Classes
Content: Goals and scope of Cross-Cultural Psychology, historical roots and relations with other disciplines; methodological issues: the emic-etic distinction, levels of analysis, data equivalence; similarities and differences in behavior across cultures: cognitive styles, intelligence, child development and cultural transmission, personality and social behavior, values, individualism and collectivism, gender behavior, aggressive behavior, acculturation and intercultural relations.
Grading: Based on (a) a 3-hour written or oral exam, or alternatively (b) a written assignment, i.e. a long essay comprising literature review or a research project on a specific topic. A 10-point scale is used (where 10='excellent', 5='pass', 1-4='fail').
Basic texts: Berry, J. W., Poortinga, Y. H., Breugelmans, S. M., Chasiotis, A., & Sam, D. L. (2011). Cross-Cultural Psychology: Research and applications (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Shiraev, E. B., & Levy, D. A. (2017). Cross-Cultural Psychology: Critical thinking and contemporary applications. Routledge.
Content: Culture contact within and between societies; theoretical approaches: culture learning, stress and coping, social identification theories; acculturation and adaptation of immigrants: acculturation models and strategies; development of ethnic identity acquisition; immigration and mental health; resilience and vulnerability of immigrant adolescents: risk and protective factors; immigration research in Greece: Albanian immigrants, Pontian remigrants, second generation immigrants; counseling and interventions.
Grading: Based on (a) a 3-hour written or oral exam, or alternatively (b) a written assignment, i.e. a long essay comprising literature review or a research project on a specific topic. A 10-point scale is used (where 10='excellent', 5='pass', 1-4='fail').
Basic texts: Sam, D. L., & Berry, J. W. (Eds.). (2006). The Cambridge handbook of Acculturation Psychology. Cambridge University Press.
Ward, C., Bochner, S., & Furhnam, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock. Routledge.
Political Psychology is an applied field of social psychological research that seeks to understand how people participate in political processes. The multiple aspects of political participation and their determinants, the formation and change of political attitudes, politicized identities and collective action are some of the phenomena examined. Questions are raised, such as: How do people form their political opinions? What psychological biases and heuristics shape how people make political choices? How do individual differences and social status relate to political orientation? What role do emotions, such as fear, anger and hope, play in political life? How do group identities and intergroup dynamics shape political behavior and conflict? The course utilizes a variety of methods, including lectures, discussions, case studies, and in-class student presentations. Upon completion, students are expected to have a deeper understanding of the psychological underpinnings of political phenomena and the ability to critically analyze political issues from a psychological perspective.
Content: The purpose of this course is twofold: First, to familiarize students with the general frameworks and domains of applications of basic social psychological theories, including health and prevention, consumer behavior, environmental issues, organizations, mass media, law, politics, aggression and violence; and second to enhance students' skills on research planning, literature review, and essay writing. Ephasis is given on the design, implementation and evaluation of social-psychological interventions to address social and community problems.
Grading: Based on (a) a 3-hour written or oral exam, and (b) a written assignment, i.e. a 3500-word report of a research project on a specific topic. A 10-point scale is used (where 10='excellent', 5='pass', 1-4='fail').
Basic text:Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J., & Coutts, L. (Eds.). (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems (2nd ed.). Sage.
Content: Goals and scope of Environmental Psychology, definition of basic terms; historical roots and relations with other disciplines; methodological issues; structural and dynamic properties of behavior settings; environmental perception, description and evaluation; cognitive maps; proxemics and social interaction: personal space, territoriality, privacy; environmental stress: noise, crowding, pollution; psychological consequences of natural and technological disasters; built environment and behavior: school, work, and health settings.
Grading: Based on (a) a 3-hour written or oral exam, or alternatively (b) a written assignment, i.e. a long essay comprising literature review or a research project on a specific topic. A 10-point scale is used (where 10='excellent', 5='pass', 1-4='fail').
Basic text: Bechtel, R. B., & Churchman, A. (Eds.). (2002). Handbook of Environmental Psychology. Wiley.
Content: The aim of the course is to prepare the students for the task of writing a scientific paper. The lectures cover a number of topics, such as the foundation of research questions and hypotheses, the review and organization of the literature, and the compliance with the ethical rules for academic writing. Instructions are also given regarding the structure of the manuscript, the writing style of different chapters of a research paper (i.e., method, results), the handling of references and special formatting issues (i.e., tables and figures). The guidelines of the most recent version of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Society are adopted. Students have the chance to practice their knowledge and skills by undertaking exercises on an optional basis. Successful completion of the course is recommended for conducting a degree thesis in the fourth year of study.
This course examines issues related to communication and interpersonal relationships in cyberspace. The proliferation of digital media leads to the re-interconnection of different sectors of society, such as private and public, work and leisure, institutions and social movements. The effects of digital communication have been studied based on four hypotheses: the shift from the physical to the digital environment, the increased social interaction, the further empowerment of socially adept individuals, and the social replenishment of isolated individuals. The digital transfer of social influence processes leads to distortions such as misinformation and conspiracy theories. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about the impact of cyberspace on democracy through either the over-concentration of power or through extremism and radicalisation. On the other hand, cyberspace provides conditions for the formation of collective identities with an emphasis on positive aspects of social interaction, such as human rights and pro-environmental actions. Internet penetration brings about changes in pre-existing (e.g., intergenerational relations) and emerging forms of social interaction (e.g., consumer behaviour), as well as in social inequalities. Moreover, digital media affect international mobility by facilitating both cultural preservation and hybrid cultural identities, but also by shaping new groups of migrants (e.g., digital nomads). Through the critical study of literature and experiential activities, students acquire skills related to identifying functional and dysfunctional aspects of the internet and social media in interpersonal communication and intergroup relations.
The course draws on the epistemological and methodological tools of Cross-Cultural Social Psychology to study intergroup relations in the school context with emphasis on cultural diversity, as well as the role of psychologist in the design, implementation and evaluation of social psychological interventions. A multi-level, hierarchically structured approach is adopted to analyze and interpret the intrapersonal, interpersonal, positional, and ideological factors that shape the relationships between students, teachers, parents and community members, which is compatible with developmental models and focuses on the school system. Issues related to the management of social problems in the school context are discussed, with particular reference to ethical considerations, practical limitations and available methodological options. The focus is on the concepts of cultural diversity, acculturation and cultural orientations (ethnic and national), and their contribution to the dynamic organisation of the developing individual's identity, the distinction between ingroup and outgroup and the dynamic relations between them. The phenomena under study include, among others, the acculturation strategies of students with an immigrant background and their families, stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination, as well as the effect of the economic crisis on identity negotiation, psychosocial adjustment and academic competence of students. The above topics are approached by drawing on international and Greek literature, as well as through experiential exercises, critical work and oral presentations during the teaching sessions.
The criteria for conducting a degree thesis under the supervision of professor Vassilis Pavlopoulos include the following: (a) successful completion of the course PSY126: Scientific Writing, the Methodology and Statistics courses, as well as courses related to the proposed topic (e.g., PSY95: Qualitative Approaches in Psychological Research in order to conduct a qualitative study); (b) relevance of the proposed topic to the supervisor's field of research expertise, i.e., Cross-Cultural and Social Psychology; and (c) maturity of the research proposal, i.e., how feasible it is to be implemented and to what extent it is evident that the person concerned has the skills to complete it successfully. The deadline for submission of research proposals is the first 15 days of October and the second 15 days of February of each academic year. Responses to requests are communicated within two weeks. Research proposals are submitted to the instructor via the link https://forms.gle/JQXdgrwLu9AMzYv2A. The above critera apply also for conducting a master's thesis at postgraduate level.
Christopoulou, E. (2020). Social representation, dimensions, processes, and impact of meditation on mental health and subjective well-being: Cross-cultural approach [Doctoral dissertation, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens]. National Documentation Centre. http://hdl.handle.net/10442/hedi/48325
Printezi, A. (2019). Managing ethical dilemmas in preadolescence: the role of social influence [Doctoral dissertation, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens]. National Documentation Centre. http://hdl.handle.net/10442/hedi/46065
Tsouvelas, G. (2018). Host national acculturation processes: the role of ideological, intergroup, and existential parameters [Doctoral dissertation, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens]. National Documentation Centre. http://hdl.handle.net/10442/hedi/43676
Theodorou, R. (2017). Perceived acculturation processes of immigrants and host society members: contribution to the cultural fit hypothesis [Doctoral dissertation, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens]. National Documentation Centre. http://hdl.handle.net/10442/hedi/42559