Social Influences on Human Behaviour

Course Overview

Social influence refers to the process where an individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by the presence and actions of others, as well as interactions with others.

The Social Influences on Human Behaviour micro-credential course highlights the impact of social influence on individual thinking, feeling and behaviour.

This course explores how human behaviour is influenced within social contexts such as families, friendships, and peer groups. Explore how behaviour differs in small intimate social groups and organisations versus larger gatherings, and large organisations.

In this micro-credential you will investigate group dynamics. Discover the impact of leadership, power, communication patterns, and social norms on behaviour and the overall functioning of the group.

Gain a better understanding of how individuals form opinions, make decisions, and respond to social stimuli within a collective setting.

The course will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the field of social psychology, and the different facets of human life.

Time commitment per week

An average of 10 – 13 hours weekly.

Is this course for you?

If you want to understand how thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by social context – then this micro-credential is for you. 

What is social influence?  

Social influence can manifest in various forms, such as self-presentation, stereotypes and prejudice. Through studying social influence, social psychologists aim to uncover the factors that shape people’s decisions, attitudes, and actions in response to social pressure or group norms. 

Dates

• Class of 2025 February: 10 February – 6 April
• Class of 2025 March:  10 March – 4 May
• Class of 2025 May: 12 May – 6 July
• Class of 2025 June: 9 June – 3 August
• Class of 2025 August: 11 August – 5 October
• Class of 2025 September: 8 September – 2 November

There are no online classes. Course content is released on a weekly basis allowing you to work through the course material, and meet weekly targets, at a time that is most convenient to you.

Certification

Upon completion, you will receive a digital certificate of competence and badge. Your certificate and badge can be shared on 100+ social media platforms, allowing you to share your achievement with a single click.

Credential Type

The OpenLearning team has reviewed this course to ensure quality academic learning within the Malaysian and Australian credentialing framework.

An OpenLearning OpenCred is a type of credential that can stand-alone or interact with a formal qualification. OpenCred courses are market-leading online courses that prepare learners for the future of work.

This course has been designed and developed by experts in the field of psychology. The Social Influences on Human Behaviour micro-credential is for anyone needing to upskill in this area and offers 40 hours of learning and assessment.

Learners study online with peers and receive robust academic content while acquiring practical industry-relevant skills.

OpenCreds

Completing this course leads to obtaining an OpenCred.

• 80 hours of learning
• OpenCred classification: Pathway

Stackable Credentials

Stack specified combinations of micro-credentials and they can be recognised as equivalent to a module within the Bachelor of Applied Social Science Degree at SACAP.

Social Identity Formation can be stacked with Social Influences on Human Behaviour and if you meet the minimum entrance criteria, you can enrol for the Bachelor of Applied Social Science Degree and apply for module exemption.

What You’ll Need

• Access to Microsoft Word
• Google Chrome (recommended)
• Stable internet connection

What You’ll Learn

Over the course of eight (8) weeks, through videos, readings and discussions, you will explore the following topics:

Week 1: Gain an understanding of how social influence tends to dictate our beliefs and behaviours.

Week 2: Explore factors that influence human decision-making and behaviour.

Week 3: Investigate how prosocial behaviour is embedded within the “belongingness hypothesis.”

Week 4: Anti-social behaviour in the forms of aggression and violence.

Week 5: The importance and complexities of close relationships.

Week 6: Sexuality and current social influence.

Week 7:  Understand how social influences impact on health.

Week 8: Undertake a summative assessment that captures all the key learning outcomes for this course.

Course Outcomes

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Describe the power of social influence leading to obedience and conformity to social expectations.
• Define the principle of self-regulation in mediating behaviour change despite negative social influences.
• Recognize the significance of prosocial behaviours in positive self-development and helping others.
• Identify antisocial behaviours and symptoms of aggression.
• Examine the nature of close relationships and definitions of love.
• Explain current social influences upon expressions of sexuality.

The Team

Our short course developers and assessors are expert practitioners. They have been selected for the breadth and depth of experience in their respective disciplines. The team loves sharing their knowledge and online learning expertise to help you get the most out of your learning journey.