Interpersonal+and+Group+Behaviour

**Interpersonal and group behaviour **   How does my behaviour affect others? How do others affect me? Why do some people seem to behave differently around different people? These questions are concerned with aspects of social psychology.  This specialist field of study focuses on how behaviour and perceptions of self and others are shaped by social and cultural influences including the attitudes and behaviours of groups.  It is generally accepted that a key factor in the psychological wellbeing of individuals depends on the extent to which the need for affiliation is met – a sense of belonging and connectedness whether it be to family, a group, a school or workplace, or a wider community. Without this, individuals may experience alienation and isolation expressed in anti-social behaviours such as aggression and bullying.  <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Understanding the interplay of factors that shape the behaviour of individuals and groups can help explain the cause and dynamics of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination, and can contribute to changes in attitudes and behaviour. This insight can be extended towards understanding different patterns of behaviours sometimes evident in different cultures. <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Students consider the findings of key classic and contemporary research as a means to explaining the formation of attitudes, and individual and group behaviour. They examine research methods appropriate to measuring attitudes and behaviours and consider associated ethical issues in the conduct and use of such research. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Outcome 1 ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain how attitudes are formed and changed and discuss the factors that affect the behaviour of individuals and groups. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Area of study 1 **