Chapter 1 What is Social Psychology What is Social Psychology Social Psychology the scientific study of how individuals think feel and behave in a social context The scientific study observations descriptions and measurements of the study of the human condition applies the scientific method Of how individuals think feel and behave focuses on the individual In a social context focus on human behavior that concerns others or is influenced by others non social behavior is also studied Sociology focuses on group social psych on individual Versus Clinical Psych focuses on disorders social psych on typical behavior Personality Psych internal stable emotions social psych on external environment how social factors affect the individual Cognitive Psych mental processes social psych how these mental processes work with respect to social info A Brief History of Social Psychology 1880 1935 Birth Infancy Gathering Forces Founder of social psychology o Normal Triplett first research article experiment bicyclists race faster in the presence of other racers o Max Ringelmann published later individuals perform worse on simple tasks in presence of others o These two individuals asked social psychologists two questions Is individual performance enhanced by presence of others Is individual performance impaired by presence of others Establishment of social psych as a distinct field of study first textbooks o William McDougall o Edward Ross Floyd Allport o 1930 1950 A Call to Action Great Leap Forward Adolf Hitler strongest influence on social psych Gordon Allport formed Society of Psychological Study of Social Issues Muzafer Sherif studied social influence conformity Kurt Lewin social psych theorist o Interactionist Perspective field theory behavior is a function of the interaction between both the individual and the environment o Social Psych Application WWII conserving materials and protecting soldiers other practical applications Soloman Asch people will conform to an obviously wrong majority Leon Festinger o People learn about themselves by comparing themselves with others o People s attitudes can be changed by their own behavior 1950 1960 Classical Period Prosperous increased government funding high public regard Systematic programs of research Golden Age both economically and intellectually 1960 1975 Confidence Crisis Period of expansion and enthusiasm Stanley Milgram vulnerability to destructive commands of authority most famous social psych research ever Dominant research method laboratory experiments o Too controlled placebo effect o Sample size too small unethical biased o Theories were historically and culturally limited Social psych research was split experimental vs observational 1970 to Present Uniform rigorous ethical standards for research guard against bias Pluralistic approach different topics require different kinds of investigations no method is perfect surveys naturalistic observation case studies etc Hot perspective emotion motivation determine behavior 50s 60s Cold perspective cognition determines behavior 70s 80s NOW BOTH Social Psychology in a New Century Social Cognition The study of how we perceive remember and interpret info about ourselves and others More integration between hot and cold perspectives ex How people s motivations influence unconscious cognitive processes Social Neuroscience study of the relationship between neural and social processes how the social world affects the brain Behavioral Genetics effect of genes on behavior inherited traits Evolutionary Psychology uses principles of evolution to understand behavior natural selection ex Evolution of jealousy A culture is a system of enduring meanings beliefs values assumptions institutions and practices shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next Cross Cultural Research Examination of similarities and differences across a variety of cultures Evaluate generality or cultural specificity of theories Multicultural Research examines racial and ethnic groups within cultures