Social Psychology
Course Features
Partner
Level
Start Date
Duration
Access
Certificate
About this Course
Ever wonder why people do what they do? This course—which includes more than $1,000 of video and reading materials—offers some answers based on the latest research from social psychology. Students taking the course for a Certificate will also receive free membership in Social Psychology Network (SocialPsychology.org).
COURSE DESCRIPTION FROM PROFESSOR PLOUS: Each of us is dealt a different hand in life, but we all face similar questions when it comes to human behavior: What leads us to like one person and dislike another? How do conflicts and prejudices develop, and how can they be reduced? Can psychological research help protect the environment, and if so, how? This course offers a brief introduction to classic and contemporary social psychology, covering topics such as decision making, persuasion, group behavior, personal attraction, and factors that promote health and well-being. Our focus will be on surprising, entertaining, and intriguing research findings that are easy to apply in daily life. The course will also draw from the websites of Social Psychology Network, the world's largest online community devoted to social psychology. I hope you'll join me for this course, have fun, and learn some useful information that enriches your life.
Instructors
About the instructor
Scott Plous holds a Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University and is a professor of psychology at Wesleyan University, where he teaches introductory and advanced courses in social psychology. His research interests focus on prejudice, decision making, information technology, and ethical issues surrounding the use of animals.
Professor Plous is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the American Psychological Association, the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and has received several national awards, including the William James Book Award (for The Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making), the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize, and the Otto Klineberg Intercultural and International Relations Award. He has also received the American Psychological Foundation’s Award for Distinguished Teaching and been named “Connecticut Professor of the Year” by the Carnegie Foundation and Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Currently, Professor Plous serves as Executive Director of Social Psychology Network (SocialPsychology.org), a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to promote peace, social justice, and sustainable living through public education, research, and the advancement of psychology.
