info@iuline.it / 06 96668278

Accreditata MUR con D.M. 02/12/2005
  • it
  • en

Comunicazione innovativa, multimediale e digitale, classe L-20

Social psychology of intercultural communication

Informazioni

Anno accademico: 2021/2022

Periodo: I YEAR; II SEMESTER

SSD: M-PSI/05

Crediti: ECT: 9 CFU

Scarica il programma

Professor Maria Teresa Mara Francese: Lecturer in Anthropology and Gender Studies, coordinator of supplementary activities to the didactics of the courses of Cultural Anthropology, Cultural Geography and Geography of Mediterranean Countries; contract lecturer of Cultural Anthropology of DEA (Demo-Ethno-Anthropological) Heritage and of the 1st level Master’s course (Territorial Cultural Tourism), at the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and Modern Cultures of the University of Turin. Since 2020, she has been teaching Social Psychology of Intercultural Communication at the Telematic University IUL.

 

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:

  • implementation of computerised multimedia cards for the cataloguing of festivals -FPF;
  • advanced search ethnographic museums;
  • research project Cognitive Maps;
  • research-Ethnographic papers;
  • research-Piedmontese regional identity;
  • research-identity worker memories;
  • IIG research (second generations) of migrants in Italy;
  • gender research-studies;
  • research – ‘spontaneous’ social networks in the public health sector
  • research-Third Mission: “Progetto Elisabetta” inclusion of young people with mild to moderate disabilities in university courses.

The course consists of 2 modules.

  • Module 1 – Index and definition of the contents of Social Psychology of Intercultural Communication

The first module covers the following topics:

  • Basic conceptual tools to understand the complexity of communication dynamics.
  • Embodied and grounded, situated and distributed cognition.
  • Extended mind, extended body.
  • Nature and culture.
  • WEIRD: Universalism in psychology.

 

  • Module 2 – Cultural evolution

The second module covers the following topics:

  • Perception, attention and cultures.
  • Categorisation and cultural variability.
  • Thought processes and cultures.
  • Communication and cultures.

 

  • Module 3 – Definition of cognitive processes in general and psycholinguistic processes, particularly those that underlie communication

The third module covers the following topics:

  • Language, languages and the body.
  • Linguistic relativity.
  • Word as Tool.
  • The case of abstract words.
  • Stereotype.

The Social Psychology of Intercultural Communication course aims to provide students with the basic conceptual tools to understand the complexity of communicational dynamics and to illustrate the aspects of communication; to explore the constitutive aspects of communication, traditionally identified in theoretical reflections and empirical research; to outline a comparison between the verbal and non-verbal communication systems. Furthermore, the course aims to introduce students to the effects of cultures and languages on the cognitive and psycholinguistic processes underlying communication, as well as to highlight how certain psychological dimensions (cognitive, relational, behavioural…) are particularly important in the work of coexistence between different cultures.

The various topics covered will be explored in depth through group simulations of the research work, (identification of the problem; planning of the experimental design; data collection; analysis and interpretation of results; dissemination). By circumscribing the theoretical question and selecting the most appropriate methods, central and current topics in psychology relating to the influence of cultural processes on cognitive activity and their impact on social relations will be addressed (individually, in groups and in seminars).

The Social Psychology of Intercultural Communication course aims to provide students with the basic conceptual tools to understand the complexity of communicational dynamics and to illustrate the aspects of communication; to explore the constitutive aspects of communication, traditionally identified in theoretical reflections and empirical research; to outline a comparison between the verbal and non-verbal communication systems. Furthermore, the course aims to introduce students to the effects of cultures and languages on the cognitive and psycholinguistic processes underlying communication, as well as to highlight how certain psychological dimensions (cognitive, relational, behavioural…) are particularly important in the work of coexistence between different cultures.

 

The various topics covered will be explored in depth through group simulations of the research work, (identification of the problem; planning of the experimental design; data collection; analysis and interpretation of results; dissemination). By circumscribing the theoretical question and selecting the most appropriate methods, central and current topics in psychology relating to the influence of cultural processes on cognitive activity and their impact on social relations will be addressed (individually, in groups and in seminars).

A. Knowledge and understanding

The student will be able to develop knowledge on the main issues related to the social psychology of intercultural communication through the acquisition of:

  • Evaluation ability in the influence of cultural processes on cognitive activity
  • On their relevance
  • On their impact in everyday communication situations.
  • Specialist theoretical knowledge on communication issues
  • Information adapted to the complexity of the information and dissemination system.
  • In addition, topics on the current media system will be explored.

 

B. Applied knowledge and understanding

Through the study and thematic discussions, the student will have acquired the ability to assess the influence of cultural processes on cognitive activity (and their relevance), and the conceptual tools adequate to argue, competently and on a scientific basis, the most topical issues of the debate, and thus be able to apply them in everyday communicative situations.

 

C. Autonomy of judgement

Through the study of the materials provided, the student will be able to select and apply knowledge to develop original analyses and support arguments on the topics covered during the course.

 

D. mCommunication skills

Through interactive discussions during the video platform lessons, the student will be able to test communication skills by experimenting with the language of the discipline.

 

E. Learning ability

The student, through the use of the thematic forum on the platform, will be able to develop learning in a constructive way; he/she will also be able to apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis of an original scenario in the field of communication and information.

A. Use of advanced textbooks, knowledge of some cutting-edge topics within the subject studied.

Students will be trained to use not only traditional (paper) but also digital bibliographic resources.

 

B. Professional approach to their work and possession of appropriate skills to devise arguments, support them and solve problems within the subject studied. Ability to collect and interpret data useful for making independent judgements.

Through the analysis of case studies and practical examples from everyday life, language and cultural competences related to specific areas will be highlighted, as well as basic skills in project design, management and evaluation.

 

C. Ability to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to specialists and non-specialists.

Students will be provided with useful indications and methodologies to organise a presentation (paper and multimedia) and to know how to present it using vocabulary and communication methods appropriate to the target audience.

 

D. Ability to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.

Students will be helped to organise their study in a fruitful way by means of tools and methods conducive to learning.

DIDACTICS PROVISION

  • 6 hours of recorded video lessons available on the platform;
  • 3 synchronous meetings on the platform ;
  • Podcasts of all the above-mentioned video lessons.

 

INTERACTIVE DIDACTICS

  • 1 course orientation forum;
  • 3 in-depth thematic forums (1 per module);
  • Possibility to carry out work in groups;
  • 3 structured e-activities (as described in the section in itinere assessment methods”).

 

SELF-LEARNING

Teaching materials are provided for each module: in-depth thematic studies, articles and slides by the lecturer, open-access readings, online resources, reference bibliography, etc.

Study material provided by the lecturer.

Access to the final examination is subject to the following 3 e-activities:

 

  • Etivity 1 – The student will have to produce three papers of about 1 folder in length (pdf format) investigating a key theme of Social Psychology of Intercultural Communication (selected from the contents discussed in the respective Module 1, Module 2, Module 3), paying particular attention to the applicative, educational, professional and occupational implications.

 

  • Etivity 2 In addition to the material provided by the lecturer, the student can also make use of other material researched independently on various platforms (online, scientific databases, libraries). The sources must be indicated in the bibliography of the paper.

 

  • Etivity 3 – The papers must be uploaded to the e-tivity space provided on the platform at least one week before the exam date that the student has booked. The paper will be discussed during the oral examination.

The assessment of learning will take the form of an oral interview on the course contents and on the final report submitted, if any. The grade (min 18, max 30 with possible honours) is determined by the level of performance for each of the following dimensions of the oral interview: mastery of contents, appropriateness of definitions and theoretical references, clarity of argument, command of specialist language.