Psychology of Opinions and Social Behaviors

Code:

P850

Acronym:

POCS

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Psychology

Instance: 2013/2014 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master Psychology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIPSI	0	Official Curricular Structure	4	-	6	54	162
		Official Curricular Structure 2012	4	-	6	54	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

At the end of the semester, students must understand the origin and the functioning of common thought. They must know the main theories developed in the research on natural categories, stereotypes and social representations, and must be able to identify and analyze the processes that take place in the processing of information of social kind, as well as the factors that influence the way how opinions are formed. Students must also know, and know how to use, the techniques that permit to gather and analyze the information held in groups’ thought systems, identify the factors at the origin of the differences in opinions, and the factors likely to modulate the discourses expressed on social objects.

Learning outcomes and competences

Understand the origin and the functioning of common thought. Know how to gather and analyze this form of thought in order to be able to act on stereotypes and representations.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

None

Program

Categories and concepts. Social categories and schemata. Stereotypes as cultural products. Stereotypes and prejudice: individualist perspectives. Stereotypes and intergroup relationships. Social representations: basic principles and the dimensional perspective. Social representations: the structural perspective and the organizing principles. Collective representations. Social representations and social practices. Research in social representations.

Mandatory literature

Schneider, D. J. ; The psychology of stereotyping. , London: The Guilford Press, 2004
Moscovici, S. & Duveen, G. ; Social representations, Cambridge: Polity., 2000
Poeschl, G. ; Teoría de las representaciones sociales. In J.F. Morales & C. Huici (Eds.), Estudios de Psicología Social (pp. 439-466). , Madrid: UNED, 2003
Medin, D. L., Lynch, E. B., & Solomon, K. O.; Are there kinds of concepts?, Annual Review of Psychology, 51, 121-147, 2000

Teaching methods and learning activities

The program is divided into components, the theoretical aspects of which are presented by the teacher. Each component is also accompanied by a text (article or chapter) to be read by the students in preparation of the exposition made in classes. A practical part consists in a research planned, organized and conducted in group that reinforces the understanding of the developed theories. The evaluation encloses an exam that permits evaluate the knowledge on the theories that were discussed in classes (60%) and a presentation of the study conducted in group, showing that the research methodology on opinions is acquired (40%).

keywords

Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Psychology > Applied psychology
Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Psychology > Social psychology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	60,00
Trabalho de campo	40,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance required in 75% of the classes

Calculation formula of final grade

The final grade is calculated through the arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in the theoretical and practical components of the discipline and is expressed on a scale from 0 to 20. The final grade is obtained by the following grade weighting: 60% of the grade obtained in the theoretical component and 40% of the grade obtained in the practical component. The assessment of the theoretical component is made on the basis of a written test consisting of four questions to be briefly answered and one question to be developed. The assessment of the practical component of the discipline is made on the basis of the presentation of a short study carried out in small groups on a topic discussed between the teacher and the students at the beginning of the semester. The assessment of this collective work results from a written (or oral) presentation (30%) and the participation in the work done in classes (10%). A minimum grade of 8 is required in all works/reports, activities or tests included in the assessment, and a final grade of 10 is necessary to complete the discipline.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Practical work of research and of analysis of opinions including the use of the procedures that are specific to the analysis of social knowledge.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The students who are legally exempted from class attendance have to complete the two above-mentioned components of the assessment: weekly works about the presented topics and final test. They have to contact the teacher at the beginning of the semester.

Classification improvement

The final grade may be improved through a second participation in the written test of the theoretical component, but there is no possibility to improve the grade of the practical component.