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PSYC3891: The Psychology of Social Relations

Please ensure you check the module availability box for each module outline, as not all modules will run in each academic year. Each module description relates to the year indicated in the module availability box, and this may change from year to year, due to, for example: changing staff expertise, disciplinary developments, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Type Open
Level 3
Credits 20
Availability Available in 2025/2026
Module Cap
Location Durham
Department Psychology

Prerequisites

  • 60 credits from Level 2 Psychology

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • In this module you will learn about the psychology of social relationships, such as those between people, groups, society, and between people and nature. You will learn about major social psychological theoretical perspectives with a strong emphasis on empirical evidence.

Content

  • This module examines social relationships with a particular focus on topics such as romantic relationships, intergroup relations, collective action/activism, and relationships between people and nature, although specific topics may vary year to year.
  • It will include an introduction to advanced social psychological topics before critically addressing relevant mechanisms, theories, and applications.
  • The module will cover related conceptual and historical issues in psychology.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • Detailed knowledge of advanced social psychological topics including current theory and evidence.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • Ability to review critically and consolidate understanding of a coherent body of psychological knowledge and apply it appropriately.
  • Ability to construct convincing arguments that are supported by effective use of social-psychological theory and evidence.
  • Ability to integrate psychological theories and/or lines of research.

Key Skills:

  • Good written communication skills.
  • Good IT skills in word processing.
  • Ability to work independently in scholarship and research within broad guidelines.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Students' acquisition of detailed knowledge will be facilitated by lectures, within-lecture interactive components such as discussions and small group activities, as well as audio-visual materials and reading lists.
  • These modes of teaching provide students with detailed knowledge of the key theories and the skills needed to evaluate different theoretical positions in light of current evidence.
  • The use of group discussions / small group work will ensure that students are exposed to a range of different theoretical positions and encouraged to understand their inter-relations.
  • Activities will encourage students to extend and apply lecture content to develop practical skills.
  • The assessments will assess students' detailed subject knowledge, written communication and IT skills.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures201 per week2 hours40 
Preparation and Reading160 
Total200 

Summative Assessment

Component: AssignmentComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Essay1000 words30
Essay2000 words70

Formative Assessment

None.

More information

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