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Last modified: 12 May 2026 10:46
We live in a world that is filled with social bias. Social bias is ubiquitous in our culture and in our brains. Yet, the consequences of social bias, such as prejudice and discrimination, are often deemed socially unacceptable and in many cases illegal.
This course examines the psychological causes and consequences of social bias for individuals and for society.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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This course will examine the social and cognitive determinants of social bias. Students will explore a range of topics that contribute to the development of social bias, and the effects of this bias for individuals and society.
The course will include content on social cognition, stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, cultural evolution, and their implications for equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Students will receive weekly lectures supported by directed follow-up reading and videos. Students’ knowledge and understanding will be assessed in a final exam comprising a problem-solving task, a communication task, and multiple-choice questions. Opportunities for formative assessments, in the same format as the exam, will be made available across the course.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 41,42 | Feedback Weeks | ||
| Feedback |
90-minute composite, multimodal, in-person computer-based exam. The exam will comprise three sections: 1. high-level MCQs; 2. short answer lay communication; 3. short answer critical evaluation. General class feedback will be provided. As this is an exam students will not receive detailed individual feedback. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | To understand how psychological research relating to the causes and consequences of social bias can be applied to everyday life. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To be able to critically evaluate psychological research relating to the causes and consequences of social bias. |
| Factual | Create | To be able to communicate clearly and creatively knowledge and understanding of social bias tailored to a range of audiences. |
| Factual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of a range of psychological research relating to the causes and consequences of social bias. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
60-minute composite, multimodal, in-person computer-based exam. General class feedback will be provided. As this is an exam students will not receive detailed individual feedback. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of a range of psychological research relating to the causes and consequences of social bias. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To be able to critically evaluate psychological research relating to the causes and consequences of social bias. |
| Conceptual | Apply | To understand how psychological research relating to the causes and consequences of social bias can be applied to everyday life. |
| Factual | Create | To be able to communicate clearly and creatively knowledge and understanding of social bias tailored to a range of audiences. |
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