Social Psychology

The social psychology is a discipline which as a branch common to the Psychologie and the Sociologie (a psychology for sociologists at the same time as a sociology for psychologists) is interested on the one hand in the influence of the cognitive Processus S and Sociaux on the relations between the individuals (Interpersonal relationships), and on the other hand with the way whose these two dimensions while interacting between them produce sometimes the “social one”, sometimes of “psychological”. Schematically, she studies the interactions of the individuals in group, company and in the organizations, their double dimension of psychological and social agents.

Badly known and little taught in the universities, it is however at the base of a great number of techniques and professional practices (surveys, groups of formation and creativity (brainstorming), publicity).

Basic principles in social psychology

The essence of the dynamics of social psychology as currently included/understood can be summarized to two Axiome S fundamental, three principles motivationnels, and three principles operation of the cognitive Processus S and social.

Two fundamental axioms

  • the construction of reality. Each individual has a vision, a personal design of the reality of which it forms part. This design is built starting from the cognitive and social processes.
  • extent of the social influence. An individual, his emotions, his thoughts and his behavior are largely influenced by the people who surround it, even in the absence of other individuals.

Three principles motivationnels

See also: Motivation

  • the need for control. People tend to try to predict or include/understand the events which occur in the external environment and the company in order to obtain a reward such as survival, safety or the regard that one has of oneself.
  • the need for contact. People attach importance to the social contacts the such love and the support coming from the individuals and of the groups who are close for them.
  • the valorization of “ego” and the “mien”. People tend to compare themselves with the others with a positive skew and develop what they like and have.

Three principles of operation of the cognitive and social processes

  • the Conservatism. At the human being, conservatism is the tendency that our cognitive and social processes, our ideas, our impressions tend to persist and are slow to change.
  • accessibility. The most accessible information, that which is easiest to get is generally that which has the most impact on our cognition, our behavior and our emotions.
  • superficiality and depth. The human one generally tends to process the data perceived with superficiality although sometimes certain sources of motivation involve it with going more in-depth.

Methods of research in social psychology

Research in social psychology, as in Psychology in general, uses various methods of research. One of the most effective methods used is the experimental estimate or Experimental method. This one can be done in laboratory or natural environment and is characterized mainly by the handling of a independent Variable studied at various individuals or groups. In general, one uses a reference group and one or more experimental groups in order to observe the effect of the modification of these variables for finally obtaining a bond of Causalité. In certain situations, such as for example in the studies on the effects of the natural disasters, it may be that it is impossible to work with a reference group. One can then carry out a study on a reference group are equivalent. One speaks then about quasi experimental estimate or quasi experimental method.

At a more primitive stage of research one can seek causality between two variables but simply the correlation. Call to the estimate corrélationnel or corrélationnelle method is then made. In this case, no variable is handled by the experimenter. It is about a descriptive and nonexperimental method. Whenever, for example, for reasons of ethics, it is not possible to recreate certain conditions in laboratory or to carry out experiments on certain groups of people one can call upon other types of not-experimental methods like the investigations, the interviews, simulations or the roleplays. Methods known as secondary or historical like the case study, the Analysis of contents, the archivistic Analysis or the Méta-analyzes (synthesis of several studies) are also used in research in social psychology.

One of the experiments of the social psychology most known is the Expérience of Milgram.

Some basic questions

  • By which processes and skew the individuals judge and evaluate? is

  • Which attributions that a person makes event spontaneously?
  • Comment the individual react does to the realization of a problematic act? is
  • Which the impact of the dynamics of a group on the emotional cognition and states?
  • How the social groups control or contribute to the behavior, the emotion, or the attitudes of the various members? is
  • Which the impact of the group on the individual?
  • Comment the individual act does in a social group?
  • can one distinguish group and social category?

Topics studied by social psychology

Critical of social psychology

Social psychology is the subject often of several criticisms. One of them relates to the fact that the majority of the studies carried out in social psychology are American what can create a skew at the cultural level as for its broad outlines. This point indicates a need for making or for remaking studies in other countries and contexts cultural. Another criticism underlines cultural and temporal instability results obtained at the time of research in social psychology since the correlation or causality between variables studied at the time of a research can largely change with time or the place, from where the need for studying in-depth the processes which connect the variables.

See too

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