Psychology 432A: The Psychology of Persuasion 

INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Graeme Haynes 

TIME:  Fall semester, 2010, Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00-5:15pm 

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION: 

An introduction to the dynamics of persuasion (and the scientific principles behind them as revealed by over 50 years of research by social psychologists) and how they are used – and misused – in interpersonal interactions and on a larger scale by companies, salespeople, the media, the government, and religious groups.   

This course does meet departmental requirements for designation as a 400-level course. 

PREREQUISITES:  Psychology 101, 102, 278, 279, and 242.  Enrolment in this course is limited to 15 students. 

TEXTBOOK:   

Cialdini, R. (2008).  Influence: Science and Practice (5^th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

  COURSE OBJECTIVES: 

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to social psychological research and theories in the area of persuasion.  Emphasis will be placed on experimental research, conducted both in the laboratory and in the field, and their applications to real-world problems. Specific topics to be covered include compliance techniques, persuasive communications, systematic vs. heuristic processing, advertising, propaganda, and resisting influence.