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Personality and Social Psychology (PSYC20009)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Dr Said Shafa
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject examines human individuality and relatedness, the core themes of personality and social psychology. Its focus is on how we are unique individuals but also connected to others. The personality section investigates the nature and structure of individual differences, how these differences are assessed, and how they can be explained psychologically and biologically. The social psychology section examines how individuals construct their sense of self and identity, how they perceive and evaluate other people, how they form relationships, and how their behaviour is influenced by their social groups and cultural context.
A quantitative methods component will be integrated into the lecture, tutorial, and assessment structure of this subject. The aim is to provide an understanding of, and practical experience with, the appropriate experimental design and statistical analysis techniques used to evaluate theories in Personality and Social Psychology.
Intended learning outcomes
Knowledge
On completion of this subject students should demonstrate knowledge of:
- Cultural differences in social psychological and personality phenomena, processes and measurement
- Key concepts, theories and empirical findings relating to social psychology and individual differences in personality, capacity and behaviour
- Basic statistical tests of associations between variables
Skills
On completion of this subject students should have developed skills to:
- Critically review the literature in an area of social or personality psychology
- Conduct statistical tests of correlation and simple regression
- Evaluate and draw conclusions from research findings.
- Interpret data accurately on the basis of appropriate analytical methods.
- Communicate psychological research findings effectively in oral and written formats.
- Work collaboratively on a group presentation
Application of knowledge and skills
On completion of this subject students should be able to apply their knowledge and skills to:
- Reflect on important social, cultural and personal concerns from the point of view of empirical social and personality psychology, including applications to psychological health and wellbeing
- Apply critical thinking and data analysis skills in writing a lab report
Generic skills
On completion of the subject students should have developed generic skills related to:
- Literature review and research methods;
- Critical thinking and analysis of arguments;
- Reflective thinking and self-evaluation;
- Giving and receiving feedback;
- Goal setting, time management and self-directed learning;
- Written and oral communication.
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
512223 Personality and Social Psychology 2
512228 Personality and Social Psychology
Recommended background knowledge
Prior coursework in the two Level 1 psychology subjects, Mind Brain and Behaviour 1 and Mind Brain and Behaviour 2 is recommended.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
An examination
| During the examination period | 60% |
An assignment
| From Week 5 to Week 10 | 40% |
An online hurdle module
| From Week 3 to Week 6 | N/A |
Hurdle requirement: Each piece of assessment must be submitted. | N/A | |
Hurdle requirement: Attendance of at least 80% of laboratory classes. In case of failure to meet the attendance requirement, additional work related to the missed class activites (e.g., an essay whose length is 500 words for each tutorial missed) will be required before a passing grade can be awarded. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Said Shafa Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours One x 2 hour Lecture per week plus one x 2 hour Laboratory/Tutorial per fortnight Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 August 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 contact information
Dr Said Shafa
Time commitment details
36 contact hours with an estimated 170 hours time commitment
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Eliot R. Smith, Diane M. Mackie & Heather M. Claypool (2015). Social Psychology : Fourth Edition. Taylor & Francis.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Graduate Diploma in Psychology Informal specialisation Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI Major Psychology Major Psychology - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 19 March 2024