Teaching code

4S007375

Teacher

Elena Trifiletti

Coordinatore

Elena Trifiletti

Credits

9

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

M-PSI/05 - SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Language

Italian

Period

Sem. 1A, Sem. 1B

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars

Learning outcomes

This course focuses on group processes in organizational contexts. The course will examine group processes and intergroup relations, with a special focus on group formation and cohesion, inclusion and identity, decision making, productivity in groups, intergroup relations and conflict, effects of majority and minority group belonging, and diversity management. The course aims to provide students with skills, such as critical reflection, analysis, and interpretation of group dynamics, especially those occurring within organizational contexts. Students will learn how to observe groups and to understand their dynamics; they will have a firm grasp of the main theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of groups, and will learn how to manage relationships between minority and majority group members.
By the end of the course students will be able to:
- develop a sound knowledge of group processes in organizational and social settings;
- develop management skills for complex organizational processes with a specific focus on diversity management.

Program

The course will be held in Italian and will cover the following topics:
-group formation
-social categorization and social identity
-cohesion and inclusion
-social influence and conformity
-obedience and power
-leadership
-group decision making
-group productivity
-intergroup relations and conflict
-majority-minority relations within organizations
-diversity in the workplace
-diversity management
- diversity training

The topics will be addressed through frontal teaching and in-class assignments aimed at developing students’ skills of observation of groups, understanding of group processes, management of diversity-related processes.

Readings:
Forsyth, D. R. (2014). Group dynamics (6th Ed.). Cengage Learning. Chapters: 1-14.
2. Ellemers, N., & Haslam, S. A. (2012). Social identity theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 379 –398). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
3. Turner, J.C., & Reynolds, K.J. (2012). Social categorization theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 399 –417). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
4. Dovidio. J. F., Gaertner, S. L., John, M. S., Halabi, S., Saguy, T., Pearson, A. R., & Riek, B. M. (2008). Majority and minority perspectives in intergroup relations: The role of contact, group representation, threat, and trust in intergroup conflict and reconciliation. In A. Nadler, T. Malloy, & J. D. Fisher (Eds.), Social psychology of intergroup reconciliation (pp. 227–253). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
5. Van Knippenberg, D., & Schippers, M. C. 2007. Workgroup diversity. In M. I. Posner & M. K. Rothbart (Eds.), Annual review of psychology, 58: 2.1– 2.27.
6. McMahon, A. M. (2010). Does workplace diversity matter? A survey of empirical studies on diversity and firm performance, 2000 – 09. Journal of Diversity Management, 5, 37– 48.
7. Yang, Y., & Konrad, A. M. (2011). Understanding diversity management practices: Implications of institutional theory and resourcebased theory. Group & Organization Management, 36, 6—38.

Chapters and journal articles will be available on the moodle platform. Non attending students who might find it difficult to study in English are invited to contact Elena Trifiletti (elena.trifiletti@univr.it).

Bibliografia

Examination Methods