Social Cognitive Psychology

Timetable

Module aim (aims)

Students learn the fundamentals of explaining social phenomena through an understanding of human cognitive processes. They also gain the skills to design and interpret empirical research in this field

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Lecture: none
Classes: basic training in quantitative research methodology in social science

Syllabus

Course contents:

1. The social nature of humans
2. The biological basis for social behavior
3. Cultural factors in the evolution of social life
4. Limitations of the research methods in psychology
5. Social perception
6. Priming social cognitions and behavior
7. Perception of physical attractiveness
8. Memory and social phenomena
9. Cognitive heuristics and social phenomena
10. Cognition, affect, and behavior
11. Ascribing mental states to others
12. Methodology of research in social cognitive psychology

Reading list

Obligatory: Greifeneder, R., Bless, H., & Fiedler, K. (2017). Social cognition. How individuals construct social reality. Routledge.

Optional: Fiske, S. T., & Taylor, S. E. (2017). Social cognition. From Brains to Culture (3rd Ed.) SAGE Publications