Course Outline

PSY204 Social Psychology

Course Coordinator:Kay Pozzebon (kpozzebo@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Psychology

2025Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Social Psychology examines the connections between individual psychology and the social environment and introduces you to key concepts in the application of social psychological theory. Developing understandings, concepts, and theories explored in Introduction to Psychology, you will examine perceptions of self as a social being, perception of others (attitudes, forming impressions, and close relationships), group processes and influences, and social motives.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Online learning materials. 1hr Week 1 13 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – 11 weeks of on campus workshops, 2 weeks of online classes. 2hrs Week 1 13 times

Course Topics

  • Self (adult themes)
  • Culture
  • Social Cognition
  • Attribution
  • Attitudes
  • Communication
  • Persuasion
  • Social Influence
  • Attraction
  • Prejudice and Discrimination (adult themes)
  • Group Processes
  • Social Motives (adult themes)

Mature Content

Adult themes

What level is this course?

200 Level (Developing)

Building on and expanding the scope of introductory knowledge and skills, developing breadth or depth and applying knowledge and skills in a new context. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally, undertaken in the second or third full-time year of an undergraduate programs.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
1 Explain concepts, theories, and research relating to the study of social psychology. Knowledgeable
1.1.10, 1.3, 1.6
2 Explain and apply social psychology and cultural responsiveness to individuals, groups, and issues. Knowledgeable
Empowered
1.1.10, 1.2, 1.6
3 Discuss and evaluate the scientific method and methodological issues. Knowledgeable
1.1.10, 1.1.12, 1.3
4 Communicate knowledge appropriately for the psychology discipline. Empowered
1.3

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
1.1.10 Graduates will be able to comprehend and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts in the discipline, using a scientific approach, including social psychology
1.1.12 Graduates will be able to comprehend and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts in the discipline, using a scientific approach, including research methods and statistics
1.2 Graduates will be able to apply knowledge and skills of psychology in a manner that is reflexive, culturally appropriate and sensitive to the diversity of individuals.
1.3 Graduates will be able to analyse and critique theory and research in the discipline of psychology and communicate these in written and oral formats.
1.6 Graduates will be able to demonstrate self-directed pursuit of scholarly inquiry in psychology.

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

PSY100 and PSY101

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Formative feedback on your academic progress will be available early in the semester. Questions will be provided online with formative feedback given once submitted.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Written Piece Individual 30%
600 words
Refer to Format Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Essay Individual 45%
1,900 words
Refer to Format Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Examination - Centrally Scheduled Individual 25%
1 hour
Exam Period Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Cultural Responsiveness in Society
Goal:
The goal is to develop your knowledge and application of cultural responsiveness from a social psychology perspective.
Product: Written Piece
Format:
From the set list provided, you will be required to choose one organisation and one cultural issue/perspective and outline how cultural responsiveness can be developed.

A more detailed outline of the requirements of this assessment will be provided online in Week 1.

This assessment task will be due between Weeks 4 - 6 of the teaching semester. The final date of submission for this task will be determined once public holidays and the course timetable have been published prior to the commencement of semester. Please refer to your course Canvas site at the commencement of the teaching semester to confirm the due date for this assessment task.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Demonstrated understanding of social psychology in context of cultural responsiveness.
1 2
2
Appropriate application and justification of the cultural responsiveness knowledge/awareness/sensitivity.
2
3
Correct and appropriate writing and referencing for psychology.
4
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 2:Critical Essay
Goal:
In this assessment task, you will need to find relevant research and critically review the research in a manner that is appropriate for the psychology discipline.
Product: Essay
Format:
You will be required to choose your own topic of interest (be guided by the list of contents of your prescribed textbook) in the field of social psychology and to critically evaluate the literature. The topic must take on a social psychology perspective. You will need to devise an argument for the topic, be able to outline evidence to support the argument, and also provide a balanced argument (i.e., critique the alternative views). The essay must be critical and not simply descriptive. APA style is required for in-text citations, reference list, and format. Be sure to follow the guidelines for the structure of this assessment as provided online and in class.

A more detailed outline of the requirements of this assessment will be provided online in Week 1.

This assessment task will be due between Weeks 8 - 11 of the teaching semester. The final date of submission for this task will be determined once public holidays and the course timetable have been published prior to the commencement of semester. Please refer to your course Canvas site at the commencement of the teaching semester to confirm the due date for this assessment task.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Topic addresses a social psychology perspective.
1
2
The argument is appropriate and logically consistent.
1 2
3
Evidence to support the argument is relevant, clearly outlined, and key limitations are critiqued.
1 2 3
4
A balanced argument is provided by critiquing the alternative views.
1 2 3
5
English grammar, punctuation, and spelling are used correctly. The writing style is appropriate for psychology.
4
6
Thorough and correct use of APA style for citations, quotations, secondary citations, reference list, and format.
4
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 3:End of Semester Examination
Goal:
To assess your knowledge of course content.
Product: Examination - Centrally Scheduled
Format:
The end-of-semester examination will consist of multiple-choice and short answer questions. The questions will be a combination of factual, application, and critical thinking.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Accuracy and correctness of responses.
1 2 3
Generic Skills:

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Graham Michael Vaughan,Michael A. Hogg 2018 Social Psychology 8th n/a

Specific requirements

N/A

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
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  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au