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PSY-30180 - Module Specification
School of Psychology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

PSY-30180 - Morality, Justice, and Society: Perspectives from Moral and Social Psychology
Coordinator: Masi Noor Tel: +44 1782 7 32946
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733736

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

How do we decide what is right and wrong? How do we assign blame and responsibility? What factors affect trust and cooperation? How can social and moral psychology contribute to our understanding of justice?
Questions like these have fascinated social and moral psychologists for decades and in this module, we will explore critical perspectives and key debates in psychology that help us to understand the basis of morality and justice in society. In order to build your knowledge, we will cover several topics including responsibility and blame, trust, and justice, critically reviewing contemporary research to discuss how these operate in society.
The module contains weekly taught interactive sessions where you will be encouraged to develop your knowledge and shape your own research ideas. Importantly and through active discussions, you will learn to apply your understanding of morality and justice to real world issues.

Aims
How do we decide what is right and wrong? How do we assign blame and responsibility? What factors affect trust and cooperation? What are the psychological mechanisms of justice?
This module explores the basis of morality and justice and how these operate in society. Using contemporary theories and research findings in moral and social psychology, the module aims 1) to provide students with an in-depth understanding of contemporary theories, current issues of contention, and research findings related to morality, justice, and society 2) to enable students to critically evaluate existing research, and 3) to demonstrate an awareness of how these theories can be applied to real-world settings.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/psy-30180/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

Critically reflect on your own assumptions, values, and positions in light of contemporary theories, concepts, and research findings in moral and social psychology relating to morality, justice, and society.: 1,2
Critically evaluate theories, debates, concepts, and research findings in contemporary moral and social psychology relating to morality, justice, and society and develop a clear rationale for further research in these areas.: 1,2
Demonstrate an awareness of how theories and research findings in moral psychology and social psychology can be applied to real-world settings.: 2

Study hours

20 hrs (10 sessions) synchronous taught sessions.
2 hrs (2 sessions) assessment-focused sessions.
128 hrs independent study including 9 hrs asynchronous activities (9 hrs asynchronous activities included here. Of the remaining hours, 20% of this should be reading recommended papers, 10% should be reviewing taught materials, 30% should be preparing and writing the reflective analysis, 40% should be preparing and writing the written report).

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Reflective Diary weighted 40%
Reflective Analysis
Students will write a reflective written assignment (1,200 words). Students will concisely demonstrate their understanding of two key topics (i.e., concept or models) of their choice that are covered across different lectures. Students will be explicitly encouraged to engage in critical self-reflections by requiring them to examine their own assumptions, values, and positions in relation to each topic, both before and after the relevant lectures.

2: Report weighted 60%
Report
A 1800 word report applying a theory covered on the module. This report should consider the content and topics covered so far and apply key theories and research to a real-world problem. Students should explain theories or research findings, explain the real-world issue, and then demonstrate how the research and/or theories can help us understand, shed light on, and/or resolve the real-world issue.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025