To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link:  Course organization

Learning outcomes

The will of this course is to present the social behaviour and the science behind it.
The aim of the course is to give to the students the possibility of understanding the Social Psychology and then applying the skills acquired during their personal and professional life.

At the end of the course the student will be able to;
• Describe the reason why of the Social Psychology
• Recognize the effects of the group and of the "social" in our daily perception
• Identify the effects of the social influence on our opinions and behaviours
• Recognize and describe the elements involved in social relations
• Describe the concept of self-confidence, and identify how this is built and how modifying it
• Present the concepts of ’locus of control’ and self-efficacy’ and describe how to use them for our own and others' growth
• Provide a definition of stress and psychosocial risks
• Identifying the elements involved in the experience of stress and the most effective ways of facing it.

Program

During the course they will studied three big thematic areas interlaced between them:
1. The social perceptions
2. The social influences
3. The social relations

These aspects are the "what" social psychologists study. We will deal with how individuals perceive each other, influence each other and how they act in a social relationship.

1. The social perception is the way we get to know and understand the fundamental elements of our social world, which is formed either by individuals or by social groups. During the conversation about social perception, we will emphasise the role of cognitive processes and underline the idea that all cognitions are socially influenced, even the perception of ourselves.

2. The social influence is the effect that each of us brings on the others. Each of us constantly influences the others and it is constantly influenced by the others. Attitudes and changes of such a system: the advertising aimed at ours wallet, political campaigns play on our fears, debate appeal to our reason. Do they changes our opinion? If yes, how this happens? Attitudes and behaviours: in the presence of specific circumstances, attitudes that reflects and drives behaviour. We will understand how attitude and behaviours influenced each others. Groups, standards and conformity: we will examine how the groups reached an agreement and howsuch agreement it has devastating effects on the group's members. Rules and behaviour: the effects of the groups not only on what people think, but what they do.

3. Social relations are the ties that bind us to each other, as individuals and as groups. United by attraction and cooperation or imprisoned in aggression and conflict, individuals find in the relation with other affect and solidarity or other way around indifference and hostility.
Love and sympathy: we will see the feelings of attraction towards others and the development of intimacy relations or affection.We will also investigate what the social psychology can tell us about the reason why relationship evolve positively or negatively.

Interaction within groups: how small groups run the society. We'll see how we interact with each others in small groups and how the groups operate to accomplish common goals.
Aggression and conflict, we will analyse the path of the conflicts that arise individual against individual and group against group: how this can arise, increase and,sometimes, be solved.
Altruism and cooperation: episodes of heroism pushed to self-denial, or simple acts of cooperation for the benefit of others: why do they happens? We will examine the conditions in which we help other people and the reasons why we do so.

Examination Methods

The exam includes a written test with open questions and the drafting of a short text, completed by an oral exam.

Teaching materials e documents

•   1a Lezione   (pdf, it, 1655 KB, 08/03/19)
•   2a lezione   (pdf, it, 2499 KB, 01/05/19)
•   3a lezione   (pdf, it, 1644 KB, 02/05/19)
•   4a lezione   (pdf, it, 1211 KB, 06/05/19)
•   5a lezione   (pdf, it, 1619 KB, 13/05/19)
•   6a lezione   (pdf, it, 1378 KB, 16/05/19)
•   7a lezione   (pdf, it, 1145 KB, 23/05/19)
•   Approfondimento Pragmatica della Comunicazione Umana   (pdf, it, 337 KB, 23/05/19)
•   approfondimento They saw a game   (pdf, it, 138 KB, 02/05/19)
•   approfondimento To be sane in insane places   (pdf, it, 257 KB, 03/05/19)