Welcome to PSY330: Social Psychology!

Dear Students,

Welcome to PSY330! I am delighted to embark on this 10-week exploration of social psychology with you, where we will uncover how external factors like culture, social influence, and group dynamics shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Our Guiding Question

Throughout this course, we will explore: How do external factors like race, culture, and social influence shape human thoughts and behavior, and how can understanding these dynamics inform strategies for promoting positive social change? This question guides our discussions and culminates in your final reflection essay.

Your Learning Journey

We will investigate fascinating topics from self-serving bias to conformity, prejudice, aggression, and prosocial behavior. You will analyze real-world case studies, from Dr. Napoleon Wells' insights on racism to the classic "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" experiment. We will examine how isolation affects the psyche, how cults manipulate conformity, and how social psychology contributes to building a sustainable future.

Your learning will be demonstrated through quizzes (30%), assignments (30%), discussions (30%), and a final reflection (10%). Each module builds progressively, helping you develop critical thinking skills while examining how individual and collective dynamics shape our social world.

Making It Real

What makes social psychology exciting is its immediate relevance. You will conduct observational fieldwork, analyze peace treaties, and design questionnaires. These hands-on experiences will help you see social psychological principles everywhere — from social media to group projects to family dynamics.

Looking Forward

Understanding social psychology is invaluable for any field involving human interaction. The skills you develop — analyzing group dynamics, recognizing bias, understanding motivation, and promoting positive change — will serve you throughout life.

I encourage you to engage actively, challenge assumptions, and apply what you learn to real situations. Together, we will uncover fascinating insights into human social behavior.

I look forward to our journey together!

Warmly,

Dr. Carol DiFalco
cdifalco@quincycollege.edu

Contact Information

Instructor: Carol DiFalcoa, Ph.D., LMHC
Office Location: Quincy Liberal Arts
Office Hours: Click here to schedule a time to meet with Dr DiFalco (Quincy Campus in-person or Zoom)
Phone: (617) 405-5942 Quincy office
Email: cdifalco@quincycollege.edu

How to be successful in this course:

Course Description

Social Psychology examines how human thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and emotions can be influenced by outside factors, such as race, culture, gender, and the influence of others. Social Psychology also delves into the scientific research and methods used to track and study such attitudes and perceptions. Topics covered include social influence, social behavior, self-esteem, gender roles, conformity, aggression, motivation, and prejudice.

Prerequisites: PSY 280: Research Methods

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

Define social psychology and how it works. (CLO 1)
Describe individual and group influences on prosocial behavior. (CLO 2)
Assess the influence that motivation, social interaction, perception, and group behavior have on prejudice, discrimination, and oppression. (CLO 3)
Analyze the research regarding conformity, persuasion, and groupthink as it relates to individual behavior. (CLO 4)
Differentiate appropriate strategies for conflict resolution. (CLO 5)
Evaluate how social psychology theory builds community at the local, national, and global levels. (CLO 6)
Recommend methods to curtail distinct types of aggression influenced by internal and external factors. (CLO 7)

Course Materials

Course Textbook:

Myers, D. G., & Twenge, J. M. (2022). Social psychology (14th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Third-party Software:

During this course, you might have the opportunity to use public online services and/or software applications sometimes called third-party software such as a blog or wiki. While some of these could be required assignments, you should not provide personal information about yourself or your classmates on a public site. Where appropriate, you may use a pseudonym or nickname. Some written assignments posted publicly may require personal reflection/comments, but the assignments will not require you to disclose any personal information. If you have any concerns about this process, please contact your instructor.

Course Syllabus & Course Map

See the course syllabus in the left-hand column

Course Map

What's the point of the Course Map?

The Course Map allows you to see the why of the course content. By referring to this map, you will be able to see which course- and module-level objectives are linked to each module's assessments and activities.

Academic Integrity

Please read and familiarize yourself with the following Quincy College academic integrity policies:

Student Code of Conduct: Students at Quincy College are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards. Academic dishonesty is considered a serious breach of these ethical standards because it interferes with the College mission to provide a high-quality education in which no student enjoys an unfair advantage over any other. Please refer to Policy 6.16: Student Code of Conduct Policy in the QC Policy Manual.
Academic Integrity: Academic dishonesty is also destructive to the College community, which is grounded in a system of mutual trust and places a high value on personal integrity and individual responsibility. Please refer to Policy 5.15: Academic Integrity Policy in the QC Policy Manual.
The Quincy College Policy Manual: For detailed information about the mission, vision, commitment to excellence, and general policies of Quincy College, please refer to the QC Policy Manual.

Accessibility & Privacy Policies

Various tools and technologies will be utilized throughout this course. For information on the privacy and accessibility standards of specific technologies, please refer to the following policies:

Instructure (Canvas) Privacy
Instructure (Canvas) Accessibility
Zoom Privacy
Zoom Accessibility
Turnitin Privacy
Turnitin Accessibility
Respondus Privacy
Repondus (LockDown Browser) Accessibility
YouTube Privacy
Google (YouTube) Accessibility

QC Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides academic support, accommodations, and many other services to meet student accessibility needs. For further information, or if you feel you require support, please contact Student Accessibility Services.

QC Student Success

Need Help?

Free support services are available for QC's online learners. You can access resources and assistance through QC's Student Services.

Next Steps: Begin This Course

Complete the following:

Review the material in the Start Here module.
Complete the Getting to Know You Survey.
Participate in the Course Introductions discussion board.
Complete the Syllabus & Course Quiz.

Click the Next ▶ button to continue.