SOCIAL PSYCOLOGY OF COMMUNICATION
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
-Sufficient knowledge of the Italian language (corresponding to B2 level)
-Students with inadequate preliminary knowledge of psychology may remedy this by attending the first part of the course, which serves as an introduction to the discipline, and consulting the relevant educational materials.
The exam will consist of an oral interview aimed at assessing the acquisition and correct understanding, as well as critical analysis, of the topics of the course. The final grade will take into account the accuracy and quality of responses, as well as communicative skills and the ability to articulate and adequately justify statements, establish connections, and provide relevant examples.
The general purpose of this course is to analyze the major theoretical and practical issues of the social psychology of communication.
Specific purposes of the course are:
- understanding the main authors of social psychology and their theoretical and research contributions
- developing skills to critically analyze theories, models and studies in social psychology
- understanding how interpersonal relationships in different social contexts influence communication and how communication is influenced by these relationships
- acquiring basic knowledge about stereotypes and prejudices, learning how to prevent and counteract them in journalistic, political, social and corporate communication.
- Exploring the topic of microaggressions and learning strategies to prevent and counter them in daily, political, and mass media communication.
The course is organized into three modules:
1) an introduction on psychology as a science, its research methods, and its main theoretical orientations;
2) an institutional module on the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of social psychology applied to communication;
3) a monographic module on the psychological and communicative processes – occurring through spoken, written, and visual language – through which so-called microaggressions are perpetrated. This topic is connected to stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination, and human aggression. Additionally, psychological and communicative strategies to reduce these phenomena and prevent societal differences from turning into socially accepted inequalities will be examined.
DETAILED PROGRAM
INTRODUCTION (20 hours)
1) Psychology as a science
2) Psychology in mass media
3) Theoretical Orientations in Psychology: Psychoanalysis, Gestalt Psychology, Social-Cultural Theory, Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Systemic-Relational Approach, and Humanistic Psychology
4) Theoretical Perspectives of Constructivism and Social Constructionism
INSTITUTIONAL MODULE (24 hours)
1) Political socialization (Newcomb)
2) Field Theory, studies on leadership, and decision-making processes (Lewin)
3) Social norms, social groups, and intergroup conflicts (Sherif)
3) Processes of social influence (Sherif, Asch, Moscovici)
4) Persuasive communication (Hovland)
5) Obedience to authority (Milgram)
6) Communication in emergency situations (Bibb Latané and John Darley)
7) Categorization and Social Identity Theory (Henri Tajfel)
MONOGRAPHIC PART (20 hours)
1) Social psychology theories on human aggression
2) Prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination
3) Taxonomy and dynamics of microaggressions
4) Ethnic, gender, and sexual identity microaggressions
5) Preventing and countering microaggressions
INTRODUCTION (20 hours)
1) Psychology as a science
2) Psychology in mass media
3) Theoretical Orientations in Psychology: Psychoanalysis, Gestalt Psychology, Social-Cultural Theory, Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Systemic-Relational Approach, and Humanistic Psychology
4) Theoretical Perspectives of Constructivism and Social Constructionism
INSTITUTIONAL MODULE (24 hours)
1) Political socialization (Newcomb)
2) Field Theory, studies on leadership, and decision-making processes (Lewin)
3) Social norms, social groups, and intergroup conflicts (Sherif)
3) Processes of social influence (Sherif, Asch, Moscovici)
4) Persuasive communication (Hovland)
5) Obedience to authority (Milgram)
6) Communication in emergency situations (Bibb Latané and John Darley)
7) Categorization and Social Identity Theory (Henri Tajfel)
MONOGRAPHIC PART (20 hours)
1) Social psychology theories on human aggression
2) Prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination
3) Taxonomy and dynamics of microaggressions
4) Ethnic, gender, and sexual identity microaggressions
5) Preventing and countering microaggressions.
The teaching activities will be conducted through lectures, during which the professor will illustrate the course concepts using multimedia tools (e.g., images and videos of experiments, analysis of emblematic cases, and research studies). Active participation of students is encouraged. Students will be involved in guided classroom discussions led by the professor, as well as interactive activities. Exercises, and individual or group tasks that will be assigned. All students, whether attending or not, are required to use the educational materials provided by the professor on the e-learning portal. They could also reach the professor by email for any questions of appointments.
The professor is available for clarification and explanations by appointment, which can be arranged by sending an email to the following address: paolo.bozzato@uninsubria.it
The final dissertation in this subject requires students’ active participation in one of the surveys coordinated by the professor on the following topics:
1) Future orientation: How do children, adolescents, or adults perceive their future (existential, educational, occupational, relational, familial, etc.) in our social context?
2) Gender and sexual identity stereotypes and prejudices: How do they influence behaviors and choices at different stages of life? How can mass media communication and social communication campaigns can intervene to limit such influence?
3) Ethnic, gender, and sexual identity microaggressions: investigate them in a chosen social context (school or other educational agencies, university, company, etc.) and identify communicative strategies to prevent and counteract them.
4) Problematic use of smartphones and the internet by adolescents and young adults: What are the risk factors and protective factors for problematic use of communication through technological tools?
Final dissertation in Social Psychology of Communication need to be requested well in advance, and a preliminary meeting with the professor is planned to discuss the research area and provide an initial reading of some fundamental research contributions to assess one's interest in the topics and research methods. The reference literature is mostly in English and should be consulted using scientific databases (not Google or Wikipedia).