Social Psychology

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Social Psychology

• PSYC 3450

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Introduction

• Chapter 1

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What is Social Psychology
Social Psychology The scientific study of the
feelings, thoughts, and behaviors of individuals
in social settings.
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What is Social Psychology
Social Psychology The scientific discipline that
attempts to understand and explain how the
thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals
are influenced by the actual, imagined, or
implied presence of others.
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• What is Social Psychology
• Social Psychology Examines How We are Influenced
  by Others

CAUSE (Other people)
Effect (Individual)
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Psychological Sociological Social Psychology

• Psychological social psychology- focus is on the
  individual and his or her response to the social
  situation
• Sociological social psychology- focus is on
  larger group or societal variables
• Situationism- scientific belief in the importance
  of the situation

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Social Psychological Research and Common Sense

• Common sense is frequently wrong!
• Naïve Scientists

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The History of Social Psychology
1895 Triplett conducts research generally
considered the 1st empirical social psychological
study.
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1908 McDougall and Ross each publish separate
textbooks titled Social Psychology, establishing
social psychology as a distinct subfield.
1924 Floyd H. Allport publishes the 3rd Social
Psychology textbook.
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History of Social Psychology 1935 - 1945
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History of Social Psychology 1935 - 1945
1936 Social scientists form the Society for the
Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI).
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History of Social Psychology 1935 - 1945
During this time period there is an increase in
anti-Semitism.
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History of Social Psychology 1935 - 1945
During this time period there is an increase in
anti-Semitism.
Many social scientists, like Kurt Lewin, fled
Europe and came to America.
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History of Social Psychology
1940s 1950s Authoritarian personality,
obedience, persuasion, conformity, and cognitive
dissonance
1960s Aggression, helping behavior, attraction,
love
1970s - 1980s Ethics, race/gender, cognitive
psychology
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History of Social Psychology
1985 Current Culture genetics
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Organizing Principles in Social Psychology

• The self is influenced by the environment and the
  environment is influenced by the self.
• Principle of construal

Interactionism Perspective that emphasizes the
combined effects of both the person and the
situation on human behavior.
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Organizing Principles in Social Psychology 2.
Culture shapes social behavior.
Individualism- individual needs are put before
group needs, there is a preference for loosely
knit social relationships, and there is a desire
to be generally autonomous of others
influence. Collectivism- there is a preference
for a tightly knit social framework in which
individuals can expect their relatives or other
members of their social group to look after them
in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.
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Organizing Principles in Social Psychology 3.
Evolution shapes universal patterns of social
behavior.
Evolutionary psychology 4. People
underestimate the power of the situation 5.
People need to feel connected to other people 6.
People are cognitive misers Motivated tacticians