Module: Advanced Social Cognitive Psychology

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Advanced Social Cognitive Psychology
Module Code	PSY1064 (ITS: PSYC509)
Faculty	Psychology	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	5

Description

The aims of this module are to provide an advanced overview of theoretical, conceptual, research and methodological advances, at, or informed by, the forefront of enquiry within social cognitive psychology. Particular focus will be on social cognitive components of individual and group construal. Critical consideration will be given to factors influencing social cognition, affect and motivation. A social neuroscientific approach will also be critically considered within the module in terms of theory of mind.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically consider and evaluate key conceptual, theoretical, research and methodological advances, at, or informed by, the forefront of social cognitive psychology.
2. Demonstrate a critical awareness of social cognitive components of individual and group construal.
3. Critically identify and consider key factors influencing typical and atypical social cognitive function, including affective and motivational factors.
4. Critically appraise the neuroscientific approach to social cognition.
5. Critically consider implicit and explicit approaches to profiling attitudes.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	22	Lecture based on indicative content; Asynchronous and synchronous format; Active listening and engagement with lecture material; some synchronous contact
Seminars	4	4 workshops to supplement lectures on key topics; Synchronous; Moderator and Student-led.
Online activity	5	Loop Discussion Fora
Independent Study	94	Independent Study for seminar preparation; and assessments.
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20980	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Lorraine Boran	Module Teacher	Simon Dunne

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Opinion Piece in Frontiers in Psychology under a special topic- social cognition/reasoning.	30%	n/a
Participation	Interactive Oral Interview	70%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Conceptual, theoretical and methodological approaches to studying social cognition.

Understanding social cognitive components of individual and group construal:
social information encoding, representation and retrieval

Social categorisation and social reasoning

Affect and motivational factors in Social Cognition; regulation of social cognitive processes

Social Neuroscience: Theory of mind; mirror neuron system; social cognitive disorders

Controversies in Attitude research: implicit and explicit approaches to understanding and measuring attitudes.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Martha Augoustinos, Iain Walker: 2014, Social Cognition: An Integrated Introduction, 3, SAGE Publications, 978-144621051
Aronson, E. & Aaronson J.: 2018, The Social Animal., Worth Publishers.,
Nick Braisby, Angus Gellatly: 2012, Cognitive Psychology,, 2nd, Oxford University Press, London,
CARVER, C. S., & SCHEIER, M. F.: 2001, ON THE SELF-REGULATION OF BEHAVIOR., CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS.,
Michael Eysenck, Mark T. Keane,: 0, Cognitive Psychology Ed7, 7th, Psychology Press, UK,
Susan Fiske, Shelley Taylor: 2017, Social Cognition: From brains to culture, 3, SAGE Publications, 978-147396929
Ken Gilhooly, Fiona Lyddy, Frank Pollick: 2014, Cognitive Psychology, McGraw-Hill, Berkshire, UK,
Gross, J.J.: 2013, Handbook of emotion regulation, 2nd, The Guilford Press, London, UK,
Jutta Heckhausen (Editor), Carol S. Dweck (Editor) 2009: 2009, Motivation and Self-Regulation across the Life Span, Cambridge Press, US,
Schutt, R. K, Seidman L.J, Keshavan M.: 2015, Social Neuroscience, Harvard University Press, US,
Edward E. Smith and Stephen M. Kosslyn; with the contributions of Lawrence W. Barsalou: 2009, Cognitive psychology, Prentice Hall, Saddle River, NJ, US,
Gordon B. Moskowitz: 2005, Texts in social psychology, Guilford Press, London, UK,
Vohs, K.D., Baumeister, R.F.: 2016, Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory and applications, 3rd, The Guilford Press, London, UK,
Wiebe, Sandra; Karbach, Julia: 2017, Executive Function: Development Across the Life Span (Frontiers of Developmental Science), 1st, Psychology Press, UK,
Vicki Bruce, Andy Young: 2011, Face Perception, Psychology Press Hove UK,
David Hardman (Editor), Laura Macchi (Editor): 2005, Thinking: Psychological Perspectives on Reasoning, Judgment and Decision Making, Wiley, Chichester, UK,
Keith J. Holyoak Ph.D. (Editor), Robert G. Morrison Ph.D. (Editor): 2012, The Oxford Handbook of Thinking and Reasoning, Oxford University Press, UK,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None