive neuroscience and evolutionary psychology and evidence relating to these approaches

• Ability to review critically and consolidate understanding of a coherent body of psychological knowledge and apply it appropriately

• Good written communication skills
• Good IT skills in word processing, data manipulation and data presentation
• Abilities to work independently in scholarship and research within broad guidelines

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Students' acquisition of detailed knowledge will be facilitated by lectures, group discussions, audio-visual materials and detailed reading lists.
• These modes of teaching provide students with detailed knowledge of the key theories and the skills needed to evaluate different theoretical positions in light of current evidence.
• The summative essay and examination will assess students' detailed subject knowledge.
• Student-led discussions and small group work develop students' abilities to work independently in locating ad evaluating research.
• Students' skills in independently undertaking a literature search and reviewing recent material will be assessed by the summative essay (no reading list set).
• An assessment of the range, recency and appropriateness of sources will be included in the overall assessment of the essay.
• The use of group discussions and small group work will ensure that students are exposed to a range of different theoretical positions, and encouraged to understand their inter-relations.
• Lectures, student-led discussion and small group work will also give students the opportunity to interpret and evaluate the significance of empirical work.
• The summative essay and written examination will effectively assess students' critical and analytical skills.
• The use of a summative essay and written examination will ensure that students' written communication skills are assessed.
• Feedback on the summative essays will be available form the beginning of the Epiphany term, allowing students plenty of time to benefit from feedback on this aspect of their work.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

None.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University