PSYCHOL 2007 - Psychology in Society

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2025

This course seeks to build upon Level I Psychology, specifically areas relating to cross-cultural, organisational and social psychology. Cross-cultural psychology lectures will examine the ways in which the culture we are born into exerts a powerful influence on all aspects of our lives and how psychological knowledge itself can be shaped by cultural assumptions and values. Particular emphasis will be placed on indigenous issues in psychology, and people from refugee backgrounds, and the importance of understanding these in the context of clinical and applied work with these groups of people. Organisational psychology will provide students with an understanding of how psychology can be used to enhance selection, recruitment and performance assessment in organisations, the impact on work performance of organisational culture, and the role of the organisational psychologist. Social psychology lectures will include topics central to contemporary research in social cognition drawing specifically on experimental research on explicit and implicit processes in social perception. It will consider the social and psychological functions of stereotyping and the extent to which this psychological process can be brought under intentional control.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PSYCHOL 2007
    Course Psychology in Society
    Coordinating Unit Psychology
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites (PSYCHOL 1000 and PSYCHOL 1001 and PSYCHOL 1004) or (PSYCHOL 1000 and PSYCHOL 1001 and PSYCHOL 1005) or (PSYCHOL 1100)
    Assessment Written Assessment (essay), Group Work Project (individual and group grade), Tutorial Attendance, Module Quizzes
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Peta Callaghan


    School of Psychology Office
    Email psychologyoffice@adelaide.edu.au
    Phone +61 8313 5693


    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

    1 Explain and reflect upon a variety of social, organisational and cross-cultural theories and methods used in psychology
    2 Apply social, organisational and cross-cultural psychology theories and methods to address real-world problems.
    3 Understand some of the issues relating to the mental health and wellbeing of diverse groups of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people with refugee backgrounds.
    4 Communicate applications of social, organisational and cross-cultural psychology to varied audiences.
    5 Evaluate the teamwork skills of your peers.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1,2,3

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    1,2,3,5

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    1,2,3,4,5

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    4,5

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    1,2,3

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    3

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    1,2,4,5

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    1,5
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    MyUni https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/
    • All lectures will be recorded and made available on MyUni along with associated power-point slides for each lecture, and any other additional resources.
    Barr Smith Library
    • Students must have access to the Barr Smith Library.
    For additional information regarding recommended resources please refer to the relevant Psychology Program Handbook and the General Handbook for Undergraduate Psychology students (available at the link below): http://health.adelaide.edu.au/psychology/current-students/forms-handbooks/


    Recommended Resources
    The course is divided into two modules: Social Psychology and Intercultural Psychology

    The following resources/references are recommended for each specific lecture topic:

    Social Psychology
    Augoustinos, M., Walker, I. & Donaghue, N. (2014). Social Cognition: An Integrated Introduction (3rd ed). London: Sage.
    Links to journal articles will be provided

    Organisational Psychology
    Links to journal articles will be provided

    Cross-cultural

    Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H. & Walker, R. (2014). Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health wellbeing practice and principles (2nd edition). Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. http://www.mhcc.org.au/media/80434/working-together-aboriginal-and-wellbeing-2014.pdf 
    Links to journal articles will be provided

    Online Learning
    All lectures are face to face; however, they are also recorded and made available on MyUni along with associated power-point slides for each lecture. While lecture attendance is not compulsory, it is encouraged. Some lectures will be offered as an interactive learning experience, and attendance is strongly encouraged for these lectures. Students will be advised about the dates/ times of the interactive lectures at the commencement of semester and throughout the course.

    All course information and materials are available on MyUni. Students must familiarise themselves with MyUni and keep up to date with the content available there.

    Please Refer to Link to MyUni below:
    https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/

    This course will use MyUni for the following:
    • Communication with students via Announcements and Discussion Board
    • Submission of summative assessment
    • Access to lecture recordings, tutorial materials, and course readings


  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Learning and teaching for this course consists of 24 lectures that are supported by self-directed learning exercises and tasks, and six face-to-face tutorials. Students are expected to take an independent approach to learning by doing all prescribed readings associated with course material.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Contact time consists of 24 lectures and 6 tutorials = 30 hours
    Social, Organisational and Cross-cultural Psychology reflective journals = 30 hours
    End of course quiz = 5 hours
    Group work presentation = 15 hours
    Background Reading = 78 hours

    Total: 158 hours
    Learning Activities Summary

    Week Lecture Tutorials
    Week 1 Social Psychology
    Week 2 Social Psychology Tutorial 1
    Week 3 Social Psychology
    Week 4 Social Psychology Tutorial 2
    Week 5 Organisational Psychology
    Week 6 Organisational Psychology Tutorial 3
    Week 7 Organisational Psychology
    Week 8 Organisational Pschology Group work presentations
    Week 9 Cross-cultural Psychology
    Week 10 Cross-cultural Psychology Group work presentations
    Week 11 Cross-cultural Psychology
    Week 12 Cross-cultural Psychology Group work presentations
    Disclaimer: This program is provisional and subject to change
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Assessment Type Weighting Learning Outcome(s) being addressed
    Module reflective journals X 3 Summative 30% 1-4
    Group Work Project (Hurdle task - group allocation) Summative 5% N/A
    Group Work Project (Group grade) Summative 15% 1-4
    Group Work Project (Individual grade) Summative 10% 1, 3, 4
    Group Work Project (Peer-assessment) Summative 10% 5
    End of course quiz Summative 20% 1, 2, 3
    Tutorial Attendance Summative 10% 1-4
    Assessment Detail
    1.    Module reflective journals x3 –  Electronic submission Monday of week 5, 9, and 13
    2.    Group work presentation - in class weeks 8, 10 and 12
    3.    End of course quiz - online end of week 13
    4.    Tutorial attendance - weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12


    Submission
    All work is to be electronically submitted except for the group work presentation and tutorial attendance which will take place in tutorials.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.