Social Psychology of Education

1. Defining Education Social Psychology: History and Principles

·         Define social psychology.

·         Review the history of the field of social psychology and the topics that social psychologists study.

·         Summarize the principles of evolutionary psychology.

·         Describe and provide examples of the person-situation interaction.

·         Review the concepts of (a) social norms and (b) cultures.

2. Affect, Behavior, and Cognition

·         Define and differentiate affect, behavior, and cognition as considered by social psychologists.

·         Summarize the principles of social cognition.

3. Conducting Research in Social Psychology

·         Explain why social psychologists rely on empirical methods to study social behavior.

·         Provide examples of how social psychologists measure the variables they are interested in.

·         Review the three types of research designs, and evaluate the strengths and limitations of each type.

·         Consider the role of validity in research, and describe how research programs should be evaluated.