About Social Psychology
Why do people conform to group behavior? Does media violence really cause aggression? What causes attraction? Does advertising work? Why do good people sometimes do bad things? These are all questions that we will address throughout the semester. Social psychology considers individual human behavior in relation to the social environment. The power of the situation, other individuals, and the social group will be examined. Emphasized topics include: aggression, prejudice and stereotypes, interpersonal attraction, attitudes and attitude change, conformity, group phenomena, gender roles, cultural norms, person perception, and social cognition. Welcome to social psychology!
Textbook: Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., & Sommers, S. R. (2019). Social Psychology (10th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
Online version – ISBN 9780134700649 (least expensive if purchased through the publisher)
Online version with $20 hard copy – ISBN 9780135200346
The book can be purchased from the campus bookstore or directly from the publisher. Instructions to purchase the book from the publisher will be posted on Canvas.
Is There an On-Campus Orientation?
Our orientation will be ONLINE. You will review a video that includes information about the structure of the course, accessing course information, assignments, assessment, and course expectations. Additionally, you should review all the orientation information in the class’s Canvas website.
Please make sure to log-in to our Canvas class on Monday, August 21 so you are not dropped from the course as a “no show.” Students who do not log-in to our class site by Tuesday, August 22 will be dropped.
All students will be required to complete an orientation quiz before they can access class assignments (discussion boards and quizzes). You will be able to take the orientation quiz multiple times but must receive 100%.
Do I Have to be on Campus for any Meetings?
Yes. You will have a midterm, final, and optional cumulative final exam that must be completed in the proctoring center at the library (at the San Marcos Campus). Each of the exams will be available for 4 days. You must take it during this time. If you know you will not be able to come to campus for the exam, DO NOT take this class.
Midterm exam: October 9 – 12
Final exam and optional cumulative final exam: December 11 – 14
Is an Online Class Right for Me?
Take the quiz and find out…http://www.palomar.edu/areyouready/
Students who are successful in online classes are those who are self-motivated and self-disciplined, with good time-management, reading, and writing skills. Although this is an online class, there are firm due dates for assignments and quizzes that are not flexible or negotiable. You should also note that an online class requires just as much time as an in-person class. Each week you will complete readings, quizzes, and discussion posts (based on additional readings and/or videos). You will also have a final project. Similar to a face-to-face class, You should expect to spend at least 9 hours on this course if you want to be successful. For more information about whether an online class is right for you, visit http://www.palomar.edu/areyouready/
Given that all content is delivered and submitted online, you must have a reliable internet connect and be able to consistently access our Canvas website
The site will be available to you on January 30. Emails and announcements will be sent to you through Canvas. You can add email addresses and adjust notifications in the Account section of Canvas (select Account then Settings).
For tutorials on how to use Canvas, you may visit https://guides.instructure.com/m/4212
Can I Crash the Course?
If the class is listed as “closed,” you should keep checking to see if a spot opens up. A registered student may drop the course (or be administratively dropped for non-payment). You should also check for open spots on the waitlist. If you are not registered in the class by the first day, you can email me (nschroer@palomar.edu) and I will let you know if there are open spots in the class. Priority will be given to those on the official waitlist and those who contact me the first day of the semester.