Social psychology

Introduction

Who introduced social psychology?

What is social psychology?

When social psychology was introduced?

Why social psychology was introduced?

How social psychology was introduced?

What is social psychology ?

• Social psychology is about understanding individual behavior in a social context

• Baron, Byrne & Suls (1989) define social psychology as “the scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual behavior in social situations”

• According to psychologist Gordon Allport, social psychology is a discipline that uses scientific methods "to understand and explain how the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of other human beings."

Who introduced social psychology?

• Norman Triplett one of the first social psychologists invented social psychology in

• 1898

First two experiments of socialpsychology

• Norman Triplett (1898), one of the first social psychologists, demonstrated that performance on tasks is improved in the presence of others.

• Ringelmann (1913) showed that people put in less effort when they worked together.

Why social psychology was invented

• Social psychology was energized by researchers who attempted to understand how the German dictator Adolf Hitler could have produced such extreme obedience and horrendous behaviors in his followers during the Second World War. The studies on conformity conducted by Muzafir Sherif (1936) and Solomon Asch (1952 as well as those on obedience by Stanley Milgram (1974)

Social Psychology Areas

Attitude Attraction Aggression Group Behavior

• Studying the way people relate to others.

Social Facilitation Theory

• If you are really good at something….or it is an easy task…you will perform BETTER in front of a group.

• If it is a difficult task or you are not very good at it…you will perform WORSE in front of a group (social impairment).

Social CognitionThe way in which we interpret,

analyze, remember, and use information about our social world.

Attitudes and Attitude Change

• Another major research area in social psychology involves the study of attitudes. Social psychologists are interested in the components of attitudes, how attitudes develop and how attitudes change. Researchers have described three core components of attitude: an affective component, a behavioral component, and a cognitive component.

• Often referred to as the "ABC's of attitude," these elements describe how we feel, behave and understand.

Violence and Aggression

• What causes violence and aggression? Social psychologists are interested in how and why people engage in violence or act aggressively. Research in this area looks at numerous factors that may cause aggression including social variables and media influences.

• Researchers often look at the role social learning plays in producing aggressive behaviors and actions.

Prosocial Behavior

• Prosocial behavior is another major research area in social psychology. What is prosocial behavior? Prosocial behaviors are those that involve helping and cooperating. Researchers often look at why people help others, as well as why they sometimes refuse to help or cooperate.

• Much of the research in this area was prompted by the murder of a young woman named Kitty Genovese. This case captured national attention when reports revealed that neighbors had witnessed her attack and murder, but failed to call the police for help. Research inspired by the case produced a great deal of information on prosocial behavior and how and why people choose - or sometimes refuse - to help others.

Group Behavior

• The behavior of groups is one of the largest research areas in social psychology. Most people realize that groups tend to behave differently than individuals. These group behaviors are sometimes beneficial and positive, but they can also be detrimental and negative. Social psychologists often look at topics such as group dynamics, leadership, group decision-making, conflicts, cooperation and group influence

Group Polarization

• Groups tend to make more extreme decisions than the individual.

Social Loafing

• The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling efforts toward a common goal than if they were individually accountable.

Interpersonal Relationships

• Social relationships play a major role in shaping behavior, attitudes, feelings and thoughts. Social psychologists study how these interpersonal relationships affect people by looking at attachment, liking, love and attraction. How do close relationships affect individuals? How important are these interpersonal relationships? These are just a few of the questions social psychologists seek to explain.

What are some of the things you find interesting about social psychology?

• Social psychology is very much concerned with the inter-relational aspects of persons and groups; that is, social psychology is the study of how people and groups think about, influence and relate to self and one another. Topics include social perception, social cognition, conformity, compliance, obedience, attitudes, persuasion, group processes, prejudice, aggression, pro-social behavior, conflict management, attraction, close relationships, and marriage. I find all of these topics intrinsically interesting, as do most students and persons, because this is a large part of the “stuff” of living.

What social psychologist can read

• There are several educational paths that lead to a career in social psychology. Students at the bachelor’s level may earn a degree in social psychology, or a general psychology degree with a social psychology concentration. Students can then work towards obtaining a master’s degree in social psychology. On the doctoral level, social psychology students may earn a PhD or a PsyD.

Job Opportunities

• Social psychologists have a number of job options available to them and can work at colleges and universities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, hospitals, and private companies. In order to pursue these careers, professionals need to complete a graduate-level social psychology degree

Political Strategists

• It’s not uncommon for politicians to employ social psychologists to help devise strategies that will win over voters. Political strategists, also known as political consultants, are responsible for polling constituents; creating television, radio, and direct mail campaign pieces; and raising funds for candidates.

• This career was developed during the last half of the 20th century, as the popularity of radio and television allowed politicians to reach a large audience quickly.