Students

PSYU3333 – Social Interaction in the Modern World

2023 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Rachel Kallen
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
PSYU2234 or PSYX2234 or PSY234 or PSYX234
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Human beings are fundamentally social creatures. Our relationships to others and the world around us are critical for our physical and psychological well-being. We all have powerful needs for connection, and a sense of identity and belonging. Similarly, we actively seek to protect ourselves from rejection, loneliness and inequitable treatment by others. While there is a long history of research on this topic, contemporary social psychology has started to examine how societal and technological advances create new challenges and opportunities for how we interact as individuals, members of groups and larger communities. This unit explores a variety of topics concerning interpersonal and intergroup dynamics, which may include social connection; individual and group identity; stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination; social justice and socio-political movements; cultural diversity and inclusion; and social interaction in the virtual world. Emphasis is placed on critical examination of current theoretical and empirical approaches, as well as innovative methodologies from a range of interdisciplinary fields. Students are encouraged to integrate cultural, methodological, and theoretical perspectives to examine the complexities of social interaction across individual, group, and system levels.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Explain contemporary issues in social interaction from a psychological perspective with reference to relevant literature.
  • ULO2: Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of competing theories and explanations for issues in the field of social interaction.
  • ULO3: Explain the strengths and limitations of traditional and modern research methods and analyses used in research on social interaction.
  • ULO4: Apply the relevant literature in order to demonstrate how one’s own cultural and social background, beliefs and experiences influence one’s own social behaviour.
  • ULO5: Clearly communicate a critical appraisal of competing approaches to the study of social interaction from a theoretically and scientifically informed perspective.

General Assessment Information

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy.

All final grades are determined by a grading committee, in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, and are not the sole responsibility of the Unit Convenor.

Students will be awarded a final grade and a mark which must correspond to the grade descriptors specified in the Assessment Procedure (clause 128).

To pass this unit, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements, and achieve a final mark of 50 or better.

Further details for each assessment task will be available on iLearn.

Late Submissions

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (OF THE TOTAL POSSIBLE MARK) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.

For example:

Number of days (hours) late

Total Possible Marks

Deduction

Raw mark

Final mark

1 day (1-24 hours)

100

5

75

70

2 days (24-48 hours)

100

10

75

65

3 days (48-72 hours)

100

15

75

60

7 days (144-168 hours)

100

35

75

40

>7 days (>168 hours)

100

-

75

0

For any late submissions of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.

No submissions will be accepted after the marked assignments are returned and feedback is released to students.

The final exam for this unit will occur on the Macquarie University campus. Students are expected to make themselves available for the final exam, at the date and time set by the University, in line with the Assessment Policy and Procedure. Sitting the final exam is compulsory in order to be eligible to pass the unit. Any student who does not attempt the final exam will be granted a Fail Absent grade.

Word count penalty: 5% of the possible mark will be deducted per 100 words over the word limit for the assessment task. An additional 99 words beyond the limit can be written without penalty.

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Op-Ed Plan 15% No Week 6
Peer Review 10% No Week 8
Media Information Campaign 15% No Week 11
Op-Ed 20% No Week 13
Final Examination 40% No Exam Period

Op-Ed Plan

Assessment Type 1: Plan
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 15%

 

A plan for the Op-ed written work, in order to recieve feedback prior to the submission

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain contemporary issues in social interaction from a psychological perspective with reference to relevant literature.
  • Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of competing theories and explanations for issues in the field of social interaction.
  • Apply the relevant literature in order to demonstrate how one’s own cultural and social background, beliefs and experiences influence one’s own social behaviour.
  • Clearly communicate a critical appraisal of competing approaches to the study of social interaction from a theoretically and scientifically informed perspective.

Peer Review

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 10%

 

Peer review of the major project

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain contemporary issues in social interaction from a psychological perspective with reference to relevant literature.
  • Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of competing theories and explanations for issues in the field of social interaction.
  • Clearly communicate a critical appraisal of competing approaches to the study of social interaction from a theoretically and scientifically informed perspective.

Media Information Campaign

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 15%

 

Media presentation on the major project

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain contemporary issues in social interaction from a psychological perspective with reference to relevant literature.
  • Apply the relevant literature in order to demonstrate how one’s own cultural and social background, beliefs and experiences influence one’s own social behaviour.
  • Clearly communicate a critical appraisal of competing approaches to the study of social interaction from a theoretically and scientifically informed perspective.

Op-Ed

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 20%

 

Op-ed piece on the topic of the major project to critically review relevant literature on contemporary social interaction issue, written for wide communication across both academic and non-academic audiences

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain contemporary issues in social interaction from a psychological perspective with reference to relevant literature.
  • Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of competing theories and explanations for issues in the field of social interaction.
  • Apply the relevant literature in order to demonstrate how one’s own cultural and social background, beliefs and experiences influence one’s own social behaviour.
  • Clearly communicate a critical appraisal of competing approaches to the study of social interaction from a theoretically and scientifically informed perspective.

Final Examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 32 hours
Due: Exam Period
Weighting: 40%

 

Final examination held within the University’s formal exam period, in accordance with relevant requirements.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain contemporary issues in social interaction from a psychological perspective with reference to relevant literature.
  • Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of competing theories and explanations for issues in the field of social interaction.
  • Explain the strengths and limitations of traditional and modern research methods and analyses used in research on social interaction.
  • Clearly communicate a critical appraisal of competing approaches to the study of social interaction from a theoretically and scientifically informed perspective.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

This unit consists of scheduled lectures and tutorial classes. Lectures are delivered on campus with online options via Echo360. Tutorial classes are held on campus and commence in Week 2. See iLearn for full details.

As a student enrolled in this unit, you will engage in a range of online and face-to-face learning activities, including readings, tutorial activities, videos, and lectures.

Students can enroll in either an on-campus lecture (space permitting) or an online/live-streamed lecture classes. Tutorial classes all run on campus only. Students should not attend on campus classes if they are unwell or have any cold and flu-like symptoms.

For general information on unit versions, see this website https://students.mq.edu.au/study/enrolling/choosing-units

Further details can be found on the iLearn site for this unit.

Required Readings: Advanced social psychology: the state of the science (2019). Finkel, E. J., & Baumeister, R. F., editors. Second edition. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Recommended Readings: The Seventh Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2019) provides necessary guidelines for APA format for your second assessment.

Active participation in the learning activities throughout the unit will require students to have access to a tablet, laptop, or similar device. Students who do not own their own laptop computer may borrow one from the university library.

Unit Schedule

 

Topic/Theme

 

Week 1

Introduction to the unit

 

Week 2

Social Cognition

Tutorial 1

Week 3

Social Perception I

Tutorial 1

Week 4

Social Perception II

Tutorial 2

Week 5

Identity & Interaction I

Tutorial 2

Week 6

Identity & Interaction II

Plan Due

Tutorial 3

Week 7

Language & Social Interaction

Tutorial 3

Week 8

Identity & Interaction III

Tutorial 4

Week 9

Challenge & Change

Tutorial 4

Week 10

Interaction & Change

Tutorial 5

Week 11

Human-Machine Interaction I

Presentation Due

Tutorial 5

Week 12

Human-Machine Interaction II

Tutorial 6

Week 13

Conclusion & Revision

Report Due

Tutorial 6

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Inclusion & Diversity

Social inclusion at Macquarie University is about giving everyone who has the potential to benefit from higher education the opportunity to study at university, participate in campus life and flourish in their chosen field. The University has made significant moves to promote an equitable, diverse and exciting campus community for the benefit of staff and students. It is your responsibility to contribute to the development of an inclusive culture and practice in the areas of learning and teaching, research, and service orientation and delivery. As a member of the Macquarie University community, you must not discriminate against or harass others based on their sex, gender, race, marital status, carers' responsibilities, disability, sexual orientation, age, political conviction, or religious belief. All staff and students are expected to display appropriate behaviour that is conducive to a healthy learning environment for everyone.

Professionalism

In the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, professionalism is a key capability embedded in all our courses.

As part of developing professionalism, students are expected to attend all small group interactive sessions including clinical, practical/tutorial, laboratory, work-integrated learning (e.g., PACE placements), and team-based learning activities. Some learning activities are recorded (e.g., face-to-face lectures), however, you are encouraged to avoid relying upon such material as they do not recreate the whole learning experience and technical issues can and do occur. As an adult learner, we respect your decision to choose how you engage with your learning, but we would remind you that the learning opportunities we create for you have been done so to enable your success and that by not engaging may impact your ability to successfully complete this unit. We equally expect that you show respect for the academic staff who have worked hard to develop meaningful activities and prioritise your learning by communicating with them in advance if you are unable to attend a small group interactive session.

Another dimension of professionalism is having respect for your peers. It is the right of every student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please arrive to all learning activities on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please join the activity as quietly as possible to minimise disruption. Phones and other electronic devices that produce noise and other distractions must be turned off prior to entering class. Where your own device (e.g., laptop) is being used for class-related activities, you are asked to close down all other applications to avoid distraction to you and others. Please treat your fellow students with the utmost respect. If you are uncomfortable participating in any specific activity, please let the relevant academic know.


Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook