Abstract
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another – a subfield of psychology that began more than a century ago with experiments on social facilitation and social loafing. In the aftermath of World War II, social psychology subsequently broadened to tackle pressing social issues such as prejudice, genocide, obedience to authority, and school desegregation. In this chapter, we provide a practical guide on how to teach social psychology to undergraduate students, including “action teaching” – a relatively new educational approach in which students take action on social issues as part of the learning process. After discussing the curricular goals of social psychology, the chapter outlines six core ideas that emerge from research and theories in social psychology. Next, it describes several teaching, learning, and assessment strategies, beginning with “backward course design” (a design method in which instructors first identify learning objectives and then work backward to create course content, learning activities, and student assessments to achieve the objectives). The chapter also offers advice on how to address some of the most common challenges and questions that social psychology teachers face: (1) What if class members vary widely in psychology training? (2) Do the results of social psychology research generalize? (3) Are social psychology findings replicable? (4) How should research ethics be discussed? (5) What’s the best way to teach about difficult or controversial topics? (6) How can social psychology be taught effectively online? Finally, the chapter ends with an annotated list of published and online resources related to teaching, learning, and assessment, all of which should be useful to both new and veteran social psychology instructors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, V. H., Devos, T., Rivera, L. M., Smith, H., & Vega, L. A. (2014). Teaching about implicit prejudices and stereotypes: A pedagogical demonstration. Teaching of Psychology, 41(3), 204–212. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628314537969.
Allport, G. W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
American Psychological Association. (2013). APA guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major: Version 2.0. http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/about/psymajor-guidelines.pdf
Arnett, J. (2008). The neglected 95%: Why American psychology needs to become less American. American Psychologist, 67(7), 602–614. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.63.7.602.
Asch, S. E. (1956). Studies of independence and conformity: I. A minority of one against a unanimous majority. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 70(9), 1–70. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0093718.
Bain, K. (2004). What the best college teachers do. London: Harvard University Press.
Bhattacharya, P. (2020, November 23). Why your ideal online course video must be 6-12 minutes long. HubSkills.com. http://hubskills.com/online-course-video-to-be-6-12-minutes/
Bowman, N. A. (2010). College diversity experiences and cognitive development: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 80(1), 4–33. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654309352495.
Bowman, N. A. (2011). Promoting participation in a diverse democracy: A meta-analysis of college diversity experiences and civic engagement. Review of Educational Research, 81(1), 29–68. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654310383047.
Buhrmester, M., Kwang, T., & Gosling, S. D. (2011). Amazon’s Mechanical Turk: A new source of inexpensive, yet high-quality, data? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(1), 3–5. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691610393980.
Casad, B. J., Flores, A. J., & Didway, J. D. (2013). Using the implicit association test as an unconsciousness raising tool in psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 40(2), 118–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628312475031.
Chandler, J., Mueller, P., & Paolacci, G. (2014). Nonnaïveté among Amazon Mechanical Turk workers: Consequences and solutions for behavioral researchers. Behavioral Research, 46(1), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-013-0365-7.
Day of Compassion. (2021, June 16). In Wikipedia. https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Compassion
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266.
Dunn, D. S., Baker, S. C., Mehrotra, C. M., McCarthy, M., & Landrum, R. E. (Eds.). (2012). Assessing teaching and learning in psychology: Current and future perspectives. Cengage.
Dunn, D. S., Coffman, C., Bhalla, M., Boysen, G. A., Diaz-Granados, J. L., McGregor, L. N., Morgan, B., & Smith, P. (2020). Doing assessment well: Advances for undergraduate psychology programs and psychology educators. Teaching of Psychology, 47(4), 251–261. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628320945097.
Dunn, D. S., Gurung, R. A. R., Naufel, K. Z., & Wilson, J. H. (2013). Teaching about controversial issues: An introduction. In D. S. Dunn, R. A. R. Gurung, K. Z. Naufel, & J. H. Wilson (Eds.), Controversy in the psychology classroom: Using hot topics to foster critical thinking (pp. 3–10). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14038-000.
Dunn, D. S., Mehrotra, C., & Halonen, J. S. (Eds.). (2004). Measuring up: Educational assessment challenges and practices for psychology. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10807-000.
Eberhardt, J. L. (2019). Biased: Uncovering the hidden prejudice that shapes what we see, think, and do. Viking.
Elicker, J. D., Snell, A. F., & O'Malley, A. L. (2010). Do student perceptions of diversity emphasis relate to perceived learning of psychology? Teaching of Psychology, 37(1), 36–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/00986280903425706.
Else-Quest, N. M., & Hyde, J. (2016). Intersectionality in quantitative psychological research: 1. Theoretical and epistemological issues. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 40(3), 155–170. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684316629797.
Fielding, K. S., Hornsey, M. J., & Swim, J. K. (2014). Developing a social psychology of climate change. European Journal of Social Psychology (Special Issue: The Social Psychology of Climate Change), 44(5), 413–420. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2058.
Goldstein, S. (2021). Ground rules for discussing diversity: Complex considerations. In M. E. Kite, K. A. Case, & W. R. Williams (Eds.), Navigating difficult moments in teaching diversity and social justice (pp. 17–29). American Psychological Association.
Grant, A. M. (2013). Bringing organizational psychology to life through fundraising. http://www.actionteaching.org/award/organizational-fundraising
Greenberg, K. P. (2015). Rubric use in formative assessment: A detailed behavioral rubric helps students improve their scientific writing skills. Teaching of Psychology, 42(3), 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628315587618.
Haney, C., Banks, W. C., & Zimbardo, P. G. (1973). A study of prisoners and guards in a simulated prison. Naval Research Review, 30, 4–17.
Hard, B. M., Dunn, D. S., Hudson, D., Musselman, R., & Richmond, A. (in press). Designing the introductory psychology course: An evidence-informed framework. In R. A. R. Gurung & G. Neufeld (Eds.), The introductory psychology initiative. American Psychological Association.
Henrich, J., Heine, S. J., & Norenzayan, A. (2010). The weirdest people in the world? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 33(2–3), 61–135. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X0999152X.
Henry, P. J. (2008). College sophomores in the laboratory redux: Influences of a narrow data base on social psychology’s view of the nature of prejudice. Psychological Inquiry, 19(2), 49–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/10478400802049936.
Hickey, A., Urban, A., & Karsten, E. (2020). Drivers of quality in online learning: How to increase engagement, satisfaction, skill development, and career impact worldwide. Coursera. http://about.coursera.org/press/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Coursera_DriversOfQuality_Book_MCR-1126-V4-lr.pdf
Isen, A. M. (2004). Some perspectives on positive feelings and emotions: Positive affect facilitates thinking and problem solving. In A. S. R. Manstead, N. Frijda, & A. Fischer (Eds.), Feelings and emotions: The Amsterdam symposium (pp. 263–281). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511806582.016.
Jones, E. (2020). Teaching research methods with an anti-hunger project. http://www.actionteaching.org/award/anti-hunger
Karau, S. J., & Williams, K. D. (1993). Social loafing: A meta-analytic review and theoretical integration. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65(4), 681–706. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.65.4.681.
Kite, M. E., & Littleford, L. N. (2015). Teaching about diversity across the undergraduate psychology curriculum. In D. S. Dunn (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of undergraduate psychology education (pp. 129–141). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199933815.013.012.
Kite, M. E., & Whitley, B. E., Jr. (2018). Principles of research in behavioral science (4th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315450087.
Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. Association of American Colleges & Universities.
Kunst, A. (2020, November 19). Social network usage by frequency in the U.S. 2020. Statistica. http://www.statista.com/forecasts/997198/social-network-usage-by-frequency-in-the-us
Lerner. (1980). The belief in a just world: A fundamental delusion. Plenum.
Levy, D. (2021). Teaching effectively with Zoom: A practical guide to engage your students and help them learn (2nd ed.). Author.
Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems. Journal of Social Issues, 2(4), 34–46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1946.tb02295.x.
Lewin , K. (1948). Resolving social conflicts: Selected papers on group dynamics. Harper.
Maki, P. L. (2004). Assessing for learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the institution. Stylus.
Marrow, A. J. (1969). The practical theorist; the life and work of Kurt Lewin. Basic Books.
Martingano, A. J. (2020, August 20). The best of both worlds: The benefits of online and offline teaching. http://www.spsp.org/news-center/announcements/benefits-online-offline-teaching
Matsumoto, D., & Juang, L. (2017). Culture and psychology (6th ed.). Cengage.
Mentkowski, M., Rogers, G., Doherty, A., Loacker, G., Hart, J. R., Richards, W., O’Brien, K., Riordan, T., Sharkey, S., Cromwell, L., Diez, M., Bartels, J., & Roth, J. (2000). Learning that lasts: Integrating learning, development, and performance in college and beyond. Jossey-Bass.
Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral study of obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67(4), 371–378. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0040525.
Milgram, S. (1974). Obedience to authority. Harper and Row.
Moore, S. (2016, February 22). A filmed play is not a movie: Improving online learning. Extension Engine. http://blog.extensionengine.com/innovative-online-learning/
Morris, K. A., & Ashburn-Nardo, L. (2010). The Implicit Association Test as a class assignment: Student affective and attitudinal reactions. Teaching of Psychology, 37(1), 63–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/00986280903426019.
National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2019, January). Career readiness for the new college graduate: A definition and competencies. http://www.naceweb.org/uploadedfiles/pages/knowledge/articles/career-readiness-fact-sheet-jan-2019.pdf
Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175–220. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.2.175.
Norvilitis, J. M. (2010). Bringing culture alive by offering financial education to refugees. http://www.actionteaching.org/award/refugees
Nosek, B. A., Ebersole, C. R., DeHaven, A. C., & Mellor, D. T. (2018, March). The preregistration revolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America., 115(11). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1708274114.
Open Science Collaboration. (2015). Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science. Science, 349, 943. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aac4716.
Pettigrew, T. F. (in press). Social psychology in mid-20th century United States. In P. Hegarty (Ed.), Oxford encyclopedia of the history of psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Plous, S. (2000). Responding to overt displays of prejudice: A role-playing exercise. Teaching of Psychology, 27(3), 198–200. http://www.understandingprejudice.org/pdf/roleplay.pdf.
Plous, S. (2009, Winter). Are you an action teacher? Win $1,000 while making the world a better place. Psychology Teacher Network, 18(4), 1, 4, 8, 10, 11. http://www.socialpsychology.org/pdf/psychteacher2009.pdf
Pusateri, T., Halonen, J. S., Hill, B., & McCarthy, M. (2009). The assessment cyberguide for learning goals and outcomes (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/ed/governance/bea/assessment-cyberguide-v2.pdf
Ringelmann, M. (1913). Recherches sur les moteuers animés: Traveil de l'homme [Research on animate sources of power: The work of man]. Annales de l'Instiut National Agronomique, 2nd série – tome XII, 1–40. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k54409695.image.f14.langEN
Sieber, J. (1992). Planning ethically responsible research. Sage https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412985406
Snyder, T. D., de Brey, C., & Dillow, S. A. (2019). Digest of Education Statistics 2018 (NCES 2020-009). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020009.pdf
Stephens, P. (2014, October 8). The world’s most compassionate 24 hours. BBC News. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-28882749
Teger, A. I. (1980). Too much invested to quit. Pergamon Press.
Trimble, J. E., Stevenson, M. R., & Worrell, J. P. (2003, September 15). Toward an inclusive psychology: Infusing the introductory psychology textbook with diversity content (APA Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention, and Training, Textbook Initiative Work Group). American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/programs/recruitment/inclusive-textbooks.pdf
Triplett, N. (1898). The dynamogenic factors in pacemaking and competition. American Journal of Psychology, 9(4), 507–533. https://doi.org/10.2307/1412188.
Van Bavel, J. J., Baicker, K., Boggio, P. S., Capraro, V., Cichocka, A., Cikara, M., et al. (2020). Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response. Nature Human Behavior, 4, 460–471. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-020-0884-z.
Velez, G., & Power, S.A. (2020). Teaching students how to think, not what to think: Pedagogy and political psychology. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 8(1), 388–403. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v8i1.1284
Vespia, K. M., & Filz, T. E. (2013). Preventing and handling classroom disruptions. In D. S. Dunn, R. A. R. Gurung, K. Z. Naufel, & J. H. Wilson (Eds.), Controversy in the psychology classroom: Using hot topics to foster critical thinking (pp. 23–32). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14038-002.
Warner, L. R., Wagner, L. S., & Grzanka, P. (2021). White privilege in the classroom. In M. E. Kite, K. A. Case, & W. R. Williams (Eds.), Navigating difficult moments in teaching diversity and social justice (pp. 151–163). American Psychological Association.
West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (1997). The domain specificity and generality of overconfidence: Individual differences in performance estimation bias. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 4(3), 387–392. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210798.
Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Wilson, T. D., & Gilbert, D. T. (2005). Affective forecasting: Knowing what to want. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(3), 131–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00355.x.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Plous, S., Myers, D.G., Kite, M.E., Dunn, D.S. (2022). Teaching Social Psychology Effectively. In: Zumbach, J., Bernstein, D., Narciss, S., Marsico, G. (eds) International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26248-8_16-2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26248-8_16-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-26248-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-26248-8
eBook Packages: Springer Reference EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education
Publish with us
Chapter history
-
Latest
Teaching Social Psychology Effectively- Published:
- 18 December 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26248-8_16-2
-
Original
Teaching Social Psychology Effectively- Published:
- 07 September 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26248-8_16-1