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All credit goes to http://ucspace.canberra.edu.au/display/7125/Lecture+Introduction

Introduction to Social Psychology

Defining Social psychology

Social psychology is defined as a joint function of personal and situational influences. (Baumeister & Bushman, 2008)

There are 3 main facets of Socila psychology; the ABCs.

1. Affect(feelings)
2. Behaviour(action)
3. Cognition(thoughts)

Social psychology can be between 2 individuals, an individual and a group and among groups.

How does Social psychology differ from Sociology?

Simply, Sociology focuses on groups while Social psychology focuses both on groups and individuals

There are 3 aspects of Social psychology.

1. Social perception-How we interpret social objects
2. Social influence-How others influence our attitudes & behaviours
3. Social interaction-How we interact with others in the social world

Applications of Social Psychology Social psychology can be applied in
Business when sales assistants make deals with their customers,

health when peers influence us to drink or smoke,

Education when we learn more about ourselves and others,

Law and environment when we engage in prosocial behaviour.

History of Social psychology

• volkerpsychologie(folk psych)
• crwod psychology (group mind)
• influences of WWII
• Gordon Allport
• Gestalt theory
• Post WWII-explaining atrocities with experiments like Milgram (obedience) and Zimbardo (roles)

Research

• state problem
• create hypothesis
• design study/experiment
• conduct study, collect data & results
• data analysis
• conclusion and discussion

Research methods

1. experimental (DV, IV) +control, low flexibility, low ecological validiy vs non experimental (more naturalistic, ethical, higher construct validity, low control)

1. quantitative vs qualitative

Research ethics

• informed consent
• harm, discomfort, risk, benefits
• deception
• confidentiality
• debrief

Culture and nature

• psyche-mind-
• evolution-natural selection: survival, mutation, reproduction