Name: The Psychology of Social Bias
Rating: 4.7 (10 reviews)

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.

Explore social bias from a psychological perspective

Welcome to this introduction to the University of Aberdeen’s 16‑week course, The Psychology of Social Bias, which runs twice a year in September and January. Should you wish to continue to the full course, you can enjoy 10% off your registration using the code FutureLearn26.

This course will explore the biological foundations of human interaction, examining why we are naturally predisposed to prejudice.

By investigating the structural brain processes that influence social bias, you will discover how the ‘social animal’ evolved to categorise the world.

Cognitive Mechanics and Behavioural Outcomes

Building on neurological foundations, this course will explore the manifestations of bias in society. You will study diverse forms of cognitive distortion from both biological and sociological perspectives.

To provide essential real-world context, the course also covers the legalities surrounding discriminatory behaviour in the UK.

Automatic versus Controlled Processing

Finally, this course will explore dual-process theory, demonstrating the tension between automatic and controlled mental systems. You will learn how the brain balances rapid, subconscious reactions with deliberate rational thought when navigating complex social landscapes.

A key focus is placed on social priming: the subtle environmental cues that subconsciously influence our decisions and movements through social systems. By understanding these dual systems, you will develop the capacity to recognise when the brain operates on autopilot, and learn to apply conscious control to mitigate the impact of implicit bias.

Syllabus

Week 1
The Psychology of Social Bias: Biased Social Animals and Biased Brains
- Welcome to the Psychology of Social Bias
  This activity will give you an overview of the course’s structure and intended learning outcomes. You can also access the course’s general discussion board from here
- Biased Social Animals
  In your first learning activity of the course, you will build foundational knowledge about social bias based on psychological theory.
- Biased Brains
  This activity will look at the biological basis of social bias with a focus on brain structure and genetics.
Week 2
Biased Cognition and Biased Behaviour
- Biased Social Animals: Biased Cognition & Behaviour
  This activity will look at various types of bias that occur during social situations.
- Biased behaviour/discrimination
  In this activity, you will learn about discrimination and victimisation
Week 3
Automatic and Controlled Processes
- System 1 and System 2
  In this activity, you will learn about automatic social cognition (System 1) and controlled social cognition (System 2)
- Automatic Social Cognition
  In this activity, you will learn about 3 types of priming and how these can be applied in social contexts
- Controlled Social Cognition
  This activity will teach you about controlled social cognition, the processes behind it, and how it applies in social contexts

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Identify key brain structures involved in social bias.
Discuss different forms of cognitive and social discrimination.
Explore the primary UK legalities regarding biased behaviour.
Explain automatic and controlled mental processes.
Describe social priming and its role in social systems.

Who is the course for?

This course is ideal for psychology students, HR professionals, and legal practitioners in the UK. It will suit anyone seeking to understand the neuroscience of prejudice, implicit bias, and the ethical or legal frameworks governing social systems and behaviour.

Who developed the course?

University of Aberdeen

University of Aberdeen is the 3rd oldest Scottish and 5th oldest UK University. With 14500 students from 120 countries, it is a world leader in medical research, energy, environment, law and business.

What's included?

University of Aberdeen are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

Unlimited access to this course

Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes

A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn