Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2026 - PSYC 361 D100

Individual Differences in Social Psychology (3)

Class Number: 1607

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 11 – Aug 10, 2026: Fri, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Yuthika Girme
    ygirme@sfu.ca
    Office: RCB 8307
    Office Hours: TBD

  • Prerequisites:

    PSYC 201, 260.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Predicting people’s thoughts, feelings, behaviour, and happiness is complicated – it largely depends on people’s unique personality characteristics, beliefs, expectations, and motivations. Students will learn about the development and consequences of key individual differences in social psychology. Students with credit for PSYC 391 under the title "Individual Differences in Social Psychology" may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

In this course, you will learn about the development and consequences of key individual differences in social psychology such as peoples’ attachment insecurities, self-esteem, endorsement of sexist attitudes, destiny versus growth beliefs, approach versus avoidance social goals, and more.

The major objectives of this class are to understand how individual differences/personality traits have a distinct impact on peoples’ personal and interpersonal wellbeing.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Topics: The Big 5, Fixed and Growth Mindsets, Approach and Avoidance Motivations, Self-Determination Theory, Regulatory Mode, Attachment Insecurities, Self-Esteem, Prejudiced Beliefs, Sexist Beliefs

MASTERY GRADING: This course is designed to provide students multiple opportunities to try, face setbacks, figure out what they did not understand as well as they thought they did, and then succeed. Students demonstrate mastery by achieving 90% on a series of Mastery Quizzes and get THREE opportunities to master each quiz.

Grading

  • Weekly Mastery Quizzes: 63%
  • Group Worksheets: 5%
  • Peer Evaluation: 2%
  • Writing Assignments: 10%
  • Final Exam: 20%

NOTES:

Lectures: Lectures are designed to be highly interactive. Attendance and participation are STRONGLY encouraged. No lecture recordings are available, but an educational podcast is available as an additional resource for learning outside of class.

PEER PODS: This course is designed to be highly interactive. Students will be assigned a "peer pod" who they will sit with every week for class activities and complete weekly in-class worksheets with.

REQUIREMENTS:

THERE WILL BE NO PREREQUISITE WAIVERS GIVEN FOR THIS CLASS.

Materials

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.