Postgraduate Course: Social Psychology and Mental Health (CLPS11057)
Course Outline
| School | School of Health in Social Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | The course is composed of five x 2.5-hour lectures: Introduction to Social Psychology, Social Perceptions, Attitudes and Attribution; Self and Identity, Group Processes, Prejudice and Social Identity; Aggression and Prosocial Behaviour; and Close Relationships. This course introduces students to a range of social psychology theories and applies these to understanding mental health and illness.
The lectures will be complemented by resources and teaching materials made available through LEARN. Students will also be encouraged to contribute to student-led discussions through LEARN around the materials provided within the course.
The course is composed of five modules: Social Cognition and Social Thinking; Self and Identity; Group Processes and Social Identity; Aggression and Prosocial Behaviour; and Close Relationships. This course introduces students to a range of social psychology theories and applies these to understanding mental health issues.
The course is a core component of the MSc Psychology of Mental Health (Conversion) and is not open to students from other programmes.
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| Course description |
Each module comprises of one 2-2.5hour lecture and some assigned reading; additional reading and multimedia materials are provided for further (optional) self-directed study. Each module will include applications of core social psychological theory to the analysis of mental health, including making connections through specific readings, consideration of research practice and findings, and academic interpretation of real-world phenomena. Overall, we will consider how many factors exist and interact within a wider ¿system¿ of mental health for individuals and groups within the scope of social psychology.
For example, the lecture on Self & Identity will include an introduction to Self-Concept, which is our cognitive representation of self. We will critically explore what happens when we feel/act/think at odds with ourselves and the implications for our mental health; we do this by analysing the application of self-discrepancy theory with explanatory example scenarios. In this way, we will study notions of self and develop critical, research-informed understandings of the specific role of identity. In this module, we also use primary readings to highlight how social psychology can contribute to understanding the protective and risk factors for various mental health issues (e.g., depression) and experiences (e.g., traumatic).
The course is a core component of the MSc Psychology of Mental Health (Conversion) and is not open to students from other programmes. The course will run in the first teaching block of Semester 2.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
| Course Start Date |
13/01/2025 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 12.5,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
85 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
2-hour exam |
| Feedback |
Formative online quizzes (multiple choice questions) are available for each module. Students are also encouraged to ask questions and engage in discussion via the Discussion Board and in Q&A sections of lecture. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and critical understanding of social psychological theories and research.
- Demonstrate psychological literacy in all aspects of students' lives.
- Demonstrate critical reflection on how social psychological perspectives can aid our understanding of mental health and illness.
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Reading List
Textbook: Hogg, M. & Vaughan, G. (2009). Essentials of Social Psychology. New York: Pearson.
Olivera-La Rosa, A., Chuquichambi, E. G., & Ingram, G. P. (2020). Keep your (social) distance: Pathogen concerns and social perception in the time of COVID-19. Personality and individual differences, 166, 110200.
Sinnott, S. M., Park, C. L., George, J. R., Gnall, K. E., & David, A. B. (2023). Use of religious and spiritual responses after trauma to prevent posttraumatic stress symptoms and suicidality: The role of meaning in life. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy.
Park, C. L. (2010). Making sense of the meaning literature: an integrative review of meaning making and its effects on adjustment to stressful life events. Psychological bulletin, 136(2), 257.
Volkan, V. D. (2001). Transgenerational transmissions and chosen traumas: An aspect of large-group identity. Group Analysis, 34(1), 79-97.
Volkan, V. D. (2009, December). Large-group identity, international relations and psychoanalysis. In International Forum of Psychoanalysis (Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 206-213). Taylor & Francis Group.
Berzonsky, M. D., & Sullivan, C. (1992). Social-cognitive aspects of identity style: Need for cognition, experiential openness, and introspection. Journal of adolescent research, 7(2), 140-155.
Berenson, K.R. et al. (2011). The Rejection-Rage Contingency in Borderline Personality Disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 120, 681-690
Archer, J. & Coyne, S.M. (2005). An Integrated Review of Indirect, Relational, and Social Aggression. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 9, 212-230
Hoffner, C. A., & Bond, B. J. (2022). Parasocial relationships, social media, & well-being. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101306.
Beyers, W. & Seiffge-Krenke, I. (2010). Does Identity Precede Intimacy? Testing Erikson¿s Theory on Romantic Development in Emerging Adults of the 21st Century. Journal of Adolescent Research, 25, 387-415
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Develop your research knowledge that will enable you to discuss, share, present and analyse data and information in various formats and from a range of sources
Develop your research methods and data analysis skills
Develop your critical reflection and writing skills |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Emily-Marie Pacheco
Tel:
Email: epacheco@exseed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Yuke Duan
Tel:
Email: yduan@ed.ac.uk |
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