Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor, lecturer
Julie Fitness
Tutor
Alessa Teunisse
Contact via email
Tutor
Bradley Skinner
Contact via email
Novello Alday
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
39cp at 100 level or above
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
Human beings are fundamentally social creatures who depend on one another for their survival and well-being, both physical and psychological. Everyone is born with powerful needs for love, friendship and belonging; similarly, we fear and avoid rejection, loneliness and the disapproval of others. Despite the central role they play in our lives, however, developing and maintaining happy and healthy relationships with family members, spouses, friends and even workmates is not easy, and professional psychologists spend the bulk of their time dealing with clients' relationship problems. This unit examines a variety of relationship topics from a social psychological perspective including attraction, love- and mate selection; kinship, friendship and enemyship; jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness; communication, conflict and aggression; and the processes involved in relationship breakdown and repair. Throughout, there is a strong emphasis on critically examining so-called 'pop' psychological approaches to relationships, and students are encouraged to examine the complexities of relationship structures and processes from different cultural perspectives.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
You are required to submit your Research Report and Essay via Turnitin as a plagiarism check. Your Report and Essay will be automatically compared to the work of other students in this unit, previous students in this unit and at other universities, and material available on the Internet in subscription-based journal format or otherwise freely accessible information. Please read the section below on Academic Integrity for more information, and check out the following Website:
http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS AND LATE SUBMISSIONS
All requests for extensions must be made before the due date for the assignment.
Ordinarily, no extensions of time for submission of written work will be granted since sufficient time for its preparation will have been given. If an extension is required for medical or other extenuating circumstances, students may request this by submitting an online request via ask.mq.edu.au with supporting documentary evidence (such as medical certificate, counsellor note, or similar). The staff in the Faculty of Human Sciences Student Services Centre (FHSSSC) will make all decisions regarding extensions. Neither individual tutors nor the course convenor will grant extensions.
If an extension is granted the approval must be submitted via Turnitin with the assignment to avoid any late penalty. Failure to do so will result in a late penalty being applied as the marker will not know that an extension has been granted. If you have problems attaching the approval to your assignment for submission through Turnitin, please email your approval to Julie Fitness at Julie.Fitness@mq.edu.au
If you have any queries, please contact the staff in the Faculty of Human Sciences Student Services Centre in Level 3, Building C3A, Tel: 9850 9898.
Late Submissions:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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1. Research Report: | 25% | No | 10am, 3/9/2018 |
Essay | 35% | No | 10 am 15/10/18 |
Final examination | 40% | No | Exam period |
Due: 10am, 3/9/2018
Weighting: 25%
The purpose of this report is to give students experience of finding and critically reviewing relevant psychological literature on a relationship-related issue. Markers will be looking for a well-structured, coherent and thoughtful critique of the chosen literature.
Due: 10 am 15/10/18
Weighting: 35%
The essay is designed to assess students’ ability to critically evaluate scientific knowledge and formulate a coherent and intelligent discussion of the relevant issues of a topic within the psychology of human relationships. The essay questions will be available on the PSY350 web site.
Due: Exam period
Weighting: 40%
The 2-hour multiple choice exam is designed to assess knowledge and understanding of material covered in the lectures, textbook, and readings. It will comprise 80 questions, each worth 0.5 marks. The exam will be held during the University examination period.
REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS – in Library, Special Reserve
Prescribed text:
Fletcher, G., Simpson, J., Campbell, L., & Overall, N. (2013). The science of intimate relationships. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.
Important reference text:
Simpson, J., & Dovidio, J. (Eds.) (2015). APA Handbook of personality & social psychology: Volume 3: Interpersonal relations. American Psychological
Association: Washington, DC.
Recommended texts:
Ciarrochi, J., Forgas, J., & Mayer, J. D. (Eds.) (2006), Emotional intelligence in everyday life (2nd ed.). New York: Psychology Press.
Fletcher, G. J. O., & Clark, M. (Eds.) (2001), Blackwell handbook of social psychology (Volume 2): Interpersonal processes. MA: Blackwell.
Forgas, J. P., & Fitness, J. (Eds.) (2008). Social relationships: Cognitive, affective, and motivational processes. NY: Psychology Press.
Hart, S. L., & Legerstee, M. (2010). Handbook of jealousy. UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
Leary, M. (Ed.) (2000). Interpersonal rejection. NY: Oxford University Press.
Noller, P., & Feeney, J. (Eds.) (2006). Close relationships: Functions, forms, and processes. New York: Psychology Press.
Noller, P., & Karantzas (2012) (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of couples and family relationships. UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
Reis, H., & Rusbult, C. (Eds.) (2004). Close relationships: Key readings in social psychology. New York: Psychology Press.
Sprecher, S., Wenzel, A., & Harvey, J. (2008). Handbook of relationship initiation. New York: Taylor & Francis.
Sternberg, R., & Weis, K. (2006). The new psychology of love. NH: Yale Uni. Press.
Vangelisti, A. (Ed.) (2004). Handbook of family communication. NJ: Erlbaum.
Vangelisti, A., & Perlman, D. (Eds.) (2006). The Cambridge handbook of personal relationships. NY: Cambridge University Press.
Useful Journals:
Journal of Family Psychology
Journal of Marriage and the Family
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Personal Relationships
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Personality and Social Psychology Review
LECTURE OUTLINE
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Lecturer |
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1 |
(2/8) |
Human Relationships: Types, functions & processes From the beginning: Interpersonal attraction Text: Chapters 1, 2 and 6 No tutorials this week |
Prof Julie Fitness |
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2 |
(9/8) |
The psychology of beauty Text: Chapter 6 |
Dr. Ian Stephen |
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3 |
(16/8) |
Mate selection, love and the pairbond Text: Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7 |
Prof Julie Fitness |
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4 |
(23/8) |
Relationship cognition – perceiving, thinking, judging and remembering in close relationships Text: Chapters 3 and 8 |
Prof Julie Fitness |
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5 |
(30/8) |
Feelings and emotions in close relationships Reading: Fitness, J. (2015). Emotions in relationships. In J.A. Simpson & J. Dovidio (Eds.), APA Handbook of personality and social psychology, Vol. 3: Interpersonal relations (pp. 297-318). American Psychological Association, Washington DC. |
Prof Julie Fitness
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6 |
(6/9) |
Communication and conflict Text: Chapter 9 |
Prof Julie Fitness |
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7 |
(13/9) |
Families and family dynamics Reading: Fitness, J., & Duffield, J. (2004). Emotion communication in families. In A. Vangelisti (Ed.), Handbook of family communication (pp. 473-494). New Jersey: Erlbaum. |
Prof Julie Fitness |
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BREAK |
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8 |
(4/10) |
Friendship and social support Reading: Perlman, D., Stevens, & Carcedo, R. (2015). Friendship. In J.A. Simpson & J. Dovidio (Eds.), APA Handbook of personality and social psychology, Vol. 3: Interpersonal relations (pp. 463- 493). American Psychological Association, Washington DC
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Prof Julie Fitness
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9 |
(11/10) |
Psychopathy and close relationships (hour 1) Reading: Kirkman, C. A. (2005). From soap opera to science: Towards gaining access to the psychopaths who live amongst us. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 78, 379-396.
Emotional intelligence in relationships (hour 2) Reading: Fitness. J. (2006). The emotionally intelligent marriage. In J. Ciarrochi, J. P. Forgas, & J Mayer (Eds.), Emotional intelligence in everyday life (2nd ed.), NY: Psychology Press.
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Dr Mem Mahmut
Dr Alissa Beath |
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10 |
(18/10) |
Betrayal, punishment and forgiveness in close relationships Reading: Fitness, J. (2012). Betrayal and forgiveness in close relationships: Exploring the roles of pain and punishment in relationship repair. In P. Noller & G. Kerantzas (Eds.), Couples and family relationships: A guide to contemporary research, theory, practice and policy (pp. 259-270). UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
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Prof Julie Fitness |
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11 |
(25/10) |
Sex and sexuality Relationship violence Text: Chapter 10 and 11 |
Prof Julie Fitness |
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12 |
(1/11) |
Relationship loss and repair Text: Chapter 12
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Prof Julie Fitness
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13 |
(8/11) |
Unit review: Relationships in an ethical context. Text: Chapter 13 Exam preparation |
Prof Julie Fitness |
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This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
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Previous offerings of this unit included 5-minute oral presentations by students in tutorial classes. Student numbers have made this impractical, so individual presentations have been replaced with class activities and discussions.
Date | Description |
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18/07/2018 | Stylistic changes |
18/07/2018 | Minor stylistic errors corrected |