Syllabus
Extended syllabus is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16TOcDNHDKXIIUvotGppCC_4hTzhBH61aW7wb3PYRYzQ/edit?usp=sharing
Sustainable Societies (22aJSB729x01), Fall 2023-2024
Note: this is a live document and will be updated periodically
Last update: October 4, 2023
Room: Jinonice, room C123, Tuesday, 14:00-15,20
Instructor: Jan Urban, Ph.D., email: jan.urban@czp.cuni.cz
Assistants: Veronika Anna Černá, email: 77160960@fsv.cuni.cz, Lukáš Stropnický, email: 95152810@fsv.cuni.cz
Course Objectives 1. Learn about important social theories of pro-environmental motivation and behavior. 2. Learn about theoretically-driven interventions that can leverage pro-environmental behavior. 3. Prepare (and conduct) a replication of previous theory-driven behavioral intervention on pro-environmental behavior.
Course content 1. Lectures 2. Group research projects (in- and out-of-class activities) 3. Individual activities (in- and out-of-class activities) 4. Tests
Critical steps in the research workflow that we will cover
Identification of environmental problems
Identification of human-related drivers (behavior)
Assessment of the feasibility of behavioral change
Identification of most promising interventions
Identification of relevant literature on behavioral change
Pre-registration of an empirical study
Data collection and analysis
Communication of results
Evaluation (0-100%) 20% individual activities 20% individual (in-class) tests 60% group research project x individual activity in the project (based on peer evaluation)
Grading 80-100: A 60-79: B 40-59: C 30-39: D 20-29: E 0 - 19: F
There will be no other evaluation (i.e., the “exam” grade = grade that you collect in the semester).
Shared Google Drive
Shared Google Drive is here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZEmOcKNI7lz1cW4T-UABbxjXnMJFWpwZ?usp=sharing
Slides from lectures
Slides from all lectures are here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LbXkAu__OJHOvOf0Dt2yfhjgg1tM_qD1zLoTz_XeOig/edit?usp=sharing
Homework
There will be 4-6 individual homework assignments (e.g., readings and study questions to answer). Assignments will be listed in the schedule at the end of this syllabus.
Deadlines
If not stated otherwise, please do everything until Sunday (1 PM). Note that you’ll not be able to submit your work after the deadline.
Course attendance
Personal attendance is highly recommended. Not being present means that you’ll be losing points for in-class activities. But please stay at home if you do not feel well.
Tests
You will pass 2 tests during the semester. In exceptional cases (illness), you can pass a replacement test (at the end of the semester only). If you know that youl’ll be missing a test for an important reason (health issue), please send us a message. Put “sust soc” in the subject.
Contact
By email: jan.urban@czp.cuni.cz, subject: sust soc + {message content}”. If you do not get the answer in 3 days, please send a reminder. Response time may be longer during (Czech school) holidays.
Consultations
By appointment.
Frequently asked questions 1. I don't feel well. What should I do? => Please, send me a message and stay at home. 2. I am leaving before Christmas and do not plan to return. => The last session will take place in the first week of January 2024. You’ll be able to join us virtually.
Annotation
Sustainable Societies: How social science helps to solve environmental problems
Instructor: Jan Urban (jan.urban@czp.cuni.cz)
Annotation:
This course (i) introduces participants to current theories of environmental problems in social sciences and (ii) demonstrates how such theories can be practically used to understand and solve pressing environmental problems. The course combines the reading of recent scientific articles and book chapters with participation in quantitative research that will take place over the semester. The goal of this research will be to demonstrate how social scientific theories can be used to understand and alleviate environmental problems. We assume that participants are interested in environmental problems and have elementary
(undergraduate-level) notion of quantitative research. We expect that participants are willing to challenge themselves as well as instructors through discussions and inputs throughout the research process. 1) The course focuses on understanding and use of selected research methods applied in environmental and transport psychology to analyze the relationship between physical environment and human behavior. The main goal of the course is to provide students with instruments to analyze social-science concepts such as attitudes, motivations or preferences related to environmental topics. We expect students to gain relevant knowledge and ability to be able to design their own research, use research methods properly, conduct statistical analysis, and correctly interpret obtained results. 2) Students participate in a real research project, proposed by a small team of researchers. Students ideally participate in all steps of the entire research process, i.e. literature research, design of measures, data collection, data analysis in language
R and interpretation of the results. The main teaching method in the course is
“learning by trying”.