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PS20109: Social psychology: traditional and critical approaches

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Psychology
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 33%, EX 67%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Essay (CW 33%)
  • Examination (EX 67%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take PS10086
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To enable students to understand the relationship between individual, social and cultural psychological processes. To familiarise students with research on the individual in the social context. To provide understanding of the major theoretical debates and recent developments in social psychology.

Learning Outcomes:
Be aware of key studies in social psychology.
Be familiar with how psychologists approach the student of communication and the social construction of meaning.
Understand the main theoretical debates about the relationship between the individual and the social and cultural context.

Skills:
Understand the scientific underpinnings of psychology as a discipline, its historical origins, development and limitations. (T/F A)
Recognise the inherent variability and diversity of psychological functioning and its significance. (T/F A)
Can demonstrate systematic knowledge and critical understanding of a range of influences on psychological functioning, how they are conceptualised across the core areas, and how they interrelate. The core knowledge domains within psychology include (i) research methods, (ii) biological psychology, (iii) cognitive psychology, (iv) individual differences, (v) developmental psychology and (vi) social psychology. In addition to these core areas it is expected that students will gain knowledge of conceptual and historical perspectives in psychology. (T/F A)
Has detailed knowledge of several specialised areas and/or applications, some of which are at the cutting edge of research in the discipline. (T/F)
Can reason scientifically, understand the role of evidence and make critical judgements about arguments in psychology. (T/F A)
Can undertake self-directed study and project management in order to meet desired objectives. (T/F)

Content:
Language as dialogue and social negotiation. Rhetoric and discourse: how we persuade, argue, negotiate and interpret. Construction of meaning. The role of metaphor and narrative. Communication processes. Effective and ineffective communication. The relationships between individual schemas, representations and lay theories, and social and cultural repertoires.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PS20109 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Education
  • UHED-AFB04 : BA(Hons) Childhood, Youth and Education Studies (Year 2)
  • UHED-AKB04 : BA(Hons) Childhood, Youth and Education Studies with Professional Placement (Year 2)
Department of Psychology Department of Social & Policy Sciences

PS20109 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB13 : BA(Hons) French and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB12 : BA(Hons) German and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB16 : BA(Hons) Italian ab inito and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB14 : BA(Hons) Italian and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AFB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AAB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Study year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AAB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Study year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB15 : BA(Hons) Russian ab inito and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB17 : BA(Hons) Spanish and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB16 : BSc(Hons) Social Policy (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB16 : BSc(Hons) Social Policy with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB05 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB05 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB04 : BSc(Hons) Sociology (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB04 : BSc(Hons) Sociology with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Sociology and Social Policy with Year long work placement (Year 2)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.