Students

PSYX2234 – Social and Personality Psychology

2024 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor and Lecturer
Trevor Case
Contact via email
Consultation by appointment
Lecturer
Simon Boag
Contact via email
Consultation by appointment
Assistant to the Convenor
Mattew McAlister
Contact via email
Consultation by appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
((PSYC104 or PSYU1104 or PSYX104 or PSYX1104) and (PSYC105 or PSYU1105 or PSYX105 or PSYX1105)) OR ((PSYU1101 or PSYX1101) and (STAT1103 or STAX1103))
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

In this unit, you will be introduced to the scientific study of social and personality psychology, and how it differs from common sense or a lay understanding of the field. The personality section of the unit provides an in-depth background to the prominent theories of personality and examines recent developments in personality research. The section on social psychology covers foundational scientific research in social psychology, focusing on developments in the three general domains of social thinking, social influence, and social relations. You will gain an ability to critically evaluate the current scientific knowledge within personality or social psychology, including current controversies in the field.

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: Analyse, critique, and discuss topics and research related to the study of social and personality psychology (Capability 1: Scientist and Scholar).
  • ULO2: Effectively communicate a breadth of understanding of social and personality psychology to convey thoughtful, scientifically driven information (Capability 2: Practitioner).
  • ULO3: Apply personality and social psychology knowledge with cultural sensitivity, recognising the influence of broader contextual factors on diverse individuals (Capability 3: Citizen).
  • ULO4: Apply ethical knowledge and skills to concepts related to the study of social and personality psychology as reflective scholars (Capability 4: Professional).

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. 

For word count penalties, 5% of the possible mark will be deducted per 100 words over the word limit for written assessment tasks. An additional 99 words beyond the limit can be written without penalty.

All extensions need to be formally requested via ask.mq.edu.au in line with the special consideration policy.

The final examination for this unit will be online invigilated. Students are expected to make themselves available for the final examination, at the date and time set by the University, in line with the Assessment Policy and Procedure.

Supplementary assessment tasks will only be provided following an approved Special Consideration application, and only when appropriate. 

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 11.55pm. 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

Please note no submissions will be accepted after marked assignments are returned and feedback is released to students.

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.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Group Presentation 20% No Due 11.55, 2 September
Critical Evaluation of Scientific Paper 30% No Due 11.55 pm 23 September (during the uni break)
Course Capabilities Reflection (Portfolio) 10% No Due 11.55 pm 21 October (Week12)
Final examination 40% No Session 2 University Examination Period

Group Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Due 11.55, 2 September
Weighting: 20%

 

You will work in small groups with other students in this unit to develop, deliver, and submit an audiovisual recorded group presentation, demonstrating your understanding of social and personality psychology, relating to a set topic.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse, critique, and discuss topics and research related to the study of social and personality psychology (Capability 1: Scientist and Scholar).
  • Effectively communicate a breadth of understanding of social and personality psychology to convey thoughtful, scientifically driven information (Capability 2: Practitioner).
  • Apply ethical knowledge and skills to concepts related to the study of social and personality psychology as reflective scholars (Capability 4: Professional).

Critical Evaluation of Scientific Paper

Assessment Type 1: Qualitative analysis task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Due 11.55 pm 23 September (during the uni break)
Weighting: 30%

 

You will critically evaluate a pre-determined scientific article and respond to short answer questions in relation to the article.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse, critique, and discuss topics and research related to the study of social and personality psychology (Capability 1: Scientist and Scholar).
  • Effectively communicate a breadth of understanding of social and personality psychology to convey thoughtful, scientifically driven information (Capability 2: Practitioner).

Course Capabilities Reflection (Portfolio)

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Due 11.55 pm 21 October (Week12)
Weighting: 10%

 

You will complete an exercise to reflect, with evidence, on how this unit has further developed your personal and professional capabilities.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Effectively communicate a breadth of understanding of social and personality psychology to convey thoughtful, scientifically driven information (Capability 2: Practitioner).
  • Apply personality and social psychology knowledge with cultural sensitivity, recognising the influence of broader contextual factors on diverse individuals (Capability 3: Citizen).
  • Apply ethical knowledge and skills to concepts related to the study of social and personality psychology as reflective scholars (Capability 4: Professional).

Final examination

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

 

You will complete a summative final exam covering the unit's content under formal examination conditions.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse, critique, and discuss topics and research related to the study of social and personality psychology (Capability 1: Scientist and Scholar).
  • Effectively communicate a breadth of understanding of social and personality psychology to convey thoughtful, scientifically driven information (Capability 2: Practitioner).
  • Apply personality and social psychology knowledge with cultural sensitivity, recognising the influence of broader contextual factors on diverse individuals (Capability 3: Citizen).
  • Apply ethical knowledge and skills to concepts related to the study of social and personality psychology as reflective scholars (Capability 4: Professional).

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

As a student enrolled in this unit, you will engage in a range of learning activities, including online asynchronous lectures and tutorials, as well as readings and videos. Lectures can be accessed online/live-streamed via Echo360. 

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

Prescribed Reading

Gilovich et al. (2024). Social Psychology (6th International Student edition). Norton.

For non-prescribed readings, refer to recommendations made in the lectures.

Technology Used

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

You will need access to the internet to access the iLearn unit homepage for the following:

  • Up-to-date information about the unit
  • lecture recordings (Echo360)
  • online submission of Assessments
  • Discussion forum

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 connect.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 the Service Connect Portal, 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 and 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 towards 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 practical, 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 you 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 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 2024.04 of the Handbook