Sociology

1. Knowledge and understanding: on having passed the exam students will know the main theoretical, conceptual and methodological aspects relevant to that branch of psychology that studies not only the interaction between people, but also the way how the presence of others influences behaviors, attitudes and feelings. In particular, knowledge should regard the main models of social psychology which have recently tried to explain, from a psychological point of view, the main group dynamics and social behaviors, with a specific reference to the influence of social context on cognitive processes, on communication – verbal and not verbal – on behavior and on individual development, the theoretical frameworks of social processes in which individuals are placed at a micro level (family, peer group, school and/or work) and at a macro level (relationships between different ethnic groups) and the individual processes analyzed within the framework of attachment theory. 2. Applying knowledge and understanding: on having passed the exam students should be able to to use social psychology models to interpret and understand different social behaviours and to apply them selectively according to the context of reference. 3. Critical faculties should be developed through constant invitation to participate in classroom discussions about the different topics explained during the course. they should present their ideas critically and should be able to support them on psychological and social grounds. 4. Communications skills. The ability to communicate what was learned should be developed encouraging students to take part in discussions concerning the different themes of social psychology and practicing how to argue, communicate and discuss ideas. 5. Learning skills. The ability to continue studying the topics should be developed providing students with bibliographic references for an in-depth study of the topics dealt with in the lectures, as well as information on websites where to carry out bibliographical research on the most recent studies published within the scientific disciplinary sector. At the end of the course students should be able to use both the knowledge and the methodological tools acquired to plan and carry out autonomously experimental studies in the field of social psychology by the means of theoretical and methodological paradigms. Students should also be able to keep updated on the latest lines of research in social psychology, demonstrating that they have developed the learning skills necessary to pursue their studies independently, as required in the degree course and subsequent ones.