Caveat Academy course · Grades 8 to 12

Social Psychology

A semester course on how other people shape what we think and do: first impressions and biases, conformity, obedience and persuasion, how groups decide, prejudice and how to reduce it, and why people help. Six modules at your own pace, with a check in every lesson and a certificate at the end.

Start the courseSee the modules
$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Middle school course library, $79 for 28 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 12 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: People in situations

    Explain how situations shape behavior and evaluate research methods, ethics and replication in social psychology.

    • What social psychology studies
    • How the research is done
    • The self in a social world
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Social thinking

    Analyze attributions, cognitive dissonance and common heuristics and biases in everyday judgments.

    • Explaining behavior
    • Attitudes and cognitive dissonance
    • Shortcuts and biases
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Social influence

    Compare conformity, obedience and persuasion using Asch, Milgram and the elaboration likelihood model, including their criticisms.

    • Conformity
    • Obedience
    • Persuasion
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Groups

    Explain social facilitation, social loafing, group polarization, groupthink and the bystander effect, and apply ways to counter them.

    • Performing in front of others
    • How groups decide
    • Crowds and bystanders
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Prejudice and conflict

    Distinguish stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination and evaluate evidence on what causes and reduces intergroup conflict.

    • Stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination
    • Competition and conflict
    • Reducing prejudice
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Attraction, helping and positive change

    Apply research on attraction, helping and social norms to design a small change that encourages positive behavior.

    • Why we like who we like
    • Why people help
    • Using social psychology for good
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 4 · Crowds and bystanders

Worked example: getting help in a crowd

  1. Situation: you collapse on a busy sidewalk and need help.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · Middle SchoolAlso for Academics · High School$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished semester of social psychology: you can explain why situations shape behavior, read a study and say what it can and cannot show, spot the fundamental attribution error, dissonance and confirmation bias, explain the Asch, Milgram, Robbers Cave and bystander studies with their criticisms, and use norms, allies and shared goals to change what a group does. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 8 to 12 curious about why people act the way they do in groups and online, students previewing AP or high school psychology or sociology, and student leaders who want to run better teams and clubs; homeschool families who want a complete semester unit. The classic studies are taught with their ethical problems and later criticisms.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 12 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Middle school course library ($79) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The Middle School space in Caveat Academics; also listed for the High School space in Caveat Academics (the same course serves the high school Social Psychology title).
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. OpenStax, Psychology 2e, chapter 12, Social Psychology (free, openly licensed): openstax.org
  2. NOBA Project, free open textbook modules on conformity and obedience, the psychology of groups, prejudice and helping: nobaproject.com
  3. American Psychological Association, Psychology topics: apa.org/topics
  4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Human Research Protections, human subjects research and the Belmont Report: hhs.gov/ohrp
  5. Harvard Study of Adult Development, overview of the study: adultdevelopmentstudy.org

Social Psychology is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical one-semester social psychology elective but does not replace a school course or award credit. Study results are reported as published, with their criticisms, and example figures in worked examples are labeled as examples. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.