About the Course
Each of us is dealt a different hand in life, but we all face similar questions when it comes to human behavior: What leads us to like one person and dislike another? How do conflicts and prejudices develop, and how can they be reduced? Can psychological research help protect the environment, and if so, how? This course offers an introduction to classic and contemporary social psychology, covering topics such as decision making, persuasion, group behavior, personal attraction, and factors that promote health and well-being.
Our focus will be on surprising, entertaining, and intriguing research findings that are easy to apply in daily life. As part of this focus, several homework assignments will encourage you to experiment with your life, observe the results, and analyze what took place. The course will also draw from the web sites of Social Psychology Network, the world's largest online community devoted to social psychology. I hope you'll join me for this course, have fun, and learn some useful information that enriches your life!
Our focus will be on surprising, entertaining, and intriguing research findings that are easy to apply in daily life. As part of this focus, several homework assignments will encourage you to experiment with your life, observe the results, and analyze what took place. The course will also draw from the web sites of Social Psychology Network, the world's largest online community devoted to social psychology. I hope you'll join me for this course, have fun, and learn some useful information that enriches your life!
About the Instructor(s)
Scott Plous holds a Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University and is a professor of psychology at Wesleyan University, where he teaches introductory and advanced courses in social psychology. His research interests focus on prejudice, decision making, information technology, and ethical issues surrounding the use of animals.
Professor Plous is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, and has received several national awards, including the William James Book Award (for The Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making), the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize, and the Otto Klineberg Intercultural and International Relations Award. He has also received the American Psychological Foundation's Award for Distinguished Teaching and been named "Connecticut Professor of the Year" by the Carnegie Foundation and Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Currently, Professor Plous serves as Executive Director of Social Psychology Network (SocialPsychology.org), a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to promote peace, social justice, and sustainable living through public education, research, and the advancement of psychology.
Recommended Background
No background is required; all are welcome!
Suggested Readings
The course readings will include chapters drawn from two outstanding texts:
- Myers, David G. (2012). Social Psychology (11th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
- Myers, David G. (2012). Exploring Social Psychology (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
(Note: By special arrangement with McGraw-Hill, these chapters are being made available to Coursera students at no cost. Students interested in learning more about social psychology may wish to buy one of these books.)
In addition, students will be invited to read a few non-technical journal articles that are being provided at no cost by the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science. Here are two examples:
- Burger, J. M. (2009). Replicating Milgram: Would people still obey today? American Psychologist, 64, 1-11.
- Cialdini, R. B. (2003). Crafting normative messages to protect the environment. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12, 105-109.
Course Format
The class will consist of lecture videos, most of which are 5-10 minutes long. There will also be homework assignments and a final exam covering the lectures and course readings.
No comments:
Post a Comment