Advanced Seminar in Personality, Clinical, or Social Psychology (390-0-1)
Topic
Cooperation & Prosocial Behavior
Instructors
Daniel C Molden
Meeting Info
Annenberg Hall G30: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
If people did not possess some basic concern for the welfare of others, it would not be possible to develop or sustain the complex societies in which we currently live. However, within these societies, individuals, groups, and corporations often encounter a wide variety of opportunities and temptations to pursue their own personal goals, aspirations and achievements at the expense of the larger social good. What then determines when people will resist versus give into these temptations? Where do people's concerns for others come from in the first place, and what types of experiences nurture versus suppress these concerns? In this course we will explore such questions by reviewing research on prosocial behavior performed by economists, evolutionary biologists, and social psychologists. Furthermore, the primary objective of this course is to not only teach you about when and why people choose to act prosocially, but to also have you experience first-hand the obstacles and rewards that such choices entail.
Teaching Method
In almost half the class meetings you will be participating in collaborative decision-making exercises or making systematic "field observations" of other people's behaviors. Each of these exercises is designed to expose you to a particular set of the factors involved in making prosocial decisions and will take a full class period. The following class period we will then review and discuss the systematic research that has investigated those types of decisions and relate this research back to what happened during the exercises.
Evaluation Method
Evaluation will be based on written answers to weekly short-answer questions based on course readings and exercises, a final paper proposing further research on some topic involving prosocial behavior, and class participation.
Class Materials (Required)
There is no required textbook.
Class Attributes
Attendance at 1st class mandatory
Prerequisites apply, see description
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: Students must complete Psych 205-0 before taking this course.