Module Information
Module Identifier
PS20220
Module Title
Social Psychology
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Pre-Requisite
Reading List
Other Staff
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Application of Social Psychology to the real world (2,000 words) | 50% |
| Semester Exam | 1.5 Hours 1.5 hrs exam | 50% |
| Supplementary Exam | If students fail the module overall, any failed component must be re-sat or determined as the Examination Board sees fit. | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Show awareness of thevaried ways for defining social psychology and understand the research methods used in social psychology.
2. Demonstrate a broad knowledge and understanding of key topics in social psychologyand their limitations.
3. Relate and contrast social psychological theories and approaches to the real world.
4. Summarise, present, and apply peer reviewed articles about social psychologyto everyday life and social issues.
5. Work in groups and engage in peer learning and teaching.
Brief description
This module examines social psychological processes such as social cognition, attitudes and attitude change, and group processes. These are core themes of social psychology and therefore emphasis will be placed on being introduced to these topics as a basis for understanding essential theories and applications of social psychology.
Content
- History and methods in Social Psychology
- Intragroup processes.
- Intergroup processes
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self and social identity
- Social cognition
- Social influence.
- Pro-social behaviour
- Attitudes and behaviour
- Language and communication.
- Social psychology and culture.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Students will be expected to build on their research training from other modules. Students will be required to conduct research and choose the appropriate research methods and analysis, which may be either quantitative or qualitative based. |
| Communication | Students will understand the importance of information and clear communication and how to exploit these. They will know how to use the many sources of information available and how to use the most appropriate form of communication to the best advantage. They will learn to be clear and direct in their and to be direct about aims and objectives. They will learn to consider only that which is relevant to the topic and to focus on the objectives of their argument or discussion. Seminars will be run in groups where oral discussion and presentations will form the main medium of teaching. Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format and the presentation of work should reflect effective expression of ideas and good use of language skills in order to ensure clarity, coherence and effective communication. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The module aims to promote self-management but within a context of assistance from both the facilitator and the fellow students alike. Students will be expected to improve their own learning and performance by undertaking their own research and to exercise their own initiative, including searching for sources, compiling reading lists, and deciding (under guidance) the direction of their research and presentation topics. The need to conduct a seminar presentation and to meet an research deadline will focus students' attention on the need to manage their time and opportunity resources well. In addition, students will be expected to maintain a class Wiki site that can be used by all social psychology students for reference. |
| Information Technology | Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format. Also, students will be encouraged to search for sources of information on the web, as well as seeking sources through electronic information sources (such as Web of Science and PsychLit). In addition, students will have to develop posters using powerpoint for assessment. Students will also be encouraged to use the University's multimedia tools to encourage peer learning and engage in literature further. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | The discussions in particular will help to develop students' verbal and presentation skills. Learning about the process of planning research and a presentation, framing the parameters of the projects, honing and developing the projects and seeing through to completion will contribute towards their portfolio of transferable skills. |
| Problem solving | Group project work and problem solving will be one of the central goals of the module. The submission of a research report will require that the student develops independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The need to present their data will enable students to develop presentational skills that might be required for future employment. The need to research and prepare seminar presentations will also enable the student to develop independent project skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider case studies; reason logically; apply theoretical models; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. A final examination will ensure that an assessment of the student's ability to work alone can be undertaken. |
| Research skills | The submission of research report will reflect both group and independent research skills of the student. The need to locate appropriate research resources and write up the results will also facilitate research skills. Research preparation for a seminar presentation will also enable the student to develop independent project skills. Additional reading and contribution to multimedia facilities will enable students to evaluate and summarise large amounts of information relating to the course topics. A final examination will ensure that an assessment of the student's ability to work alone can be undertaken |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students will have the opportunity to develop a wide range of subject specific skills that will help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate examples and research publications presented on the module. These subject specific skills include: *Assessment of scientific methods in psychology. *Differentiation between quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry and identification of appropriate research methods. *Demonstration of a familiarity with the techniques required for literature searches. *Appreciation of the complex interactions and diverse influences on human behaviour. *Appreciation of the nature of ethical research in the social sciences. |
| Team work | Students will engage in a group research project. Students will have to manage and delegate tasks such as research gathering and data collection. Althought the research report will be written independently, students will be expected to deliver their results in the form of a group poster presentation during a scheduled course conference. Seminars will consist in part of small-group discussion where students will be obliged to discuss as a group the core issues related to seminar topics. Such class room debates and discussions are a vital component of the module. Students will also be expected to maintain a class wiki site based on their seminar groups. This situation will enable students to take an active role in contributing to peer learning. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5