SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Social Psychology-What is it? -social psychology is the scientific study of how people thing about,influence,and relate to one another.Listed below are links to social psychology topics such as prejudice and discrimination,gender,culture,social influence,interpersonal relations,group behavior,aggression,and more Areas of Study -Social psychology looks at many elements of human behavior -These include:Prejudice,discrimination,and diversity -The psychology of gender -Social influence -Groups behavior -Interpersonal relations -Violence,conflict resolution and peace -Prosocial behavior -And many other areas.. Group behavior -For centuries,sages and scholars have been fascinated by groups-by the way they form,change over time,dissipate unexpectedly,achieve great goals,and sometimes commit great wrongs.The tendency to join with others in groups is perhaps the most important single characteristic of humans,and these groups leave an indelible imprint on their members and on society.To understand people,we must understand their groups -People easily from clubs,fraternal societies,and the like,based on congeniality,which may give rise to real intimacy...Where there is a little common interest and activity,kindness grows like weeds by the roadside--Charles Horton Cooley 1909 p26 -The social process by which people interact and behave in a group environment is called Group Dynamics -Group dynamics involves the influence of personality,power,and behavior on the group process -How is formal and informal power used to build consensus or reach decisions? -Does the combination of individuals produce the right culture? -How these individuals,cultures,and internal forces interact allows us to analyze and better understand group effectiveness -There are two types of groups: 1.Formal groups who are structured to pursue a specific task,and 2.Informal groups who emerge naturally in response to organizational or member interests Group Structure and Size -Effective group performance depends to a large extend,on the size and composition of the group -A group may consist of as few as two people (giving credibility to the statement that two heads are better than one),or as many as three or for hundred -Larger groups increase the possibility of conflict due to the variety viewpoints,few opportunities for the development of social relationships,a decrease in participation levels,and lack of opportunity for individual recognition