PSY 656 Social Cognition (4325) (4 credits)

Social cognition is the study of the ways in which we process social information—both accurately and inaccurately—and how that information processing determines our perceptions of, and behavior within, a complex social world. Many times we are unaware of just what had influenced us, and this course will illuminate some of those external influences. Automatic and controlled processing of information, social schemas, mental short-cuts to decision-making, attitude formation and change, social stereotypes, the development of our self-concept, and person perception are a few of the many topics covered.