What is Social Psychology?

_The scientific field that seeks to understand the

nature and causes of individual behaviour in social
situations. (Baron, Byrne and Suls)

Core concepts of social psychology:

History of social psychology

1. Scientists started systematically measuring
thoughts, motions and behaviours of humans.
2. Earliest experiments on human behaviours where
in 1900
3. Kurt Lewin and Leon Festinger refined
experimental approaches.
4. Lewin is known as father of social psychology
5. Energized during WWII to figure Hitler's extreme
cultivated obediance.
6. Studies on conformity conducted by Muzafir
Sherif(1936) and Solomon Asch(1952), Stanley
Milgram studied obediance(1974).
7. Muzafir Sherif and Gordon Allport focused on
intergroup relations.
8. Goal of understanding stereotyping, prejudice and
discrimination.

What does social psychology do?

1. Social psychology describes, explain, predict and
change behaviour.
2. Study social thinking, social influencing, social
relations.
Social thinking:

1. It is how we perceive ourselves and

others.
2. What we believe
3. Our Judgements
4. Our attitudes

Effects:
1. We construct our social reality.
2. Our social intuitons are sometimes
powerful and overwhelming.
3. [[Attitudes]] shape and are shaped by
behaviour.

Social influences:

1. Biology and culture.

2. Pressure to conform.
3. Persuasion.
4. Intragroup behaviour

Effects:
1. Social influences shape behaviour.
2. Dispositions shape behaviour.

Social Relations:

1. Prejudice
2. Agression and intimacy
3. Helping

Effects:
1. Social behavior is also biological
behaviour.
2. Feelings and actions toward people are
sometimes negative and sometimes
positive.

Attitudes
1. They are evaluations people make about objects,
ideas, events or other people. They can be +ve or-ve
2. Explicit attitudes are conscious beliefs that can
guide decisions and behaviours.
3. Implicit attitudes are unconscious beliefs that can
also influence decisions and behaviours.

ABC Model of attitude

Tripartite model of attitudes

Cognitive dissonance
Mental discomfort that results from from holding two
conflicting beliefs, values or attitudes.