Undergraduate Courses

PSY 205: Research Methods (Fall '08)

  course syllabus

Psychology 205 is a hands-on approach to data collection and to enhance your critical thinking skills regarding empirical research. This course also seeks to familiarize you with current research in psychology and to bolster your writing skills.

PSY 386: Stereotyping & Prejudice (Winter '09; Fall '09)

  course syllabus (from Winter '08 offering)

This course focuses on the social psychology of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. In other words, we will examine the phenomena and processes associated with one’s beliefs about members of social groups (stereotypes), attitudes and evaluative responses toward group members (prejudice), and behaviors toward members of a social group based on their group membership (discrimination). Also, we will study how these issues shape the experiences of social group members, especially when they are members of low-status and/or minority groups. In order to explore these topics, we will primarily focus on large societal groups that differ on dimensions of identity such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and religion. Rather than relying on anecdotal evidence, cultural truisms, or philosophical orientations to address these issues, we will approach these issues wearing the hat of an experimental social psychologist. That is, we will examine traditional and contemporary theories of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination, punctuated by empirical findings. Finally, we will apply the theoretical and empirical work to current events and issues.

PSY 397: Advanced Supervised Research (Fall, Winter, Spring)

PSY 399: Independent Study (Fall, Winter, Spring)

These courses allow students to gain first-hand experience conducting research on the topics of stereotyping, prejudice, interpersonal perception, and intergroup communication in the Social Perception and Communicaton Laboratory.   PSY 399 is a 1-quarter commitment for which the completion of the research methods course (PSY 205) is strongly encouraged.  PSY 397 is a two-quarter commitment that for which both the completion of the research methods course and familiarity with scholarship on prejudice, stereotyping, and/or discrimination (typically through coursework) are strongly encouraged.  Students interested in taking PSY 399 or 397 should under my supervision should contact Professor Richeson at jriches@northwestern.edu.

Graduate Courses

PSY 486-20: Stereotyping & Prejudice: Graduate Seminar (Fall '09)

  course syllabus (from Winter '08 offering)

This course is a graduate-level introduction and analysis of the social psychology of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. We will examine the phenomena and processes associated with one’s beliefs about members of social groups (stereotypes), attitudes and evaluative responses toward group members (prejudice), and behaviors toward members of a social group based on their group membership (discrimination). Also, we will study how these issues shape the experiences of social group members, especially when they are members of low-status and/or minority groups. In order to explore these topics, we will primarily focus on large societal groups that differ on cultural dimensions of identity, with a focus on race, ethnicity, and gender. Specifically, we will examine classic and contemporary theories and research regarding stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. Finally, we will apply the theoretical and empirical work to current events and relevant policy issues.

PSY 489: Social Stigmas: Graduate Seminar (not offered in 08-09 or 09-10 academic year)

  course syllabus (from Spring '07 offering)

This course is an upper-level graduate seminar. Students will be introduced to classic and contemporary theory and research on the social psychology of stigma, primarily from the perspective of the stigmatized. The goal of the course is to provide an overview of this area of psychology and to stimulate creative thinking and research on this topic. Topics covered will include functions and nature of stigma, stigma and the self-concept, stereotype threat, attributional ambiguity, stigma and social interaction, and implications of stigma concealability and controllability.