Introduction to Social Psychology

Blake McKimmie is a Professor and Associate Dean (Academic) in the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at The University of Queensland, where he has established himself as a leading expert in psychology and legal decision-making. His distinguished career is marked by numerous teaching accolades, including a Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in 2010 and a University of Queensland Teaching Excellence Award in 2016, while his teaching team earned the prestigious AAUT Higher Education Teacher of the Year award in 2019 and the edX Prize in 2018. As a social psychologist, he has authored over 80 research publications focusing on jury decision-making and the influence of gender-based stereotypes in legal outcomes, while also exploring group membership dynamics and attitude-behavior relations. McKimmie leads significant educational initiatives, including the acclaimed CRIME101x course and the PSYC1030x Introduction to Developmental, Social & Clinical Psychology XSeries Program on edX.org. His research has attracted funding from the Australian Research Council, and he actively collaborates with the Queensland Police Service Special Investigations Training team to improve responses to child sexual abuse cases. At UQ, he teaches core psychology courses, including a large introductory psychology course and a second-year elective on psychology and law, while maintaining involvement in police officer training and contributing valuable insights to law reform commissions, making him a influential figure in both academic psychology and practical legal applications.

Roy F. Baumeister serves as one of the world's most influential psychologists, with over 700 scientific publications and 40 books to his name. After receiving his PhD from Princeton University, he has made groundbreaking contributions to understanding human behavior, particularly in areas of self-control, belongingness, and identity. His research spans six major themes: self-control, decision-making, the need to belong, human sexuality, irrational behavior, and free will. His work on willpower and self-control has revolutionized our understanding of human behavior, demonstrating how self-regulation functions like a muscle that can be strengthened but also depleted. In 2013, he received the prestigious William James Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science for his lifetime achievements. Beyond academia, his 2011 book "Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength" became a New York Times bestseller, and his work has been featured in major media outlets worldwide. Currently holding affiliations with Harvard University, Constructor University Bremen, Florida State University, and the University of Bamberg, he serves as the president-elect of the International Positive Psychology Association. His research has particularly illuminated how humans develop self-identity, manage social relationships, and navigate cultural contexts, making him a leading authority in understanding the complexities of human behavior and social psychology.