Current Topics in Social Psychology

Module overview

This module introduces students to contemporary topics and issues in social psychology, with particular emphasis on areas of active research within the Centre for Research in Self and Identity in the School of Psychology. Students will engage with both theoretical and empirical approaches to a range of core topics, that may include: political psychology, psychology of work, beliefs about the self, emotion sharing, religion, technology and mental health, and evolutionary perspectives on behaviour. There will also be a focus on current methodological advances in social psychology, such as the use of social media data and other large-scale (“big data”) sources to investigate social psychological processes.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

The teaching methods are varied, but all emphasise active learning and encourage students to engage in critical thinking and in-class discussions. The weekly sessions typically consist of overview lectures and/or staff-led seminars in which students develop their evaluation and discussion skills. Students are also expected to contribute to the formative evaluation and feedback of other students.

Study time
Type	Hours
Teaching	24
Independent Study	176
Total study time	200

Assessment

Assessment strategy

1) Midterm: Students will create a short video, explaining one current topic, issue, or debate in social psychology to a lay audience. Videos can take the form of a social media post or YouTube video (but will not be published online). Students can use any type of visual aid, such as presentation slides, flip charts, diagrams, pictures, or other visualisations to aid in communication. 2) Final assessment: Students will write a critical commentary on an article presented during lectures. These articles will typically propose a new theoretical account or methodological advance to address a contemporary topic or issue in social psychology. The commentary should critically evaluate the chosen target article. Several articles will be provided, and students can choose which article to comment on. Possible comments may include, but are not limited to, addressing methodological or theoretical weaknesses, describing unstated benefits or advantages of the article’s approach, and proposing future research rooted in the article’s approach.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Video	30%
Critical commentary	70%