PSYCH 353Social Cognition
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Arts
- Subject
- Psychology
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 1 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
This course examines how people make sense of their social world: how they perceive, represent, interpret, and remember information about themselves and about other individuals and groups. Topics include representation, recall, and use of social knowledge, controllability of thought processes, effects of feelings and desires, stereotype activation and use, and cultural influences.
Prerequisites
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Resources
Around the web
Found by uwloo’s link finder, which checks that each page names PSYCH 353.
- Social Cognition Course notes · plett.dev · from Josiah Plett’s site, CS webring Remove
Reviewed on UW Flow
70% liked it61% easy100% useful
From 10 ratings and 5 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Read everything, attend class, remember the songs. Got 100 in this course.
Sep 2015 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Two midterms with short questions and an essay (25% each), a portfolio worth 15% and the final. The essay and portfolio were both due on the last weeks of the term, make sure to prepare early
Aug 2015 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Fantastic course. Great new content every single week on topics including: intercultural wisdom, levels of thought abstraction, studying strategy, goal theory, promotion vs prevention, etc.
Highly, highly recommend.Nov 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
I found that this course got me to think about practical applications of the concepts using the discussion boards which was interesting and helpful. Really, this course enabled me to connect my prior knowledge in Social Development Studies to Cognition and helped me to see how cognitive functions operate and inform our society at large. Great course, but I'm also a nerd who absolutely loves this stuff.
Nov 2020 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Don't take it unless you enjoy memorizing multiple studies for tests.
Mar 2017 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
4 posts and comments in 4 threads mention PSYCH 353, August 2013 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Winter 2023
Which 2 course combos should I take: PSYCH 420 & PSYCH 353 vs PSYCH 458 & PSYCH 336? 1 point, 1 comment
u/Comrarius: “… So my alternative is to either replace PSYCH 420 with PSYCH 458 to fulfill the same degree reqs, or to replace PSYCH 336 with PSYCH 353 (for my any level 300+ course requirement). Anybody here who took any of those 4 courses? …”
Spring 2019
Easy 3rd year Psych course 5 points, 5 comments
“I'm using Psych to fill up my CS depth requirement, and have one more left. I know all Psych courses have heady readings anyways, so I don't expect anything less. …”
u/theShitPostMaster: “PSYCH353 if you have taken PSYCH253”
Winter 2016
anyone taken PSYCH 353 or PSYCH 211? 1 point, 3 comments
u/darwinbitch: “planning on doing one of these 2 courses during spring semester and was wondering which one of them is a bird course. Developmental psych with Dr. Pamela Seeds or social cognition with Dr. Stephen Spencer ?”
Spring 2013
What courses are you taking in September? 8 points, 29 comments
“Any that you're excited about? Any that you're dreading?”
u/Enigmers: “… On the other hand, my electives are Music Theory (MUSIC 270) and Social Cognition (PSYCH 353), which are both things I'm really interested in. (i.e. …”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them