Course

Unit 1

Introduction to Social Psychology

Definition, nature, and scope of social psychology. Historical development and foundational theories.Relationship between social psychology and human values.The distinction between social psychology and common sense.Research methodologies and ethical considerations in social psychology. Introduction to digital literature databases (e.g., PsycINFO, Google Scholar) and online survey tools (Google Forms, Qualtrics) for collecting and reviewing social psychology data.

Unit 2

The Self and Its Dimensions

Self-presentation: Strategies and accuracy in self vs. others’ behaviour prediction.Self-knowledge: Introspection and external perspectives.Personal vs. social identity: Influence of social context and external perceptions. Social comparison: Self-serving biases and unrealistic optimism. Self-esteem: Assessment methods, effects of migration, and gender differences. The self as a target of prejudice: Concealing identity, well-being implications, and strategies to combat stereotype threat. Practical exercises using beginner-level online self-assessment surveys to explore self-concept, social comparison, and identity perception.

Unit 3

Social Beliefs and Judgments

Understanding and evaluating the social environment. Significance and impact of social convictions. Self-fulfilling prophecies and cognitive social psychology. Behaviour and attitudes: Bidirectional influences and underlying mechanisms. Self-presentation: Impression management techniques. Self-justification: Cognitive dissonance theory. Self-perception: Comparative analysis of theoretical frameworks. Simulation exercises using online tools to model attitude formation, cognitive dissonance, and self-perception scenarios.

Unit 4

Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience

Definitions and classical studies on conformity. Factors influencing conformity and motivations behind it. Characteristics of conformists and strategies to resist conformity pressures. Compliance: Principles, techniques, and their effectiveness. Obedience: Causes, notable experiments, and methods to resist destructive obedience. Use of beginner-friendly platforms (e.g., virtual experiments in PsyToolkit) to simulate conformity, compliance, and obedience scenarios.

Unit 5

Helping Behaviour

Altruism and prosocial behaviour: Theoretical perspectives. Bystander effect: Causes and mitigating factors. Motivations and determinants of helping behaviours. Characteristics of individuals who engage in helping behaviours. Strategies to enhance and promote prosocial actions within communities. Online interactive exercises and case-study simulations to explore helping behaviour and bystander effects.

Text Books / References

Textbooks

1. Sherif, M. (1948). An outline of social psychology. Harper & Brothers.
2. Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Sommers, S. R., & Tucker, V. (2020). Social psychology. Pearson.
3. Baron, A., & Byrne, D. (2002). Social psychology. Prentice-Hall of India.
4. Branscombe, N. R., Baron, R. A., & Kapur, P. (2017). Social psychology. Pearson India Education Services.
5. Myers, D. G. (2002). Social psychology. McGraw-Hill.

Suggested Readings

• Baron, A., Branscombe, N., Byrne, D., & Bhardwaj, G. (2009). Social psychology. Dorling Kindersley (India) Private Limited. 

• Hewstone, M., Stroebe, W., & Jonas, K. (2012). An introduction to social psychology (5th ed.). BPS Blackwell. 

• Taylor, S. E., Peplau, L. A., & Sears, D. O. (2009). Social psychology (12th ed.). Pearson Education.

Social Psychology I delves into the scientific study of how individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. This course offers a comprehensive exploration of foundational concepts, including the development of social psychology, the intricacies of self-perception, the formation and impact of social beliefs and judgments, the dynamics of conformity and obedience, and the factors that drive helping behaviours. By integrating theoretical frameworks with empirical research, students will gain a nuanced understanding of the mechanisms that underpin social interactions and their applications in everyday life. Students will also gain exposure to beginner-level digital tools for conducting online surveys, visualizing social behaviour patterns, and simulating social experiments.

Course Objectives

• To provide students with a thorough understanding of the foundational principles and historical evolution of social psychology.
• To examine the constructs of self and identity, emphasizing their formation, influence on behaviour, and the impact of social contexts.
• To analyse the processes underlying social beliefs, judgments, and attitudes, and their effects on interpersonal and group dynamics.
• To explore the mechanisms and factors contributing to conformity, compliance, obedience, and altruistic behaviours within societal frameworks.
• To familiarise students with beginner-friendly digital tools for measuring social attitudes, conducting online experiments, and visualising group behaviour patterns.

Course Outcomes

• CO1: Articulate the key concepts, theories, and historical milestones that have shaped the field of social psychology.
• CO2: Critically assess the development of self-concept and identity and evaluate their roles in influencing individual behaviour and social perceptions.
• CO3: Analyse the formation and impact of social beliefs and attitudes, understanding their implications for behaviour and societal interactions.
• CO4: Evaluate the psychological principles underlying conformity, compliance, obedience, and helping behaviours, and apply this knowledge to real-world social scenarios.
• CO5: Demonstrate beginner-level proficiency in using technology to conduct online surveys, visualise social patterns, and simulate social psychology experiments.

CO-PO Mapping