The Seminar in Social Psychology covers the topics of CESS Exam in social psychology. Seminar will be organised as series of discussions about core scientific texts and associated audiovisual materials.

For each seminar lesson, students should read a text and watch associated video in advance. (The particular texts and audiovisual materials linked to each seminar lecture will be updated weekly.)

Topics:

(1) position and definition of social psychology

(2) social norms and conformity

(3) compliance

(4) obedience

(5) bystander apathy

(6) Stanford prison experiment

(7) social identity

(8) everyday heroism, top-down approaches supporting non-conform behavior

(9) self-determination theory, bottom-up approaches supporting non-coform behavior

(10) case study analysis

Examination:

The examination will be held in the form of essay (2000 words; essay will be based on scientific literature review; the topic of the essay will be presented at the end of the semester).

Literature:

(1) Cialdini, R., & Trost, M. (1998). Social influence, social norms conformity and compliance. In: Gilbert, D.T. - Friske, S. - Lindzey, G. (eds.): The Handbook of Social Psychology. New York: MC Graw-Hill.

(2) Milgram, S. (1992). The individual and authority. In S. Milgram, The individual in a social world. Essays and experiments. (125-190). New York: MC Graw-Hill.

(3) Darley, J. M., & Latané, B (1968). Bystander intervention in emergencies: Diffusion of responsibility. Journal of Personality and Social psychology, 1968 (8), 4, pp. 377-383.

(4) Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer effect. How good people turn evil. London: Ebury Publishing. (258-323; 444-491. Chapter 12, 13 and 16).

(5) Tajfel, H., & Turner, J.C. The social identity theory of intergroup behaviour (The theory of intergroup conflict, 1979). In Jost, J. T. (Ed); Sidanius, J. (Ed), (2004). Political psychology: Key readings. Key readings in social psychology., (pp. 276-293). New York, NY, US: Psychology Press.

Recommended literature:

(6) Zimbardo et al (1974): A study of prisoners and guards in a simulated prison.

COVID-19 Note:

Being there another lockdown and the situation prevents us from meeting in-person, each text and video will be associated with written assessment (á 500 words around a question I will present you) followed by my elaborated feedback.