Question

Define social psychology. Explain the core values adopted by social psychology as a science.

Short answer

Social psychology is the study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by others. Its core values include a commitment to empirical evidence, delving deep to understand underlying processes, acknowledging the impact of social context, promoting individual and societal well-being, and valuing diversity in individuals and societies.

Step-by-step solution

Defining Social Psychology

Begin by providing the standard definition of social psychology. Social psychology is the scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave in a social context. This area of psychology focuses on how people's thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.

Explaining Core Values of Social Psychology

Identify and elaborate on the core values that guide the practice and research in social psychology. These core values include a commitment to empirical evidence (relying on systematic observations to draw conclusions), the search for wisdom beyond the surface (looking for underlying processes that explain observed social behavior), and the acknowledgment that behavior is shaped by a social context (considering how situations and cultural contexts influence behavior). Additionally, social psychologists emphasize the importance of analyzing individual and societal well-being and understanding diversity among individuals and cultural contexts.

Key concepts

Scientific Study of Social Context

The scientific study of social context is a pillar of social psychology. This discipline delves into how individuals' thoughts and actions are shaped by their surroundings, including the people with whom they interact.

In essence, social context refers to the immediate physical and social setting in which people live or in something specific that they are doing. It could include their cultural norms, the company they keep, and even larger societal forces at play. With careful observation and rigorous methodologies, social psychologists assess how these factors might influence an individual's behavior and attitudes. For example, understanding crowd behavior, conformity, obedience, and social norms are all scrutinized under this lens.

To provide a clearer picture, let's imagine a study investigating how people's recycling habits change when they're in a group setting versus when they are alone. Such research would not only focus on individual attitudes towards recycling but also how the presence of others might encourage or deter these pro-environmental behaviors.

Empirical Evidence in Psychology

Empirical evidence in psychology is what separates speculation from science. It refers to the information and data that researchers gather through systematic observation and experimentation.

In social psychology, this might include conducting surveys, observing behavior in natural settings or controlled experiments, and analyzing historical data or case studies. The goal is to build a knowledge base that is reliable, valid, and applicable across different situations.

For example, a social psychologist might measure levels of aggression in children who have been exposed to violent video games versus those who have not. This use of empirical evidence allows psychologists to make informed conclusions about the potential effects of widespread media exposure on certain behaviors.

Underlying Processes of Social Behavior

Understanding the underlying processes of social behavior is a fundamental goal of social psychology. It goes beyond observable behavior to question why people act as they do in social settings.

These underlying processes can include cognition (how people think), emotion (how people feel), and motivation (why people act). Each of these elements can be influenced by various factors such as personal experiences, biological predispositions, cultural background, and current circumstances.

For instance, exploring prejudice and discrimination requires an examination of attitudes (cognition), feelings (emotion), and actions (behavior), as well as the social conditioning that may contribute to biased perspectives.

Social Behavior and Cultural Contexts

The exploration of social behavior within its cultural contexts is key to understanding human interaction. Cultural contexts can profoundly shape the norms, values, and expectations that inform how people behave around others.

This aspect of social psychology emphasizes the diversity of human experience and the necessity of considering social behavior from a cultural perspective. Whether investigating conformity, communication styles, or concepts of self and identity, cultural underpinnings play a significant role.

For example, the concept of 'saving face' has different implications across cultures and can influence how individuals manage conflict or maintain relationships. By recognizing and appreciating this variety, social psychologists can better comprehend how societal and cultural forces contribute to shaping individual behavior.