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The Social Psychology
of Communication
ALC8001
2. MODULE DESCRIPTION AND AIMS
General module description
Social Psychology is concerned with individuals as social beings. Much of our
social behaviour, and the relationship between our social environment and
individual self, involve communication. This module introduces and explores
how social and situational factors influence communication of various kinds.
Topics and issues concerned with adjustment and acculturation, with
personality, and with attitudinal, affective and cognitive aspects of
communication will be explored on this module. We will be taking a critical
approach to key social psychological frameworks including Social Identity
Theory, the Communicative Predicament of Ageing Model, the Communication
Enhancement Model, Communication Accommodation Theory and Intercultural
Communicative Competence. Themes will be illustrated and exemplified by the
examination of recent work in the field, especially that relating to international
education and intercultural communication.
More module details, including reading lists, are available on the module
catalogue and on the Canvas pages for this module.
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Intended knowledge and skills outcomes
To provide students with knowledge of recent social psychological
approaches to the study of human communication and recent empirical
research in the area
To provide students with basic knowledge of how to investigate the study of
human communication using social psychological techniques and
perspectives
To enhance students’ ability to critically evaluate literature, including recent
empirical studies, relating to the social psychology of communication
4. MODULE DELIVERY & PROGRAMME
Lectures take place Wednesdays 11.00-13.00 in Lecture Theatre 4, King
George VI Building
The module divides, broadly, into 3 parts.
1. Weeks 1 to 7 give a broad introduction to the social psychology of
communication and some of its main themes and interest areas.
2. Weeks 8 to 10 look in detail at specific research-based case studies.
3. Week 11 is a module round-up and assignment Q&A.
Please also note:
Full bibliographic references, if not given below, are given in section 5 of
this document (‘Learning Resources’) and on the weekly Module
Overview pages in Canvas.
Further readings will also be given in classes.
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Week 1: Wednesday 29th September 2021
1. Module overview
2. Introduction to a social psychological perspective on human
communication
Essential reading:
Chapter 1 (Introducing Social Psychology) in Hogg M. & Vaughan G. (8th
Edition) (2018). Social Psychology. Harlow. Pearson.
Chapter 1 (Intergroup Theory and Communication Processes) and
Chapter 2 (Culture: Intersections of Intergroup and Identity Theories) in
Harwood J. & Giles H. (Eds.) (2005). Intergroup Communication: Multiple
Perspectives. New York: Peter Lang.
Recommended reading:
Fitch & Sanders (2005): Chapters 7 (social psychology, language and social
interaction) and 8 (recent conceptual directions in the social psychology of
communication)
Hewstone, Stroebe & Klaus (2008): Chapter 1 (for a historical overview of the
roles and methodologies of social psychology)
Hogg & Vaughan (2018): Chapter 8 (Groups) and Chapter 15 (Language and
communication) give good overviews of thought and research in two key areas
for the module.
Robinson (2003): Chapters 1 (conceptual framework), 2 (language in context)
and 3 (functions of language) are likewise good general introductions to key
concepts.
Robinson & Giles (2001): Chapter 1.1 (language in communication)
Smith et al (2006): Chapter 1 (questions for cross-cultural psychology)
Week 2: Wednesday 6th October 2021
Social Identity Theory (SIT) and Communication Accommodation Theory
(CAT)
Some conceptual and theoretical foundations. How is communication influenced
by setting, context and interlocutor and by group variables? How can language
create a social context?
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Essential reading:
Chapter 11 (Intergroup Behaviour) in Hogg M. & Vaughan G. (8th Edition)
(2018). Social Psychology. Harlow. Pearson.
Chapter 1.2 (Communication Accommodation Theory) in Robinson W.P. &
Giles H. (Eds). (2001) The New Handbook of Language and Social
Psychology. Chichester. John Wiley.
Recommended reading:
Berry et al (2011): Chapter 13 (acculturation and social identity)
Fitch & Sanders (2005): Chapters 8 and 9
Hogg & Abrams (1988): Chapter 2 (the social identity approach)
Smith et al (2006): Chapters 2, 3 (validity issues, and theories and frameworks),
8 (communicating and relating) and 11 (social identity).
Week 3: Wednesday 13th October 2021
Social psychological perspectives on how people learn
Is it possible to identify a preferred style of learning for individuals and for
cultural groups?
Essential reading:
Young, T. J. & Sachdev, I (2007). ‘Learning styles in the multicultural classroom’.
In Zhu Hua, Seedhouse et al (Eds.) Language Learning and Teaching as Social
Interaction, p. 235 – 249. New York: Palgrave.
Recommended reading:
De Vita, G. (2001) ‘Learning styles, culture and inclusive instruction in the
multicultural classroom: A business and management perspective’. Innovations
in Education and Teaching International 38/2, 165 - 174.
Dörnyei (2005). See Chapter 5 (cognitive and learning styles)
Week 4: Wednesday 20th October 2021
Personality, Social Psychology and Intercultural Communication
State vs. trait, nature vs. nurture. The influence of personality and situational
variables on communication, particularly intercultural communication. ‘The Big
Five’. The ‘Multicultural Personality Questionnaire’.
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Essential reading:
Chapter 5 (Personality) in Berry J, Poortinga Y.H., Breugelmans, S.N.,
Chasiotis, A., & Sam, D.L. (3rd Edition) (2011). Cross Cultural Psychology:
Research and Applications. Cambridge. CUP.
Chapter 7 (Personality in Cross-cultural Perspective) in Smith P., Bond M.
& Kâğıtçıbaşı C. (2006). Understanding Social Psychology Across Cultures:
Living and Working in a Changing World. London. Sage.
Recommended reading:
Dörnyei Z. (2005): Chapter 10 (personality, mood, etc)
Leone L, Van der Zee, K.I., van Oudenhoven J-P., Perugini M., & Ercolani A.P.
(2005). The cross-cultural generalizability and validity of the Multicultural
Personality Questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences 38, 6, 1449-
1462.
Schartner, A. (2016). The effect of study abroad on intercultural competence: a
longitudinal case study of international postgraduate students at a British
university, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 37(4), 402-
418, DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2015.1073737
Week 5: Wednesday 27th October 2021
The social psychology of non-verbal communication (NVC)
How important is NVC in interaction, and what does it say about who we are?
How is it categorised - what taxonomies exist of human NVC?
Essential reading:
Chapter 15 (Language and Communication) in Hogg M. & Vaughan G. (8th
Edition) (2018). Social Psychology. Harlow. Pearson.
Chapter 5 (Human Non Verbal Communication) in Robinson W.P. (2003).
Language in Social Worlds. Oxford. Blackwell.
Recommended reading:
Robinson & Giles (2001): Chapter 2.8 (a model of NVC)
Smith et al (2006): Chapter 8 (especially pages 155 – 158).
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Week 6: Wednesday 3rd November 2021
Investigating the effects of the study of cross-cultural communication
An example of applied social psychological research into communication: Does
studying CCC make people better ‘international’ students - more able to succeed
and ‘fit in’?
Essential reading:
Young T.J., Schartner A. (2014). The effects of cross-cultural communication
education on international students’ adjustment and adaptation. Journal of
Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35(6), 547-562.
Recommended reading:
Schartner, A., & Young, T.J. (2020). Intercultural Transitions in Higher Education.
International Student Adjustment and Adaptation. Studies in Social Interaction.
EUP.
W/c 8th November 2021 is ENRICHMENT WEEK and NO LECTURE will take
place in this week.
Week 7: Wednesday 17th November 2021
Migration: Adjustment and Adaptation
What happens when people who are internationally mobile undergo intercultural
transitions?
Essential reading:
Pitts, M.J. (2016). Sojourner reentry: a grounded elaboration of the integrative
theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation, Communication
Monographs, 83:4, 419-445, https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2015.1128557
Recommended reading:
Geeraert, N., Demes, K.A., & Ward, C. (2021). Sojourner expectations: Are they
met and does it matter if they’re not? International Journal of Intercultural
Relations, 84, 27-40, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2021.06.004
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Ladegaard, H. J. (2019). Reconceptualising ‘home’, ‘family’ and ‘self’: Identity
struggles in domestic migrant worker returnee narratives. Language and
Intercultural Communication, 19(3), 289-303,
https://doi.org/10.1080/14708477.2018.1509984
Ward, C., Bochner, S., & Furnham, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock (2nd
ed.). Hove: Routledge.
Young, T.J., Sercombe, P.G., Sachdev, I., Naeb, R., & Schartner A. (2013). Success
factors for international postgraduate students’ adjustment: Exploring the roles
of intercultural competence, language proficiency, social contact and social
support. European Journal of Higher Education, 3, 151-71,
https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2012.743746
Week 8: Wednesday 24th November 2021
Research Case Study 1:
Dementia, Communication and Social Psychology
An example of applied social psychological research into communication. An on-
going research project investigating the most effective means of enhancing
communication between carers and health care professionals and people living
with dementia.
Essential reading:
Tullo E.S., Young T.J. ,& Lee R.P. (2018). Medical students’ views about
person-centred communication in dementia care. Dementia, 17(5), 573-
584. doi:10.1177/1471301216651981
Young T, & Manthorp C. (2009). Towards a Code of Practice for Effective
Communication With People With Dementing Illnesses. Journal of
Language and Social Psychology, 28(2):174-189.
doi:10.1177/0261927X08330611
Recommended reading:
Savundranayagam M.Y; Ryan E.B., Anas A.P., & Orange J.B. (2007).
Communication and Dementia: Staff perceptions of conversational strategies.
Clinical Gerontologist, 31, 47 – 63, https://doi.org/10.1300/J018v31n02_04
Young, T.J., Manthorp, C., and Howells, D. (2010). Communication and Dementia:
New Perspectives, New Approaches. Barcelona: Editorial Aresta.
Young, T.J., Manthorp, C., Howells, D. and Tullo, E. (2011a). Developing a carer
communication intervention to support personhood and quality of life in
dementia. Ageing and Society, 31, 6, 1003 – 1025.
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Young, T.J., Manthorp, C., Howells, D. and Tullo, E. (2011b) . Optimizing
communication between medical professionals and people living with dementia.
International Psychogeriatrics 23, 7, 1078 – 1085,
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610211000652
Week 9: Wednesday 1st December 2021
Research Case Study 2:
Which English? Whose English?
English is said to be ‘the world language’. There are, however, major
controversies around the suitability of available models and targets such as
American English, British English, English as a Lingua Franca and ‘local’ varieties
like Indian or Chinese English. This study considered which varieties currently
are, should be and (perhaps) will be learned around the world, as well as issues
related to beliefs, attitudes and identity and their relationship to actual lingua-
communicative behaviour.
