SNF Paideia Dialogue Resources for Current Events
CoursesHow We Change: Social-Psychological and Communication Dynamics
COMM 2760 / NURS 2760 / PSYC 2760

How We Change: Social-Psychological and Communication Dynamics

Have you wondered why people undergo religious conversion, change their political affiliation, suddenly endorse conspiracy theories, alter their taste in music, or seek hypnosis to quit smoking? What is common to these processes of change, and how does resistance to change play out across these seemingly different contexts?

Instructor(s)
  • Dolores Albarracín
Semester

Spring 2023

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Lecture: Thursday, 10:15 AM – 11:14 AM
Recitation varies by section.

In “How We Change,” we will ask unique questions such as how religious change might highlight methods of transforming public health communications or how the study of attitude change might yield new theories about the impact of life experiences on personality. Broadly speaking, the class will provide an opportunity for students to learn theories of belief formation, attitudes and persuasion, normative influence, and behavioral change. For example, we will work to understand how specific beliefs, such as group stereotypes, or specific attitudes, such as trust and values, change in response to variations in the environment and communication with other people. We will cover culturally based and professional approaches to change, from fear appeals to motivational interviewing, to hypnosis. Students will read empirical studies and conduct observational projects about potential sources of social, cultural, or psychological change and resistance to change in Philadelphia.

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