| Unit name | Advanced Social Neuroscience |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PSYCM0076 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2C (weeks 13 - 18) |
| Unit director | Dr. Quadflieg |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Student should not have taken the corresponding 3rd Year Unit |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Psychological Science |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
This unit provides a comprehensive introduction to the emerging field of social neuroscience. It provides an overview of the field’s key issues and pivotal methods with the aim of raising students’ appreciation for and critical reception of inherently cross-disciplinary research. The unit introduces contemporary theories in social neuroscience (e.g., on person perception, impression formation, and decision-making) by relating them to pressing societal challenges (such as prejudice, propaganda, and well-being). A key theme of the unit lies in contrasting the modern idea of the ‘social brain’ with the original notion of the ‘non-social’ brain. The unit focuses further on discovering common scientific and ethical problems that can arise from mapping fuzzy social constructs onto biological structures. A primary learning outcome of this unit is for students to develop a deeper understanding of the intricate connections between people’s mind, brain, and beahviour in the context of a complex social world.
On successful completion of this unit, a student will be able to:
Lectures and Seminars
1 x 2500 word research proposal (100%)
Each student will be required to develop a research proposal for a new question in social neuroscience. This question could aim to address a social psychological issue with neuroscientific theory and/or methods. Alternatively, it could address a question about neural function that relies on a social psychological theory and/or methods. In preparation for this proposal students will be trained to complete McGuire’s creative hypothesis generation steps before they are asked to write a research proposal. Proposals must be about 2500 words (plus references) and must entail a) a clear hypothesis, b) a section that details their hypothesis’s empirical and/or theoretical background, c) a section that outlines each student’s chosen methodological approach, along with a brief description of the procedures and measures to be used, and d) a section that reflects on the chosen approach’s particular strengths and potential weaknesses.
McGuire, W. J. (1997). Creative hypothesis generating in psychology. Annual Review of Psychology, 48, 1-30.
Essential Reading:
Various journal articles as provided at the start of the unit, for example:
Xu X, Zuo X, Wang X, & Han, S. (2009). Do you feel my pain? Racial group membership modulates empathic neural responses. Journal of Neuroscience, 29, 8525-8529.
Further/Recommended Reading:
Textbooks and review articles that provide a bird’s eye view on topics covered in class, including:
Harmon-Jones, E., & Beer, J. S. (2009). Methods in social neuroscience. Guilford Publications: New York
Ward, J. (2016). The student’s guide to social neuroscience (2nd ed.) Psychology Press.
