Description and Goals

Our goal in this seminar course is to survey major topics in social psychology, including personality and individual difference variables relevant to those topics, at a level appropriate for advanced undergraduates and first-year graduate students. I assume familiarity with the methods of psychological science, including basic statistical methods, as well as some prior exposure to social psychology. The course is structured to promote depth of understanding, integration, and creativity. The major activities of the course are purposeful reading, lively discussion, and original writing. In order to take full advantage of the course, it will be necessary to devote about five hours each week to preparation. Successful students will complete the course with a solid understanding of major themes and methods in social and personality psychology.