Social Psychology Course Reviews

The course includes the following topics:

• Introduction to Social Psychology: The course starts with an overview of the field of social psychology, including its history and major theories.

• Social Perception: This module covers how people form impressions of others, including the role of stereotypes, biases, and heuristics.

• Social Influence: This module covers how people are influenced by others, including conformity, obedience, and persuasion.

• Group Dynamics: This module covers how groups influence individual behavior, including the effects of social norms, roles, and leadership.

• Intergroup Relations: This module covers how people perceive and interact with members of different groups, including prejudice, discrimination, and conflict resolution.

• Attitudes and Persuasion: This module covers how attitudes are formed and changed, including the role of cognitive dissonance and persuasion techniques.

• Prosocial Behavior: This module covers why people help others, including the role of empathy, altruism, and cooperation.

• Aggression and Conflict: This module covers the causes and consequences of aggression and conflict, including the role of frustration, aggression cues, and deindividuation.

The course includes video lectures, readings, quizzes, and assignments to help students understand and apply the concepts of social psychology.

Course Content:

The Social Psychology course by Scott Plous on Coursera consists of 8 parts or modules, each covering a different topic in social psychology:

Module 1: Introduction to Social Psychology (5 video lectures)

• History and Scope of Social Psychology
• Social Psychological Research Methods
• Social Cognition
• Social Neuroscience
• The Power of the Situation

Module 2: Social Perception (7 video lectures)

• The Science of Social Perception
• Attribution Theories
• Attitudes and Attitude Change
• The Self-Concept
• Stereotypes and Prejudice
• Automatic and Controlled Processing
• Nonverbal Communication

Module 3: Social Influence (7 video lectures)

• The Science of Social Influence
• Conformity
• Obedience
• Compliance
• Persuasion: The Central Route
• Persuasion: The Peripheral Route
• The Ethics of Social Influence

Module 4: Group Dynamics (7 video lectures)

• The Science of Group Dynamics
• Social Facilitation and Inhibition
• Social Loafing and Free Riding
• Group Polarization and Groupthink
• Leadership and Decision Making
• Conflict and Cooperation
• Social Identity

Module 5: Intergroup Relations (5 video lectures)

• The Science of Intergroup Relations
• Prejudice and Discrimination
• Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination
• Conflict and Peacemaking
• The Psychology of Terrorism

Module 6: Attitudes and Persuasion (5 video lectures)

• The Science of Attitudes and Persuasion
• The Structure and Function of Attitudes
• Cognitive Dissonance Theory
• The Theory of Planned Behavior
• Persuasion in Practice

Module 7: Prosocial Behavior (7 video lectures)

• The Science of Prosocial Behavior
• Altruism and Helping Behavior
• Empathy and the Altruistic Personality
• Bystander Intervention and the Diffusion of Responsibility
• Cooperation and Competition
• Aggression and Violence
• The Evolution of Cooperation

Module 8: Aggression and Conflict (7 video lectures)

• The Science of Aggression and Conflict
• Theories of Aggression
• Frustration-Aggression Theory
• Social Learning Theory
• Cognitive Neoassociation Theory
• Aggression Cues and Deindividuation
• Reducing Aggression and Conflict

In addition to the video lectures, each module includes readings, quizzes, and assignments to help students understand and apply the concepts covered in the lectures. The course also includes a final exam to test students' understanding of the material.

Reviews:

As a former student, I would highly recommend the Social Psychology course by Scott Plous on Coursera to anyone interested in learning more about the science of social behavior. The course is well-organized and covers a broad range of topics in social psychology, from social perception and influence to group dynamics and intergroup relations.

Content: The course covers a broad range of topics in social psychology, from social perception and influence to group dynamics, intergroup relations, and prosocial behavior. The lectures are well-organized and presented in a clear and engaging manner, with Plous providing examples and anecdotes to help illustrate the concepts.

In addition to the lectures, the course includes readings, quizzes, and assignments that are designed to help students deepen their understanding of the material and apply it to real-world situations. The readings are well-chosen and provide a good balance of classic and contemporary research in social psychology.

Delivery: Plous is an engaging and knowledgeable instructor who clearly has a passion for social psychology. His enthusiasm for the subject is contagious, and he does an excellent job of explaining complex concepts in an accessible way. The video lectures are of high quality, with good production values and clear audio and visuals.

Interactivity: The course includes a variety of interactive elements, including quizzes, assignments, and discussion forums. The quizzes are well-designed and provide immediate feedback on student performance, while the assignments are thought-provoking and require students to apply the material to real-world situations. The discussion forums are active and provide a good opportunity for students to connect with each other and share their thoughts and ideas.

Difficulty: The course is designed for students with no prior background in social psychology, but it does require a significant amount of reading and critical thinking. Some of the concepts covered in the course can be challenging, but Plous does an excellent job of breaking them down into manageable pieces and providing clear examples.

Overall, I found the Social Psychology course to be an excellent introduction to the field of social psychology, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the science of social behavior. The course is well-organized, engaging, and thought-provoking, and Plous is an excellent instructor who clearly has a deep understanding of the subject matter.

At this time, the course has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars based on over 4,523 ratings.

What you'll learn:

After completing the Social Psychology course by Scott Plous on Coursera, students can expect to have gained the following skills:

1. Understanding of social behavior: Students will have a solid understanding of the scientific principles that underlie social behavior, including social influence, perception, and cognition.

2. Critical thinking skills: Students will have developed critical thinking skills by analyzing research studies and applying their knowledge to real-world situations.

3. Intercultural competence: Students will have gained an appreciation for the diversity of human behavior across cultures and will be better equipped to navigate intercultural interactions.

4. Effective communication: Students will have developed effective communication skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts in a clear and concise manner.

5. Conflict resolution: Students will have learned strategies for resolving conflicts and promoting cooperation in social situations.

6. Leadership skills: Students will have gained an understanding of group dynamics and leadership, including the factors that contribute to effective leadership and teamwork.

Overall, the Social Psychology course provides students with a solid foundation in the science of social behavior and equips them with practical skills for navigating social interactions and promoting positive outcomes.

Author:

Scott Plous is a renowned psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Wesleyan University in the United States. He is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Society for Experimental Social Psychology.

Plous is best known for his research on prejudice, discrimination, and social influence, and has published numerous articles and book chapters on these topics. He is also the author of the widely-used textbook "The Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making" and the co-editor of the "Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems" series.

In addition to his research and teaching, Plous is a respected public intellectual and has written for popular outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Scientific American. He is also a frequent guest on radio and television programs and has given talks on a variety of topics related to social psychology.

Overall, Plous is a highly respected scholar in the field of social psychology, with a deep understanding of the theories and methods that underlie the science of human behavior. He is also an engaging and skilled communicator, able to convey complex concepts in an accessible and engaging way. As an instructor, he is known for his ability to inspire and motivate students, and his Social Psychology course on Coursera is widely regarded as one of the best introductions to the field available online.

Requirements:

This requirements for the Social Psychology course by Scott Plous on Coursera:

1. Time commitment: The course is designed to be completed in approximately 15 hours, although learners can take as much time as they need to complete the material. The course is self-paced, and learners have up to 180 days to complete the course.

2. Course modules: The course is divided into six modules, each of which covers a different topic in social psychology. These topics include social influence, perception, and cognition, attitudes and persuasion, group dynamics and leadership, prejudice and discrimination, and intergroup conflict and cooperation.

3. Course materials: Within each module, learners will have access to a variety of course materials, including video lectures, readings, and interactive exercises. The course materials are designed to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical principles that underlie social behavior, as well as practical skills for navigating social interactions and promoting positive outcomes.

4. Assessments: To earn a certificate of completion, learners must complete all of the required readings and quizzes within each module, as well as a final project in which they apply their knowledge of social psychology to a real-world situation. The final project is designed to allow learners to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts covered in the course and to apply those concepts to a practical problem or situation.

5. Prerequisites: The course does not have any prerequisites and is accessible to learners with a basic background in psychology or social science. However, learners should have a strong interest in the study of social behavior and a willingness to engage with the course materials and assignments.