Course Overview

The course focuses on applications of social psychology in real-world settings with the topics covered reflecting the research expertise in the Institute of Social Psychology. The course illustrates how social psychology can be applied to a range of issues which are of concern to today's society and how those applications can inform and advance theory.

Content: This course discusses major areas of application of social psychology to real-world issues. Emphasis is put on the complexities of translating theory into practice and on the theoretical developments which are prompted by research on topical social issues. A recurrent theme is the reciprocal interaction between theory and practice in relation to social issues of theoretical interest and practical importance. The interplay of theory and practice will be examined in relation to  selected topics which illustrate the application of social psychology in real world settings, such as: crime and anti-social behaviour; mass media; gender and sexuality; evolution and social relationships; identity and community; prejudice and racism; language and communication; religion and cultural beliefs.