COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: SOC 326 Social Psychology
SEMESTER AND YEAR: Spring 2011
I. BASIC COURSE INFORMATION:
| CLASS TIMES: | MWF 10-10:50. Office hours are MWTr from 1-3 and by appointment |
| LOCATION: | Dollye M.E. Robinson Liberal Arts Building Room 263 |
| INSTRUCTOR: | Dr. Thomas Kersen |
| OFFICE: | Dollye M.E. Robinson #305 |
| EMAIL ADDRESS: | Thomas.m.kersen@jsums.edu (preferred mode of communication) |
| PHONE: | 601-979-3040 |
| DEPT. WEBSITE: | http://cola.jsums.edu/show.asp?durki=796 |
II. REQUIRED TEXT: Rohall, David E., Melissa A. Milkie, and Jeffrey W. Lucas. 2007. Social Psychology: Sociological Perspectives. Boston: Pearson.
III. REQUIRED READINGS: Please see the list of required article readings located at the end of the syllabus.
IV. REQUIRED RESOURCES: E-mail account (private provider or JSU); internet access; access to personal computer with Microsoft Word or Open Office equivalent. Netscape or Mozilla Firefox browser. Download Zotero and applicable plug-ins.
V. COURSE DESCRIPTION: A study of processes of interrelationships and of stimuli as they affect individual and group reactions and behavior such as fashions and social movements.
VI. COURSE OBJECTIVES: In this course the student will gain an appreciation about the role that society has in shaping one’s identity, values, and beliefs. Students will be able to compare and contrast how sociological social psychology and disciplines contribute to our understanding about who we are and how we negotiate our lives in socially structured ways. To do this, students will be familiarized with the methodological tools and theoretical perspectives dealing with this topic. Once the student has learned the basics of sociological social psychology s/he will not only gain a deeper understanding of the interconnections between the individual and larger entities but how s/he may influence things such as the workplace environment, a local community, and social movements.
VII. EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE
| Forms of Assessment | Points | % of Grade |
| Examinations (2) | 100 | 50 |
| Final Paper | 50 | 25 |
| Final presentation | 25 | 12.5 |
| Attendance, Tardiness, Participation | 25 | 12.5 |
| Total | 200 | 100% |
VIII. GRADING SCALE
| 90 | to | 100 | = | A |
| 80 | to | 89 | = | B |
| 70 | to | 79 | = | C |
| 60 | to | 69 | = | D |
| 0 | to | 59 | = | F |
IX. STUDENT ACTIVITIES:
Examinations: There are two examinations this semester. The mid-term examination is on March 11 and covers chapters 1 through 6. You will need to make every effort to be punctual and remedy any scheduling conflicts. If for some reason you fail to take Test 1 (late on test day, etc.) you will have the option to take an extended essay examination. The final examination covers the remainder of the chapters discussed in the course. This on May 3, 2011, a Tuesday, from 11 to 12:50. There is no remake opportunity for the final exam. Each exam is worth 50 points. Total points for exams is 100 points. Again, be punctual and make sure that your phones are turned off on test day.
Final Paper: The final paper is one of the culminating events of this course. The deadline for the paper is at 3:00 P.M. on April 20, 2011. I will not accept late papers. Your paper will be a reflexive description of one facet of your identity using insights from the course lecture, text, and other resources. At the end of this syllabus is a listing of some of these facets with suggested readings. In the course of your studies you find yourself interested in some other aspect of social psychology and wish to do a paper on that topic, please see me. Your topic should be a one that is frequently referenced in academic journals and especially in sociology publications. The mark of excellence is being able creating something new or innovative from past efforts. As a sociology student, it is important that you learn to write well. YOU WILL NOT USE WIKIPEDIA AND SIMILAR SOURCES. ALL YOUR MATERIALS WILL BE DRAWN FROM THE EITHER THE ONLINE LIBRARY OR THE PHYSICAL LIBRARY. YOU RECEIVE NO POINTS IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY.
Students will submit their paper’s in electronic format with a title page containing the following information: title of work, course number, and title (i.e. SOC 326 Social Psychology), assignment title, professor’s name, the due date, and your full name. Use Times New Roman, 12 point, font for your work outside of titles and subtitles. No pictures, emoticons, etc. are allowed in your work. Be sure to staple your paper—no fancy folders or binders. I reserve the right to refuse any work that fails to follow the guidelines listed above.
As a guide, look at the sources provided at the end of this syllabus. You must use at least five of the sources listed below. Moreover, I want a copy of the first page of each source you use attached at the end to your paper. I will evaluate your writing assignments not only on content but quality as well. This assignment is worth 50 points.
Final Presentation: Each student will be responsible for a 2-3-minute presentation of their final paper on April 26, 2011. This presentation is one of academic caliber and not a discussion or an experiential exercise, so dress appropriately. The student may focus on methodological issues within their study; discuss the theory behind the study, and what the results say about the theory. Each student is required to prepare a presentation to be posted before April 26 on my blogsite at http://tmkersen.wordpress.com/ for the reviewing audience. Post your submission under “Presentations.” This assignment is worth 25 points.
Attendence and Participation (classroom & blog): I will discuss this more when we review the syllabus. To gain as many points as possible, I need to observe evidence of your participation on the blog site at http://tmkersen.wordpress.com/ . Do not add your comments en masse at the end of the course—rather make comments as we are covering the chapters. I will not accept comments for credit after the topic has been discussed. My class lectures will be posted in most cases under the Social Psychology link. I will count up to 12.5 percent or 25 points towards your total score for satisfactory attendance and participation.
Thus your final grades are calculated as your earned points divided by 200 possible points.
X. COURSE CONTENT AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
| Semester/Calendar | Topic | Things to Do/Turn In |
| Week 1-2 | Ch. 1. Intro to Sociological Social Psychology | |
| Week 2 | Ch. 2. Perspectives in Sociological Social Psychology | |
| Week 3 | Ch. 2 continued. Ch. 3: Studying People | |
| Week 4 | Ch. 3 continued. | |
| Week 5 | Ch. 4. The Social Psychology of Stratification | |
| Week 6 | Ch. 4 continued. Ch. 5: Self and Identity | |
| Week 7 | Ch. 5 continued. | |
| Week 8 | Ch. 6. Socialization over the Life Course | Midterm (Chs. 1-6) March 11, 2011 |
| Week 9 | SPRING BREAK | |
| Week 10 | Ch. 7. The Social Psychology of Deviance | |
| Week 11 | Ch. 8. Mental Health and Illness | |
| Week 12 | Ch. 9. Attitudes, Values, and Behaviors | |
| Week 13 | Ch. 9 continued. | |
| Week 14 | Ch. 10. The Sociology of Sentiments and Emotion | |
| Week 15 | Ch. 11. Collective Behavior | Final Paper (April 20) |
| Week 16 | Ch. 11 continued | Presentations (April 26) |
| Week 17 | Final Exam Week | Final Examination (Ch. 7-11) May 3, 2011 at 11 to 12:50 |
XI. SPECIAL NEEDS LEARNERS: Please discuss any special needs or special accommodations with me at the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become aware of your needs so that we can work together to support your learning. Jackson State University complies with the American with Disabilities Act. If you have or think you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both me and the Office of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator or Compliance Office, P.O. Box 17999, Jackson, MS 39217, (601) 979-3704 as early as possible in the semester. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE SEMESTER TO INFORM ME!
XII. DIVERSITY STATEMENT: Jackson State University is committed to creating a community that affirms and welcomes persons from diverse backgrounds and experiences and supports the realization of their human potential. We recognize that there are differences among groups of people and individuals based on ethnicity, race, socio-economic status, gender, exceptionalities, language, religion, sexual orientation, and geographical areas. All persons are encouraged to respect the individual differences of others.
XIII. CAVEAT EMPTOR: Please note that I reserve the right to change anything listed on this syllabus by advance or extenuating circumstances, in class verbal and/or online notification. It is your responsibility to know and follow all the written guidance given by the instructor in this syllabus. Be sure to frequently monitor your JSU email account.
XIV. CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICY
All students at Jackson State University must fully commit themselves to their program of study. One hundred percent (100%) punctual class attendance is expected of all students in all scheduled classes and activities. Any absence from class will be recorded for which a student does not provide written official excuse is counted as an unexcused absence. I will rely on JSU’s attendance policy when dealing with absences so be sure to read that policy in your student handbook. If a student misses five or more classes they will receive a one-letter grade reduction at the end of the course. If a student misses 6 to 9 classes, they will receive a two-letter grade reduction by the end of the course. Any student who misses ten or more classes (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course. I consider being mentally present as important as physical presence, therefore, you will ensure your cell phones are put away and will not disrupt the class. I will warn you only once. If this becomes a problem, I will regard you as being absent and mark your record accordingly.
XV. ACADEMIC HONESTY STATEMENT: Bottom Line Up Front: Do not cheat, I read your work. I will follow the undergraduate catalog (Pg. 61 of the current catalog). The most popular form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism. Keep in mind, there is no such thing as “I just cut-and-pasted a little bit.” or I put the author’s name at the end of a sentence/paragraph/page.” If you cut and paste from someone else’s work and merely put their name at the end of the paste-in, you are still plagiarizing. Use your own words and keep direct quotes to a minimum. To help you in choosing the right and wrong path in terms of plagiarism, you will not be allowed to use any source that is not a journal, book, or something I have listed in a bibliography. NO WIKIPEDIA. As for cheating on exams, be aware that I use multiple versions of the exam. ALL CASES OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF “F” FOR THE COURSE.
VI. COURSE READINGS AND RESOURCES
Sociology of Identity (basics for all students)
Cerulo, Karen A. 1997. “Identity Construction: New Issues, New Directions.” Annual Review of Sociology 23:385-409.
Howard, Judith A. 2000. “Social Psychology of Identities.” Annual Review of Sociology 26:367-393.
Kohn, Melvin L. 1989. “Social Structure and Personality: A Quintessentially Sociological Approach to Social Psychology.” Social Forces 68:26-33.
Passy, Florence, and Marco Giugni. 2001. “Social Networks and Individual Perceptions: Explaining Differential Participation in Social Movements.” Sociological Forum 16:123-153.
Riley, Matilda White. 1990. “The Influence of Sociological Lives: Personal Reflections.” Annual Review of Sociology 16:1-25.
Stolte, John F., Gary Alan Fine, and Karen S. Cook. 2001. “Sociological Miniaturism: Seeing the Big Through the Small in Social Psychology.” Annual Review of Sociology 27:387-413.
Online/Digital/Gaming Identity
Fine, Gary Alan. 1983. Shared Fantasy: Role Playing Games As Social Worlds. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. GV1202.F35 F56
Kolko, Beth E., Lisa Nakamura, and Gilbert Rodman, eds. 2000. Race in Cyberspace. 1st ed. New York: Routledge. HT 1523.R252
Nakamura, Lisa. 2002. Cybertypes: Race, Ethnicity, and Identity on the Internet. illustrated edition. New York: Routledge.
Schroeder, Ralph. 2002. The Social Life of Avatars: Presence and Interaction in Shared Virtual Environments. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Religious Identity
Alwin, Duane F., Jacob L. Felson, Edward T. Walker, and Paula A. Tufiş. 2006. “Measuring Religious Identities in Surveys.” The Public Opinion Quarterly 70:530-564.
Association of Religion Data Archives, The. No Date. “Compare Yourself to the Nation on Religion Measures” Obtained at http://www.thearda.com/learningcenter/learningactivities/comparestart.asp on December 2, 2009.
Elkind, David. 1964. “Age Changes in the Meaning of Religious Identity.” Review of Religious Research 6:36-40.
Evans, J. H. 2003. “The Creation of a Distinct Subcultural Identity and Denominational Growth.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 42: 467-77.
Herriot, Peter. 2007. Religious Fundamentalism and Social Identity. New edition. Psychology Press.
Racial Identity
Ellison, Ralph. 1952. Invisible Man. New York: New American Library.
Dickson D. Bruce Jr. 1992. “W. E. B. Du Bois and the Idea of Double Consciousness.” American Literature 64:299-309.
Griffin, Larry J. 2004. “”Generations and Collective Memory” Revisited: Race, Region, and Memory of Civil Rights.” American Sociological Review 69:544-557.
Sanders, Jimy M. 2002. “Ethnic Boundaries and Identity in Plural Societies.” Annual Review of Sociology 28:327-357.
Smedley, Audrey. 1998. “”Race” and the Construction of Human Identity.” American Anthropologist 100:690-702.
Regional Identity (Southern, a particular country, etc.)
Cash, W. J. 1941. The Mind of the South. New York: A. A. Knopf. F209.C3
Black, Merle, and John Shelton Reed. 1982. “Blacks and Southerners: a Research Note.” The Journal of Politics 44:165-171.
John Shelton Reed. 1973. “”The Cardinal Test of a Southerner:” Not Race But Geography.” The Public Opinion Quarterly 37:232-240.
John Shelton Reed. 1976. “The Heart of Dixie: An Essay in Folk Geography.” Social Forces 54:925-939.
John Shelton Reed, James Kohls, and Carol Hanchette. 1990. “The Dissolution of Dixie and the Changing Shape of the South.” Social Forces 69:221-233.
Zelinsky, Wilbur. 1980. “North America’s Vernacular Regions.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 70:1-16.
