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Norfolk State University

Department of Psychology
PSY 250-01
Social Psychology
Spring 2015

Instructor:

Karen Y. Holmes, Ph.D.

Office Hours: Mon:

Tues:
Thurs:
Fri:

11:15-12:15; 1:30-2:30
2-2:30
2-4
12:15-2:45

Office:
Phone:
E-mail:

Madison Hall 214

823-9055
[email protected]

Virtual Hours: Wed:

12-1 (Online only)

REQUIRED TEXTS: Social Psychology and Human Nature 3rd edition, Baumeister & Bushman
COURSE CREDIT: 3 credit hours
PREREQUISITES: None
Course Description:
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. This is
a 3 credit hour course and provides a survey of the concepts, principles and theories related to social
psychology.
Course Rationale:
PSY 250 is offered as a psychology elective to assist students with the development of knowledge in the area of
social psychological theory. This course serves as a survey course in the area of social psychological theory and
research.
Course Goals:
This course seeks to expose students to classic and contemporary research related to the psychology of how
individuals are influenced by others.

Student Learning Objectives are:

To understand social psychological facts, concepts, principles and theories

Enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills
To develop competency in the use of computer technology to complete assignments

Student Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, students will know the following:

The history of social psychology

The pioneers of social psychology
Major issues in social psychology
The various social psychological theories
The scientific methods
The characteristics of descriptive, experimental and correlational research methods

STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE LEARNING BY:

Demonstrating an understanding of the course content through successful completion of quizzes, exams,
assignments and discussion

Applying material learned to real world situations

Presenting professionalism, to include regular attendance, punctuality, appropriate dress, silencing cell
phones, no texting during class, treating classmates and professor with respect, refraining from private
conversations during lectures, refraining from profanity in class. Dr. Holmes reserves the right to
dismiss students from class according to NSU code of conduct found in the Student Handbook and
University Catalogue.

PRIMARY METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: lecture, discussion, demonstrations, practical application

exercises
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:

Students are expected to assume responsibility for their own learning by:
o arriving to class on time. Dr. Holmes will not entertain previously discussed questions from
students who arrive late. Late students must come to office hours.
o reading before each class period.
o reviewing notes before and after each class period.
o Submitting assignments in a timely fashion. Late Assignment will not be accepted.
o presenting a professional attitude at all times.

COURSE POLICIES/REQUIREMENTS:

Late assignments will not be accepted.

Class Attendance: Attendance will be taken each class period. Students who arrive late will be marked
absent. Students will be responsible for informing in that they were present. University policy indicates
that students who have more than three unexcused absences may have their grade reduced. Students who
have more than 9 classes may receive an F for the course regardless of their academic performance.

Cell Phone Use and Texting: Texting and Cell phone use will not be permitted in the classroom.
Students are required to turn off the ringers of their cell phones before entering class and to reframe
from texting during class. Students who do not comply with this policy will receive a grade of zero
for Participation for that class period.

Food and Beverages in the Classroom: Students are prohibited from eating and drinking in the
classroom.

Late to Exams: Students will not be allowed entry to an exam if they are more than 5 minutes late. Late
students will not be allowed to take concept checks.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STANDARDS:

Students are expected to attend classes regularly, pay attention, participate in class discussions and
demonstrations, read the designated chapters of the text, participate in all in class exercises, and
complete all assignments and exams. Everyone is expected to remain in class until class is dismissed
unless prior notice is given to the instructor. If you are having difficulties in the class, I expect you to let
me know.
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students found to be cheating will receive an F for the
assignment and will be referred for disciplinary action as outlined in the Student Handbook.

COURSE ASSESSMENT:
Mastery of learning objectives will be assessed through the following assignments:
1. Exams (50%). There will be 5 closed book exams in this course. Each exam will consist of multiple
choice and short answer questions.
Make-up Exams: Experience has shown that students do not perform well on make-up exams. You will
be allowed to replace one (1) missed exam with a cumulative multiple choice, closed book cumulative
exam to be given during the final exam period. You may use this option only once. If you miss a
second exam without proper documentation, the exam will receive a grade of zero. If you have a
documented reason for missing an exam (i.e., University approved trips) you may complete the exam
early. The course instructor reserves the right of offer an alternative form of any make-up exam.
2. Projects (30%): There will be two (2) critical thinking projects in this course. These projects will cover
information both from the assigned readings and from class meetings. More detail will be provided at a
later date.
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3. Concept Checks/Participation Activities (20%). These assignments can take the form of group
activities, open-book short answer questions, film clip reviews, etc.

Failure to actively participate in class, failure to refrain from texting, or failure to submit
homework/concept check assignments will result in a loss of participation points.
These assignments will assess your knowledge of the course readings or your mastery of the days
discussion. As such these short assignments can be given at any time during the class period or can be
assigned as homework and submitted the following class period. Students who text during the class
period, are absent or fail to submit their assignment will not receive a 0 for participation fort that
class period; therefore, it is important to recognize that failure to complete these activities and actively
engage in the course material will adversely affect your grade. Students will not be allowed to complete
extra assignments to boost their grades, therefore, it is important for you to accumulate as many of
these points as possible. I will drop no more than two participation point/concept check0 grades.

COURSE GRADING: All assignments must be completed to receive full credit in this course. Therefore, you
will not be able to forgo certain assignments and still be able to pass.
Final grades will be assigned based upon the following scale:
100-95=A
94-90=A89-87=B+
86-84=B
83-80=B79-77=C+

76-74=C
73-70=C69-67=D+
66-64=D
63-60=D59 and below=F

COURSE INFORMATION:
Late Assignments: Late assignments will not be accepted.
Class attendance: Class attendance is required to perform at an optimal level in this course. Furthermore, you
are responsible for all material presented in class, including any changes in the class schedule or exam dates.
Absenteeism is detrimental to performance on exams.
Incomplete Grades: An incomplete I grade will be issued if course requirement have not been met because
of illness or some other reason that is accepted by the instructor. It is the responsibility of the student receiving
the I grade to make arrangements with the instructor to complete outstanding requirements by the date
specified by the instructor or, for students who do not register for the next semester, within one year of the
issuance of the incomplete. If the incomplete is not removed in accordance with the Universitys Incomplete
grade policy, the grade of I will convert to a grade of F. For additional information please refer to the NSU
catalog.
Student Conduct: Students are required to respect and comply with all laws and rights of good citizenship.
Students are encouraged and expected to conduct themselves in an acceptable and professional manner that
reflects personal pride, dignity and respect. Care should be taken to demonstrate appropriate grooming habits
and conduct that will reflect positively on the individual and the institution. Students that are deemed
disruptive to the learning environment will be asked to leave. Campus police will be called if students do not
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promptly leave the classroom.

Blackboard Instructions: This is a web enhanced course that requires competency in the use of Blackboard.
Training on the use of Blackboard is provided by the Blackboard administrator located on the first floor of
Lyman B. Brooks Library. Students should contact the Blackboard administrator at 823-2098 if they are having
difficulty accessing Blackboard with the username and password provided by the University. In order to access
Blackboard follow the steps below:
1.
2.
3.
4.

log onto the NSU website at www.nsu.edu

select Blackboard from the menu
login using your user name and password
select PSY 270 and read course announcements from the instructor. Students are required to read
announcements regularly in order to stay informed of course activities.
5. Course assignments are posted in the assignments folder; Power point presentations for each chapter are
posted in the course documents folder.
Americans With Disabilities Statement: In accordance with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, we ask that if you have a disability or think that you may have a
disability, please contact Supporting Students through Disability Services for information regarding programs
and services to enhance student success.
Telephone (757) 823-2014
If you require course materials in a format that varies from that provided, or require other accommodations,
please notify the professor.
University Assessment Statement: As part of NSUs commitment to provide the environment and resources
needed for success, students may be required to participate in a number of university-wide assessment activities.
The activities may include tests, surveys, focus groups, interviews and portfolio reviews. The primary purpose
of these assessment activities is to determine the extent to which the Universitys programs and services
maintain a high level of quality and meet the needs of students. Students will not be identified in the analysis of
results. Unless otherwise indicated by the instructor, results from University assessment activities will not be
included in the calculation of student grades.
Related University Wide Requirements: Writing: Students who matriculate in Fall 2001 and thereafter will be
required to take entry and exit examinations to assess their writing competency. After completing ENG 102,
students must register for ENG 299 until they have passed the exit examination of writing competency. The exit
examination is a three hour writing examination. Students will select a topic and respond to it with an essay of
at least 500 words, using an expository form suitable for the topic. A satisfactory essay reflects the authors
awareness of purpose and audience in this form, organization, content, and usage and style. Students are
required to take the exit writing examination before completing 90 semester hours. This will allow time for
students who do not meet the minimum passing standard to develop a course of action for improvement to ass
the examination before graduation.
Academic Support Services :Tutorial services are available through the Academy for Collegiate Excellence
and Student Success department, for any student who is in need of additional instruction outside of that
provided by the professor. The main ACCESS office, a tutorial center and a computer lab is located in the
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Bowser Building Suite 118. The tutorial program is available at no cost for students enrolled at NSU. The
service offers a support system for students and peer assistance in the comprehension of coursework. The
Student Tutorial Centers provide the following:

Individual Tutoring Sessions

Group Study Sessions
Structured Study Hall
Effective Study Tips

Review the NSU website for tutorial hours

PSY 250
Course Outline
Date

Topic

Chapter

1/13-1-15
1/20-1/22
1/27-1/29

Assignments Due

The Mission and the Method

1
Culture and Nature
2
The Self
3
Exam 1: February 3
2/5
Choices and Actions
4
2/10-2/12
Social Cognition
5
2/17-2/19
Emotion and Affect
6
Exam 2: February 24
2/26
Attitudes Beliefs and
7
Consistency
3/3-3/5
Social Influence and
8
Project 1 Due
Persuasion
March 5
3/17-3/19
Prosocial Behavior
9
Exam 3: March 24
3/26
Aggression
10
3/31-4/2
Attraction and Exclusion
11
4/7-4/9
Close Relationship
12
Exam 4: April 14
4/16-4/21
Prejudice
13
4/23-4/28
Groups
14
4/30
Wrap Up
Project 2 Due
Final Exam
Thursday, May 7
10:30-12:30.
THIS SYLLABUS MAY BE ALTERED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COURSE INSTRUCTOR. ANY CHANGES WILL BE
ANNOUNCED IN CLASS.