E2023

Subject Module in Social Psychology of everyday life

subject module course

English

You register for activities through stads selvbetjening during the announced registration period, which you can see on the Study administration homepage.

When registering for courses, please be aware of the potential conflicts and overlaps between course and exam time and dates. The planning of course activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programmes, which should not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programmes, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose.

The course provides a thematic overview to three main areas of psychology: developmental psychology, personality social psychology. The course introduces theoretical and methodological issues associated with these areas and relation to particular social contexts. As part of the overall social psychological perspective, the course will explore social science perspectives where concepts such as 'community', 'inclusion- exclusion', 'equality- equity' frame understandings of ‘trust', 'universalism - relativism', 'similarities- differences' and 'social responsibility.' This course also covers some of the cultural and psychological effects of globalisation within the framework of the three areas of psychology: social-, developmental -and personality. It takes a critical perspective on globalisation, seeing it in relation to neoliberal capitalism, a tendency towards cultural homogenisation, the imposition of dominant 'global north' ideas and the resultant growing inequalities in psychosocial dynamics in various contexts. However, the course further includes the increased interconnectedness created by globalisation, entailing greater acknowledgment of our common humanity and collective efforts to deal with increasingly global issues such as family life changes, migration, and workforce transformations, mental health issue. These issues form the four major themes of the course in the global context. Thematic overview of three main areas -developmental psychology, personality psychology and social psychology.

1. Person in global social contexts: Diverse psychological perspectives

2. Developmental psychological challenges and transformations: Family life beyond ethnocentric beliefs

3. Personality/identity understandings: Migration and transnationalism

4. Social psychological dynamics at workplace:
   Diversity and inclusion challenges

5. Mental health and psychosocial intervention: Movement of knowledge across geographical boundaries

6. Persons’ social development in globalisation contexts:

Diverse psychological perspectives

With a focus on globalisation as the ‘flows’ of capital, people and objects across borders, the first theme introduces the interrelated areas of development, personality and social psychology within worldwide scope of global showing how they vary in diverse cultural contexts. Furthermore, within the social area, the relationships between the person and the broader context is explored through two major psychological perspectives relating culture to person including basic theoretical concepts such as 'universalism - relativism', 'similarities- differences'. The aspects of ‘Western privilege against the rest of the world’ implying issues of ‘equality- equity’, power differential are also covered. The concepts in this session form basis for cementing understanding of the later course themes.

• Vaughn, L. (2010) Psychology and Culture: Thinking, Feeling and Behaving in a Global Context. New Sussex: Psychology Press Chapter Introductory Concepts pp.1-18

• Veroff, J.B. & Goldberger, N. R. (1995) What’s in a Name? The Case for “Intercultural” Psychology p. 3-21 in Goldberger & Veroff (eds.) The Culture and Psychology Reader. New York: New York University Press

• Best, D. & Ganapathy- Coleman, H. (2017) Teaching cross-cultural and cultural psychology. In G. Rich, U. Gielen, & H. Takooshian (Eds.), Internationalizing the Teaching of Psychology (pp 103-116) Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing Inc.

1. Developmental psychological challenges and transformations:

Family life beyond ethnocentric beliefs

The second theme deals thematically with the area of developmental psychology with the theme of family in the globalised world. With an overview of the theories within the area, classical dialectical theory of developmental by Rigel and Cultural (Historical) psychological approach, are presented. Combining the major aspects of developmental psychological area about transformations and the broad context, family theme is taken up, involving ethical reflections for understanding family life beyond ethnocentric beliefs. Globalisation has enabled us to encounter family life from other contexts, including China, India, and Africa beyond. Moreover, we focus on an empirical study about parenting and ethnically mixed marriages analysing theoretical problems in the areas of developmental psychology.

• Klaus F. Rigel (1975) Toward a Dialectical Theory of Development Human development, 1975-01-01, Vol.18 (1/2), p.50-64

• Hedegaard, Marianne (2009) Children's Development from a Cultural-Historical Approach: Children’s Activity in Everyday Local Settings as Foundation for Their Development', in Mind, Culture, and Activity, 16: 1, 64 — 82

• Hollinger, M. (2007) Ethical Reflections for a Globalized Family Curriculum: A Developmental Paradigm p. 244-273 in Trask & Harmon (eds.) Cultural Diversity and Families, New Delhi: Sage

• Chaudhary, N. and Sriram, S. (2020) Psychology in the “Backyards of the World”: Experience From India in Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol. 51(2) 113–133

1. Personality / identity understandings: Migration and transnationalism

The third session presents migration thematic with emphasis on the personality psychological area. The point of departure is the Big 5/ five factor personality theory by Costa & McRae, as this is certainly very dominant mainstream understanding of personality, followed by its critique and rethinking personality/ identity through a transnational cultural psychological theory proposed by Bhatia. The latter analyses subjective level interactions in interplay between the structural conditions, both in the country of origin and the country of residence. Empirical studies about globalisation affecting nearly every aspect of life and its effects on diasporic communities, especially diaspora identity processes and transnational practices, are included in situation of ‘forced’ migration about Palestinian youth in Denmark.

• Costa, R. & McCrae, P. (2008) The five factor model In O. P. John, R. W. Robins, & L. A. Pervin (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (p. 159–181). The Guilford Press

• Bhatia, S. (2007) Rethinking Culture and Identity in Psychology: Towards a Transnational Cultural Psychology p. 302- 318 _Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology _ 27(2), 2007, 28(1)

• Kibitz, A. (2016) FROM REVOLUTIONARIES TO MUSLIMS: LIMINAL BECOMINGS ACROSS PALESTINIAN GENERATIONS IN DENMARK in International Journal of Middle East Studies 48 pp67–86

1. Social psychological understandings: Dynamics & issues at workplace

The fourth theme deals social psychological approach with a thematic focus on dynamics and issues pertaining to workplace. The classical symbolic interaction theory by Mead examining persons as active subjects in interaction with (significant) others and contemporary poststructuralist perspective in which individual identity is seen as intersectionality of various categories in contrast to the dominant practice of rather identifying person with just one category or demographic group through Just & Remke is presented. We invoke social psychological concepts (classic or newer) to critically analyse and understand diversity and inclusion as a theme. Among others, psychosocial concepts such as ‘trust’, social responsibility along with macro-structures such as community 'inclusion- exclusion' policies are examined, especially within the intersection of racism and sexism in relation to the class. Moreover, the concept of diversity management is discussed critically and other ways of relating to diversity at workplace are presented.

• Introducing Social Psychology and Symbolic Interactionism in Hewitt, John P., and David Shulman. -Self and Society-: a Symbolic Interactionist Social Psychology. (P.1-_31) 11. Ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2011.

• Just, S.N. & Remke, R. (2012) Practicing Difference: Beyond Culture and Management in Professional Encounters with Diversity, s. 131-150 in Holmgren, L-L. (Red.). Culture and Identity in Organizations: A Discourse Perspective. Aalborg: Aalborg Universitetsforlag,

• Kirton,G.& Greene A: (2015) The Dynamics of Managing Diversity : A Critical Approach Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge Chapter 1 Introduction: What is diversity? pp. 1-10

1. Movement of knowledge across geographical boundaries

The fifth theme is set within the intersection of personality and social psychology area, illustrating differential understanding of personhood as well as relationship between the self and society in different contexts. Through the theme of movement of knowledge across geographical boundaries, an East/ West context, we focus on Eastern practices such as meditation and yoga and explore how they influence mental health in Western context. Another social psychological aspect of the broader context related to structural racism, its impact on the mental health and developing anti racim stance among majority youth is discussed though Thiemann & Suyemoto text. The concepts of personality as fluid and significance of the social psychological aspects are made explicit. Lastly, an understanding of strengthening couples, where intimate relationships are formed across ethnic borders, further highlights importance of person’s worldviews, family relationships and the social context for promoting mental health and providing psychosocial intervention, illustrates intersection of the personal and social aspects.

• Singla, R. (2011) Origins of Mindfulness & Meditation: Interplay of Eastern & Western Psychology in PSYKE & LOGOS NR.1, ÅRGANG 32 pp 220-239

• Thurman, C. & Suyemoto, K.(2018) Developing an Antiracist Stance: How White Youth Understand Structural Racism The Journal of Early Adolescence , Vol. 38(6) 745–771

• Singla, R. (2015) Intermarriage, Mixed Parenting, Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing “Crossover Love” Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan Chapter 9. Implications for Strengthening Mixed Partnering & Parenting Counselling and Psychotherapy pp 200-227

ECTS 5 (135 hours)

Teaching time: 20 hours

Preparation course: 80 hours

Course assignment: 35 hours

The examination is in two parts:

1. Active, satisfactory and regular participation.

2. Written assignments on set questions.

Both parts must be passed for a passing grade to be awarded in the examination.

Re. 1: Active, satisfactory and regular participation is understood to mean:

• Attendance at least 80% of the course sessions.

• The student holds one or more oral discussion presentations at selected course sessions.

• The oral presentation must be accompanied by a brief written paper relating to the texts and issues of the course in question.

The examination is in two parts:

1. Active, satisfactory and regular participation.

2. Written assignments on set questions.

Both parts must be passed for a passing grade to be awarded in the examination.

Re. 1: Active, satisfactory and regular participation is understood to mean:

• Attendance at least 80% of the course sessions.

• The student holds one or more oral discussion presentations at selected course sessions.

• The oral presentation must be accompanied by a brief written paper relating to the texts and issues of the course in question.

The examination is in two parts:

1. Active, satisfactory and regular participation.

2. Written assignments on set questions.

Both parts must be passed for a passing grade to be awarded in the examination.

See moodle for the reading list.

Collective dialogue-based evaluation of the course along with a probable supplement -the individual departmental evaluation.

IMT Registration & Exams (imt-exams@ruc.dk)

Rashmi Singla (rashmi@ruc.dk)
Charlotte Grum (chagru@ruc.dk)

5

• Knowledge and understanding:

• Knowledge and understanding of studies and their theoretical problems in the focus areas of developmental, personality and social psychology.

• Knowledge and understanding of methodological and theoretical problems in the focus areas of developmental, personality and social psychology, including cultural and social perspectives

• Skills:

• Proficiency in analysing problems associated with developmental, personality and social psychology, and in contextualising these areas based on a cultural and social perspective.

• Proficiency in using selected developmental, personality and social psychological theories in an independent analysis of specific empirical problems

• Proficiency in communicating and discussing in writing and orally the psychological knowledge and insights that emerge from the focus areas.

• Competences:

• Competence to analyse and work independently with scientific social psychological and social science literature related to the focus areas.

• Competence to deal with theoretical and practical problems, using scientific literature within the focus areas, including independent and critical discussion of the theoretical approaches used.

• Competence to contextualise scientific literature from the focus areas in relation to the psychological and/or social implications of the problems.

The course provides a thematic overview to three main areas of psychology: developmental psychology, personality psychology and social psychology. The course introduces theoretical, epistemological and methodological issues associated with these areas and considers them in relation to particular social contexts. As part of the overall focus on a social psychological perspective, the course will explore social science perspectives where concepts such as ‘community’, ‘inclusion- exclusion’, ‘equality- equity’ frame understandings of ‘trust’, ‘universalism – relativism’, ‘similarities- differences’ and ‘social responsibility.’ This course also covers some of the cultural and psychological effects of globalisation within the framework of the three areas of psychology: social-, developmental –and personality. It takes a critical perspective on globalisation, seeing it in relation to neoliberal capitalism, a tendency towards cultural homogenisation, the imposition of dominant ‘global north’ ideas and the resultant growing inequalities in psychosocial dynamics in various contexts. However, the course, further includes the increased interconnectedness created by globalisation, entailing greater acknowledgment of our common humanity and collective efforts to deal with increasingly global issues such as migration, family life changes, workforce transformations, mental health issue. These issues form the four major themes of the course in the global context.

Active, satisfactory and regular attendance.

Active, satisfactory and regular attendance means:

• Minimum attendance at 80% of the lectures.
• The student will make one or more oral presentations and proposals for discussions at selected course sessions.
• The oral presentation must be accompanied by a short written presentation related to the texts and issues to be discussed at the relevant course session.

If the student does not meet the requirements for active, satisfactory and regular attendance, the ‘additional’ assessment will be an oral examination for each session the student has failed to attend. Individual oral exam without preparation with questions randomly assigned by drawing lots.

The presentation must reflect an understanding of the individual course session and include the primary literature involved. The oral presentation must be approved by the course teacher as pass/ fail.

Mandatory course

Individual written take-home assignment given by the lecturer.

The character limit of the assignment is: 9.600-14,400 characters, including spaces.
The character limit includes the cover, table of contents, bibliography, figures and other illustrations, but exclude any appendices.

The duration of the take-home assignment is 3 days and may include weekends and public holidays.


Assessment: 7-point grading scale.

Samme som ordinær eksamen / same form as ordinary exam