Social psychology II: Relations

6 ECTS credits
180 h study time

Offer 2 with catalog number 1006164BNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester

2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Enrollment Requirements

For this course you have to meet certain enrolment requirements. For an overview of the enrolment requirements check https://www.vub.be/en/studying-vub/practical-info-for-students/study-guidance/study-path/individual-study-path#paragraph--id--71647 Students must have taken ‘General Psychology’ OR 'Social Psychology I: Social Cognition' before they can enroll in ‘Social psychology II: relations’

Taught in

English

Faculty

Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences

Department

Experimental and Applied Psychology

Educational team

Frank Van Overwalle (course titular)
Jasmine Vergauwe

Activities and contact hours

39 contact hours Lecture
26 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals

Course Content

1 : Evolutionary psychology (chapter 2 – previous textbook)

2 : Social Interaction (chapter 11 previous textbook – till part 2: Beyond Direct Self-Interest: Transformation of Situations

3 : Aggression (chapter 9)

4 : Prosociaal behavior (chapter 10)

5 : Affiliation, attraction and close relations (chapter 11)

6 : Emotions (chapter 6 – previous textbook)

7 : Text + articles (see electronic learning platform)

Course material

Handbook (Required) : An Introduction to Social Psychology, Hewstone, M, Stroebe, W. & Jonas, K., 7ed, Oxford, UK : Basil Blackwell, 9781119486268, 2020
Digital course material (Required) : Study material (including chapters from the previous handbook). To download from the electronic learning platform, electronic learning platform

Additional info

CLASS PRESENTATIONS:

During several classes, there are groups of maximum 6 students each who will present a course topic in more depth. A list of the different course topics is available on Canvas, where students can enroll them in a particular group. The presentations focus on one course topic each, and include a practical example of “social psychology in everyday life”. A practical example can be a case, a newspaper article, a tv-show, a character (or part of a scene) of a series or movie, and so on. This practical example will be critically discussed against the theoretical courses, and/or against (at least one) recent scientific article(s) about the topic. Based on the recent literature, the presentation also includes a recent finding about that topic that was not addressed during the theoretical courses.

A report of about 5 pages will be written on the presentation. Clear and logical language and reasoning is part of the evaluation. The report should be submitted in English, using correct and fluent language.

To give sufficient time to write the report, you hand it in no later than four weeks after the presentation of the demo (and at the latest at the start of the exams) in an electronic version. If the deadline is on a holiday, then move the deadline to the next working day. This report will be part of the exam (for everyone).

To prepare for the presentations FOR DAY CLASSES
(can change depending on circumstances; see digital platform):
Class 1:   Evolutionary psychology (Chapter 2 (previous textbook)
Class 2: Social Interaction (Chapter 11 (previous textbook)
Class 3:   Presentations – Evolutionary psychology & Social Interaction
Class 4:   Aggression (Chapter 9)
Class 5:   Presentations – Aggression
Class 6:   Prosocial Behavior (Chapter 10)
Class 7:   Presentations Prosocial behavior
Class 8:   Affiliation (Chapter 11)
Class 9:   Presentations Affiliation
Class 10: Emotions (Chapter 6 (previous textbook)
Class 11: Presentations Emotions
Class 12-13: Repetition/Reserve

RECORDINGS

All classroom courses during the day are recorded (new recordings and / or reuse of previously created recordings). See electronic learning platform for access.

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

This course is about social or interpersonal relationships, in particular about about the evolution of human relationship, aggressive or prosocial behavior, social interaction, cooperation and conflict, intimate relationships and emotions between partners, friends and / or colleagues at work. Your intention should be to understand and learn the main ideas and theories in this field.
The course consists of a series of lectures in which the main points - concepts, theories, research and applications - will be explained using a textbook and PowerPoint presentations. Questions and discussions will be encouraged as far as possible.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 75% of the final mark.
SELF Report determines 25% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Written exam multiple choice with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 75% of the final mark.

Note: Written multiple choice exam about the lectures (No oral continuation)

Within the SELF Report category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Report with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 25% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

What you need to learn for the exam is an outline of the theoretical models and approaches and key illustrations and studies. From the illustrations (figures, tables) in the textbook or PowerPoint presentations you should learn the general design of each study and the main conclusions (theory and practice).

A selection of the students’ reports will be made available to everyone via the electronic learning platform, and so can serve as a refresher of the presentations.

Examination Method:
Dutch: written multiple-choice exam (No oral continuation);
English: oral exam

Marks:
- 5 points out of 20 for the practical exercise (class presentation & report)
- 15 points out of 20 for the course (lectures + PowerPoint presentations)

Partial transfers:
- the practical exercise
- the exam

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context