PSYS 130 (3 credits) Introduction to Social Psychology University of Vermont Spring 2016

PSYS 130 (3 credits)
Introduction to Social Psychology
University of Vermont
Spring 2016
MWF 9:40-10:30 a.m. in Billings Lecture Hall
Instructor:
Instructor Office Hours:
Dr. Sue Fenstermacher
[email protected]
Wednesdays 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in Dewey 334
Graduate Teaching Assistant:
James Wages
[email protected]
GTA Office Hours:
Mondays 11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. in Dewey 356
Undergraduate Teaching Assistants:
Hannah Apfelbaum
[email protected]
Inana Dairi
[email protected]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Textbook:
PSYS 130 will not use a traditional text this semester. Instead, we will use an online platform
(REVEL for Social Psychology (9th Ed.); Aronson, Wilson, Akert, & Sommers, 2015) that
contains the text readings as well as additional online materials that will comprise part of the
course assignments. You should also receive a looseleaf copy of the text readings when you
purchase access to REVEL through the UVM bookstore.
Readings:
There will be occasional assigned journal article readings in addition to the assigned chapter
readings on REVEL. Links to these additional articles will be available on Blackboard.
Course Overview
This survey course is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the major research and theoretical
foundations of social psychology and the application of social psychological concepts to everyday life. The course will
cover significant theories, experiments, and themes within the field of social psychology, illustrating the powerful
influence of situational factors on human behavior and interpersonal relations.
Contacting Instructors
For specific questions about course material, questions about how your work was graded, or for help improving your
performance in the course and developing study skills, you should first contact the Graduate Teaching Assistant (James)
to arrange a meeting. If you continue to have questions or you would like to go over material again after meeting with the
GTA, I am happy to meet with you as well. We also have two Undergraduate Teaching Fellows (Hannah and Inana) this
semester who have both recently taken PSYS 130 and are happy to provide assistance via email. Their contact information
is included above. Please get into the habit of using your UVM email account for any communication about the course.
Although we usually check our email regularly during the week and will do our best to get back to you at our first
opportunity, please be patient and understand that a response may take more than one day, particularly if the email is sent
over a weekend/holiday break or during high-volume times (e.g., around exams or assignment due dates).
Class Format
Class meetings are primarily lecture-based, with occasional group discussions, class activities, and films. Questions,
comments, and active class participation are encouraged. I expect students to come to class having completed assigned
readings, to listen attentively and respectfully, and to contribute their best efforts to class activities and discussions.
Blackboard
Please familiarize yourself with the PSYS 130 Blackboard site, and check frequently for announcements. We will post
assignment guidelines, extra credit opportunities, outside readings, grades and other material pertinent to the course on
Blackboard.
PSYS 130 – Spring 2016
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Course Requirements
1. Exams (420 points total; 70% of final grade)
There will be four exams in this course. Three multiple-choice midterms will be administered during the semester. The
midterms are not cumulative and will be worth 100 points each. The final exam (multiple-choice, worth 120 points) will
be quasi-cumulative, touching upon major themes and concepts from earlier course topics but with an emphasis on
material covered following the third midterm. All exams are closed book and will begin promptly at the start of the class
period/final exam start time. You will have the entire class period to take the exams. Please note that your attendance to
class is essential to strong performance on the exams, as some topics discussed in lecture will not necessarily be found in
the platform or assigned readings.
Important notes regarding make-up exams:
 Make-up exams are granted only in the case of a valid, documented excuse (e.g., illness, accident, bereavement,
family emergency for which I will be notified by the Dean’s Office, religious holiday for which you have
notified teaching staff at the start of the semester, or UVM-sanctioned athletic competition) and must be
accompanied by documentation from a health or similar professional and/or the Dean’s Office. Please note that
circumstances such as vacation plans, early leave for holidays or semester breaks, or similar events do not
constitute acceptable excuses for missing any exam in this course, including the final exam. Please do not expect
to receive permission to make up an exam if you lack the required written documentation described above.

ALL APPROVED MAKE-UP EXAMS FOR MIDTERMS 1-3 WILL BE ADMINISTERED AT A
SPECIFIC DESIGNATED DATE AND TIME IN MID-APRIL. The time and location of the makeup exam
session will be organized by the GTA and eligible students will be contacted accordingly as the date approaches.
2. Experience Analysis Papers (Reflection Papers) (1 paper @120 points; 20% of final grade)
The purpose of this 3- 4 page writing assignment is to provide students with the opportunity to apply concepts from social
psychology to personal experiences. Although you are only required to submit one Experience Analysis paper, you will be
provided with two opportunities to submit this assignment, and may submit both if you wish (only your best score will
count). Lists of specific topics and guidelines will be posted on Blackboard under Course Materials.
The first set of topics (Topic Set 1) will address material covered in the first half of the course (social cognition, attitudes,
persuasion, conformity) and will be available in Course Materials starting on the first day of class. You may submit your
writing assignment as early as you wish, but it is strongly recommended that you wait until the topic has been covered in
lecture to be sure you are including as much relevant material as possible in your analysis. Note that there are two
deadlines listed in the syllabus schedule for Topic Set 1 – an optional “early bird” deadline (March 4) before Spring
Break, and the final deadline (March 18) in the week following Spring Break. All Topic Set 1 papers must be submitted
by the final deadline of March 18 in order to avoid late penalties. With the exception of papers on Conformity (which
should not be submitted prior to discussion of that material in class), Topic Set 1 papers will be scored in the order that
they are received, so that students opting to turn in papers for the “early bird” date will receive their scores and feedback
on the assignment ahead of students who choose to submit their work for the final deadline.
The second set of topics (Topic Set 2) will be posted on Blackboard no later than March 18, with a final due date of April
25. Topic Set 2 will include material from the second half of the course (prejudice, aggression, prosocial behavior, group
dynamics, sustainability).
As noted above, you are only required to submit one Experience Analysis paper for this course. However, students may, if
they wish, opt to complete and turn in both paper assignments (one each from Topic Set 1 and Topic Set 2). In this case,
only your best score will be counted toward your final course grade. It is thus to your advantage to plan to do both
assignments. Please note that re-writes or revisions of previously graded papers will not be accepted. Please note
also that due to the large size of this course, we are unable to review rough drafts via email, so if you wish to have a
member of the teaching staff look over a draft before turning it in, you should make arrangements to do so in person well
in advance of the deadline.
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Some notes on writing assignment preparation and submission:
1. Your paper should include a separate title page (including your name, ID, date and a creative TITLE for
your paper) and must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins.
2. Papers will be collected at the start of class on the due dates listed in the syllabus and must be in hard copy
format. Papers should be submitted directly to your GTA on the day they are due.
3. E-MAIL SUBMISSIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTED. Please plan accordingly for printing as last-minute
computer or printing issues can unfortunately lead to papers being docked points for lateness.
4. Do not turn in assignments outside of class (whether before or after the due date) without first contacting your
instructor or Graduate Teaching Assistant to verify an alternate arrangement for submitting the assignment.
5. Late papers will be docked 6 points for each day late.
3. Learning Activities: Class Participation Activities, Essays, and Shared Writing (60 points total; 10% of final grade)
A. Class participation activities (8 activities worth up to 7.5 points each)
I will periodically assign activities to be completed during class time. These activities may include, but are not
limited to, brief quizzes or writing assignments done at the start of class to reflect on the assigned readings,
material collected during lecture to be used for class demonstrations, or comments and questions on the day’s
topic turned in at the end of class. Attendance for the entire class period is required to receive credit for the
activity on that day. In other words, if you are absent, arrive late to class, or leave early and miss an activity, there
will not be an opportunity for you to make it up. Class participation activities will be collected for credit randomly
throughout the term and will be graded out of a possible 7.5 points each. Class participation activities are closedbook, must be turned in during class, and must be completed individually unless the opportunity to collaborate
with classmates is explicitly stated.
Important notes regarding class participation activities:
 Missed class participation activities cannot be retaken or ‘made up’. If you are absent from lecture on the day we
have an activity (WHETHER OR NOT THE ABSENCE IS EXCUSED) or leave early and miss an activity at the end of
class, you will receive a zero for that day’s activity. If you arrive late to an activity, you may participate in the remainder
of the activity but I will not re-read questions or portions of the activity that were missed. Please note that contacting the
professor or teaching assistant ahead of time to let us know that you will be absent or late to class, while appreciated,
does not excuse you from a missed class activity; there are simply too many students in the course to make exceptions. I
understand that students may occasionally miss lecture for unavoidable reasons; thus I will take care to avoid holding
activities during religious holidays (students should provide a list of any anticipated religious holiday absences in
advance). In addition, you will have the opportunity to complete activities on the REVEL platform (Essays and/or
Shared Writing entries) to earn back points missed due to absence. Further details are provided below.

Please keep track of your scores on Blackboard as they are posted. We will post an announcement on Blackboard
once each set of class participation activities has been graded and posted in the gradebook. Once this announcement has
been made, please double-check your score to be certain that it reflects your participation in the activity. Inquiries
regarding missing class participation activity grades will be considered only if made within two weeks of that activity’s
grades being posted. Due to the large size of the class and frequency of assignments, we are unable to address inquiries
or concerns related to class participation activities following this two week window.

Please note that representing another student’s work as your own, or completing work for another student
constitutes academic dishonesty and will be treated as such. In a class of this size, there is sometimes temptation
for classmates to ‘cover for’ one another to ensure credit for missed class activities. Students often do not realize that the
act of completing and submitting work for another student under any circumstances constitutes a serious academic
transgression. Regardless of the nature or point value of the assignment, all students involved will be considered guilty
of academic collusion and will receive equal penalty for this behavior – potentially resulting in course failure. Please
refer to UVM’s Code of Academic Integrity http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmppg/ppg/student/acadintegrity.pdf for policies on
collusion and other forms of academic misconduct.
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B. Optional REVEL assignments: Essays and Shared Writing activities
In addition to the assigned chapter readings on REVEL, you will find two types of optional writing assignments:
Essays (worth up to 5 points each) and Shared Writing activities (worth up to 2.5 points each). These are
typically due following our coverage of the associated chapter reading in class (check your assignment schedule in
REVEL for details). Information on each of these options is provided below.
o
Essays (14 Essays worth up to 5 points each): For each assigned chapter reading on REVEL, there will
be at least one Essay option asking for a 100+ word response to a specific prompt relevant to that chapter.
The first of these has a due date of January 25 and corresponds to the material from Chapter 1. Essays will
be reviewed by your instructors for completeness, originality, and thoughtfulness of response and scored
out of a maximum possible 5 points.
o
Shared Writing (14 Shared Writing activities worth up to 2.5 points each): Shared Writing activities
can be found along with each week’s assigned chapter reading. These ask you to provide a brief response
to a prompt as part of an online forum with your classmates in REVEL. Students are able to read and
respond to one another’s Shared Writing posts, and your posts on each week’s topic will be scored out of
a maximum possible 2.5 points. Please note that because Shared Writing activities are interactive
(students can view and respond to one another’s posts on a particular topic), credit is received only if
posted by the due date listed in REVEL.
Please note that 60 points is the MAXIMUM combined score possible for Learning Activities (Class
Participation Activities + Essays + Shared Writing). In other words, if you have already earned 60 points via
Class Participation Activities, you do not need to complete additional Essays or Shared Writing other than for
your own learning benefit. Completing additional assignments will not push your Learning Activity score
beyond 60 points. However, if you would like to use these activities to earn extra course credit, you may do so
up to an additional 15 EC points (see below for details).
**********
Extra Credit (15 points maximum)
There are three ways to earn extra credit in this course, as described below. Please note that while you may combine these
extra credit opportunities, 15 points is the maximum number of extra credit points you may receive. Please note also that
extra credit assignments are graded based on the quality of your work; simply completing the assignment does not
guarantee full credit.
1. You may choose to complete up to 15 points’ worth of additional REVEL Essays or Shared Writing for extra credit.
Once you have earned the maximum 60 points for Learning Activities (see above), additional REVEL assignments (up to
15 additional points maximum) will be automatically counted as extra credit. Note that, as with other extra credit
assignments, points will be awarded based on the quality of your work, not simply completing additional activities. Please
note also that these activities need to be submitted on or before their individual due dates in order to receive points.
2. Article summary/critique (up to 7.5 EC points each): For each of the five assigned journal articles (listed in the
syllabus and posted on Blackboard), you may opt to write a 1.5-2.5 page summary and critique paper, to be turned in the
week for which that article is assigned. In other words, summary/critique papers should be handed in prior to discussion of
the articles in class. Each summary/critique is worth up to a maximum 7.5 EC points. Further details on this extra credit
option are available in the ‘Extra Credit’ folder on Blackboard.
3. In addition, I will occasionally announce ‘optional homework’ assignments which you may choose to complete and
turn in for extra credit. These will be worth up to 7.5 EC points each and will be posted on Blackboard after being
announced in lecture. More details to follow!
**********
PSYS 130 – Spring 2016
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Summary of Course Requirements
Course Requirement
Midterm exams (3 @ 100 points each)
Reflection Papers (1 @ 120 points)
Final exam (1@ 120 points)
Any combination of :
Class Participation Activities (8 @ 7.5 pts each) +
REVEL Essays (14 @ 5 points each) +
REVEL Shared Writing Activities (14 @ 2.5 points each)
TOTAL
Maximum Possible
Points
300
Percentage of Course Grade
50%
120
120
20%
20%
60
10%
600
100%
Course Grades
Letter grades will be based on the following percentages of the 600 possible points.
To earn a(n): Receive:
Definition:
A
93% or better of possible points (558+)
A-
90% or better of possible points (540+)
B+
88% or better of possible points (528+)
B
83% or better of possible points (498+)
B-
80% or better of possible points (480+)
C+
78% or better of possible points (468+)
C
73% or better of possible points (438+)
C-
70% or better of possible points (420+)
D+
68% or better of possible points (408+)
D
63% or better of possible points (378+)
D-
60% or better of possible points (360+)
F
59% or below of possible points
Achievement that is outstanding relative to the level
necessary to meet course requirements.
Achievement that is significantly above that necessary to
meet course requirements.
Achievement that meets course requirements in every respect.
Achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to
fully meet the course requirements.
Work was either complete but at a level of achievement that is
not worthy of credit or not completed.
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Course Schedule (please note that course schedule may be subject to change; any changes to the schedule will be
announced in class and posted on the Blackboard site)
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Date
January 20
January 22
January 25
January 27
January 29
February 1
February 3
February 5
February 8
February 10
February 12
February 15
February 17
February 19
February 22
February 24
February 26
February 29
March 2
March 4 “Early
bird” submission for
Topic Set 1 papers
March 7-11
March 14
March 16
March 18
Final due date for Topic Set 1
papers
March 21
March 23
March 25
March 28
March 30
April 1
April 4
April 6
April 8
April 11
April 13
April 15
April 18
April 20
April 22
April 25
Final due date for Topic Set 2
papers
April 27
April 29
May 2
May 4
Topic
Readings (articles listed are available on Blackboard)
May 9 (MONDAY)
7:30 – 10:15 A.M.
Final Exam in Billings Lecture Hall (quasi-cumulative; half of the exam will cover material from
Chapters 10, 11, SPA-1 and associated readings/films, half on main concepts from previous exams, films,
and readings)
Introduction to the course;
Research methods in social
psychology
Chapters 1 and 2
Social Cognition
Chapter 3
Social Perception
Chapter 4
The Self In Social Psychology
Chapter 5
Presidents’ Day Holiday – No classes
The Self in Social Psychology
Chapter 5
Midterm 1
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Chapter 6;
Justifying Our Actions
Journal Article: “Cognitive consequences of forced
compliance”
Persuasion
Chapter 7;
Journal Article: “Central and peripheral routes to advertising
effectiveness: The moderating role of involvement”
Spring Recess – No classes
Conformity
Chapter 8;
Journal Article: “Behavioral study of obedience”
Midterm 2
Group Processes
Chapters 6, 7, 8 and associated readings/films
Chapter 9
Prejudice
Aggression
Midterm 3
Prosocial Behavior
Attraction and Relationships
The Social Psychology of
Sustainability
Chapter 13
Chapter 12;
Journal Article: “Does venting anger feed or extinguish the
flame?”
Chapters 9,12,13 and associated readings/films
Chapter 11
Journal Article: “Social determinants of bystander intervention
in emergencies”
Chapter 10
Chapter SPA-1
PSYS 130 – Spring 2016
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Course Expectations and Responsibilities
You are responsible for knowing and following the course policies listed below.
1. Prerequisite: This course is designed for intermediate undergraduate students in psychology and related fields who have completed
Introduction to Psychological Science (Psys 001). Please see me if you have not taken this prerequisite but you believe you have a
sufficient background in psychology to be prepared for this course.
2. Attendance: Please come to each class ready to engage in the day’s lesson. This includes having the assigned reading completed,
and any assignments ready to turn in at the start of class. I understand that sometimes circumstances beyond your control may prevent
you from attending class. If you must miss class, it is your responsibility to find out what you have missed. Exams will include
information from class that is not in the readings. Please note that missed class activities will not be ‘excused’ (regardless of
circumstances), but points missed for these activities may be made up by completing Essay or Shared Writing assignments on
Revel.
3. Special Accommodations: Students with special needs that affect their ability to participate fully in class, to meet all course
requirements, or that require special exam administration should contact Accommodation, Consultation, Counseling & Educational
Support Services (ACCESS; A170 Living/Learning Center; http://www.uvm.edu/myaccess/) and me within the first two weeks of
class. I will provide reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities in accordance with college policies. NOTE: Students
who take exams at ACCESS are expected to take the exam on the same day that the exam is scheduled in class unless given
explicit permission by the instructor to take the exam on another day.
4. Grade Concerns: If you have concerns regarding your grade at any point, please meet first with your Graduate Teaching Assistant
to discuss ways to improve your mastery of the course material. The sooner you contact us regarding concerns, the more we can do for
you. We will not be able to accommodate students who contact us at the end of the semester with concerns about their grade.
We also encourage students to visit the Learning Co-op (Living/Learning Center, 244 Commons) for help with writing, study skills,
and exam-taking skills. Please call the Co-op (656-4075), visit their web site http://www.uvm.edu/learnco/ or stop by for additional
information.
5. Missing Assignments: Keep track of your grades on Blackboard as they are posted. It is the responsibility of the student to get in
touch with teaching staff promptly if the grade received in the Blackboard grade book does not match the student’s own records. We
will not honor requests to review assignment grades that were posted on Blackboard more than two weeks prior to the
request. Be sure to include your first and last name and student ID number on all assignments for this course, as this is our only way
of verifying your submission of work. In the case that a grade is missing for an assignment that was returned to you, you will need to
produce a copy of the graded assignment. Please note that producing a copy of the graded assignment is the ONLY way to protest a
missing assignment grade for an assignment that was returned.
6. Late Assignments: Late assignments will be docked 10% of total points for each day late and are not to be submitted outside of
class without first contacting your instructor or Graduate Teaching Assistant to verify an alternate arrangement. Papers that are
emailed or slipped under our office doors will not be accepted unless you have obtained prior permission from teaching staff to submit
your assignment in this manner. Please note that the faculty mailroom is off-limits to students. Please do not attempt to submit an
assignment by putting it in a faculty or GTA mailbox.
7. Academic Misconduct: The University of Vermont requires academic honesty from all students, and academic misconduct will not
be tolerated. Academic misconduct includes cheating on assignments or exams, violating classroom rules during exams (notes or other
prohibited materials visible, use of electronics, etc.), plagiarizing (misrepresenting someone else’s work as your own), submitting the
same or similar papers for more than one course without the permission of all instructors involved, submitting work on which you
have collaborated with other students except in cases when this is specifically encouraged or required, or sabotaging another student’s
work or access to necessary class resources. Please keep in mind that plagiarism occurs whenever you present another person’s ideas
as your own. In written assignments, students must NOT duplicate passages of more than five words from another source without
quotation marks AND proper attribution. If you paraphrase someone else’s words, you still need to give the reference. See the
following resource for additional information on plagiarism: http://www.uvm.edu/~agri99/plagiarism.html. Please avoid problems by
understanding what behaviors constitute academic misconduct and asking me for any clarification. You are responsible for knowing
and understanding the Plagiarism policies of the University of Vermont, which are available in the Code of Academic Integrity on-line
at http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmppg/ppg/student/acadintegrity.pdf. If a student engages in academic misconduct, the case will be
forwarded to the Center for Student Ethics & Standards and may involve sanctions such as receiving a zero on the assignment or
failing the course.
8. Religious Holidays: Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester, students should submit in
writing to their instructors by the end of the second week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester.
Faculty must permit students who miss work for the purpose of religious observance to make up this work.
PSYS 130 – Spring 2016
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UVM Department of Psychology Code of Classroom Conduct
Faculty and students will at all times conduct themselves in a manner that serves to maintain, promote, and enhance the
high-quality academic experience befitting the University of Vermont. The essential characteristic of this policy is
respect.
Student responsibilities
 Students are expected to attend every class, arriving promptly and remaining alert and involved until dismissed by
the instructor.
 Students are expected to come having not only read and completed assignments but also having thought about
them, and be prepared to engage in discussion and pose meaningful questions.
 During class, students will refrain from using laptop computers or other web-enabled devices. While the use of
laptops, tablets and smart phones in the classroom has potential benefit, the Department of Psychology does not
allow the use of these devices in classrooms for courses that enroll 100 or more students. This policy may be
waived at an individual faculty member’s discretion.
Faculty and student responsibilities
 Faculty and students will promote academic discourse and the free exchange of ideas by listening with civil
attention to all individuals.
 Faculty and students will treat all members of the learning community with respect and will not discriminate on
the basis of characteristics that include race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation,
marital status, disability, or gender identity or expression.
 Mutual respect extends to turning off cell phones or other web-enabled devices prior to the beginning of class,
refraining from leaving the room in the middle of class, and, when authorized, using laptops for course-related
activities only.
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