Chapter 1 What is Social Psychology Defining Social

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Chapter 1 What is Social Psychology?

Chapter 1 What is Social Psychology?

Defining Social Psychology • The scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave

Defining Social Psychology • The scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave in social context. – Such as…? – We influence others and they influence us. – The Great Lesson (which often separates SP from the other disciplines).

Scientific Study • Social psychology relies on the scientific method. • Scientific method involves:

Scientific Study • Social psychology relies on the scientific method. • Scientific method involves: – Systematic observation – Description – Measurement – It does not involve anecdotal experiences or case studies of individuals.

How Individuals Think, Feel, and Behave • Social psychology concerns a diverse set of

How Individuals Think, Feel, and Behave • Social psychology concerns a diverse set of topics. • Focus is on the psychology of the individual.

Social Context • Emphasis is on the social nature of individuals. – But, the

Social Context • Emphasis is on the social nature of individuals. – But, the “socialness” of social psychology varies. • “Other people” do not have to be real or present. – Even the implied or imagined presence of others can have important effects on individuals.

Social Psychological Questions

Social Psychological Questions

Social Psychological Questions

Social Psychological Questions

Social Psychology and Sociology • How are they different? – Sociology tends to focus

Social Psychology and Sociology • How are they different? – Sociology tends to focus on the group level. – Social psychology tends to focus on the individual level. • How do the fields intersect? – Often share the same training and publish in the same journals. – Both can help in understanding societal and immediate factors that influence behavior.

Social Psychology and Related Fields

Social Psychology and Related Fields

Social Psychology and Common Sense • The “knew-it-all-along” phenomenon. • Common sense seems to

Social Psychology and Common Sense • The “knew-it-all-along” phenomenon. • Common sense seems to explain many social psychological findings after the fact. – But how does one distinguish common sense facts from common sense myths? • Unlike common sense, social psychology uses the scientific method to put its theories to the test.

A Call to Action: 1930 s – 1950 s • Who had the most

A Call to Action: 1930 s – 1950 s • Who had the most dramatic impact on social psychology? – Quite possibly Adolf Hitler! – Why?

A Call to Action: 1930 s – 1950 s (cont’d) • WWII prompted social

A Call to Action: 1930 s – 1950 s (cont’d) • WWII prompted social psychologists to examine the nature of prejudice, aggression, and conformity • In 1953, Gordon Allport published The Nature of Prejudice • Solomon Asch’s research on conformity • Milgram’s famous obedience experiments

Social Psychology in a New Century • Integrating emotion, motivation, and cognition • Biological

Social Psychology in a New Century • Integrating emotion, motivation, and cognition • Biological and evolutionary perspectives • Cultural perspectives • New technologies

Integration of emotion, motivation, and cognition • Integration of “hot” and “cold” variables concerning

Integration of emotion, motivation, and cognition • Integration of “hot” and “cold” variables concerning conflict of wanting to be right vs. wanting to feel good about oneself • Growing interest in distinguishing between automatic vs. controllable processes, and understanding dynamic between them

Biological and Evolutionary Perspectives • Social neuroscience • Behavioral genetics • Evolutionary psychology

Biological and Evolutionary Perspectives • Social neuroscience • Behavioral genetics • Evolutionary psychology

Cultural Perspectives • Defining “culture” • Cross-cultural research • Multicultural research

Cultural Perspectives • Defining “culture” • Cross-cultural research • Multicultural research

Other Interdisciplinary Approaches • Behavioral economics

Other Interdisciplinary Approaches • Behavioral economics

New Technologies • Brain imaging technology and procedures – positron emission tomography (PET) –

New Technologies • Brain imaging technology and procedures – positron emission tomography (PET) – event-related potential (ERP) – transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – functional magnetic resonance imaging (f. MRI) • Internet