Social Psychology

This course will introduce and critically discuss, from a psychological point of view, some of the most fundamental topics in group life and organizational behavior. More specifically, the course will center on four broad themes: the psychological bases of group formation and change; the role of individual vs. group cognition and emotion in shaping social interactions within society and organizations; the role of motivated psychological reactions to ‘risk’ and uncertainty perceptions in group life; and the psychological roots of interpersonal, inter-group, and societal communication strategies, as commonly enacted by individuals and groups.

Psychological and Psychosocial Foundations of Organizational Psychology

• Psychological and psychosocial bases of organizational behavior
• Dynamics of group formation and change
• To what extent do attitudes really predict behavior?
• Perceiving and acting as ‘unique individuals’ vs. ‘group members’
• Social identification, self-categorization, and organizational culture

Cognition, Motivation, and Emotions in Organizations

• Commitment and motivation in organization
• When commitment backfires: static vs. dynamic thinking in organizations
• Determinants of the intensity of motivation (MIT theory)
• Difficulty appraisals: The mood-behavior model (MBM)
• The emotional control of behavior (EIT theory)

How Risk and Uncertainty Perceptions Systematically Affect Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior

• Risk and uncertainty from a psychological and psychosocial point of view
• Uncertainty-reduction theories in social and organizational psychology
• The consequences of risk perceptions: risk-motivated cognition and behavior
• Orienting vs. multiple perspectives in understanding individual and group behavior in organizations

Psychological and Psychosocial Roots of Interpersonal Exchange and Group Communication

• Group brainstorming: psychological processes beyond the myth
• Social performance in groups: working for the other’s perspective
• Ironic effects of strong motivations: the case of self-symbolizing in work teams
• How symbolic self-completion shapes structure and contents of communication in social groups
• Social psychological processes for overcoming communication barriers: The case of psychologically-based health communication strategies

Course instructor: Prof. Pantaleo

Semester: Spring

ECTS: 6