Overview
The study of the individual in the social context: Self and identity, social cognition, interpersonal behaviour (affiliation, attraction, sex, aggression, altruism); social attitudes, prejudice and discrimination; social influence and group processes (conformity, leadership and intergroup relations); applied social psychology.
Please note: This course is typically offered in the fall term
The study of social psychology is a fascinating field, certainly one that readily applies to our lives. In this course, I will provide you with a general overview of research and theory in social psychology, based on classic and contemporary findings from the social psychological literature. This course is research-oriented. You will also learn about the scientific methods used by researchers in social psychology to conduct valid research.
Learning Outcomes
After completing PSYC 241, students will be able to:
- Students will explain the scientific theories underlying phenomena such as social judgment, prejudice, group influence, altruism, and aggression.
- Students will explain how individual difference variables and situational factors interact to predict cognition and behavior.
- Students will draw connections between social psychological theories and everyday life, applying these theories to real-world problems.
Terms
Evaluation
15% - Written Application Assignments
20% - Interactive Assignments and Discussions
15% - Midterm Test
50% - Proctored Final Exam
**Evaluation subject to Change**
Live Sessions
This course has optional live sessions (e.g. webinars, synchronous activities).
Proctored Exams
Exam Centre Location, Eligibility, and Fees
Students enrolled exclusively in online courses may choose one of two options to write this course’s proctored assessments:
- You may choose to write the assessments online under supervision of Examity proctoring services. A $100 fee will be charged to your SOLUS account. This fee is known as the Off Campus Exam Admin Fee and is applied in SOLUS at the earlier of: term tuition posting date, or the date at which exam writing method is changed to online. The fee is assessed once per ASO course with proctored assessments.
- You may choose to write the assessments in-person on Queen’s campus in Kingston at no additional charge.
Students enrolled in at least one on-campus course are expected to write this course’s proctored assessments on-campus during the scheduled exam time. They will not be permitted to write this course’s proctored assessments online.
Students were prompted to indicate their preferred exam writing method when enrolling in the course in SOLUS. The exam writing method may be changed by contacting the ASO Exams Team at aso.exams@queensu.ca.
Information for students writing online assessments using Examity
Selected assessments in this course will be administered in onQ using online proctoring provided by Examity, a third-party, cloud-based service. This proctoring solution was chosen to support our efforts in maintaining academic integrity when online proctoring is required. Queen’s has conducted an extensive privacy and security review of Examity and has entered into a binding agreement with terms that address the appropriate collection, use and disclosure of personal information in accordance with Ontario’s privacy legislation. To learn more about online proctoring, please see the information provided by the Office of the University Registrar.
If you registered to write online with Examity, all information pertaining to the technical requirements and preparation for writing online will be posted in onQ well in advance of your exam. 
The use of Examity as described is unique to courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science Online. Other Faculties use online proctoring solutions in different ways under different regulations. Students should contact the appropriate Faculty examination team if they have questions.
Timing of Final Examinations
The exam period dates for each Term are listed on the Faculty of Arts and Science webpage under "Important Dates". Student exam schedules for the Fall Term are posted to SOLUS immediately prior to the Thanksgiving holiday; for the Winter Term they are posted on the Friday before Reading Week, and for the Summer Term they are individually noted on the Arts and Science Online syllabi. Students should not make any travel plans until after the examination schedule has been posted. Exams will not be moved or deferred to accommodate employment, travel/holiday plans or flight reservations. Students experiencing extenuating circumstances preventing them from writing their exams as scheduled should review the information about the Academic Consideration process.
Textbook and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
- Myers, D. G., Jordan, C. H., Smith, S., & Twenge, J.. (2024). Social Psychology (9th Canadian ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Time Commitment
Students can expect to spend approximately 10 hours a week (120 hours per term) in study, listening and online activity for this course.