Current Issues in Social Psychology is a series of edited books that reflect the state of current and emerging topics of interest in social psychology.. Each volume makes a conceptual contribution to the topic by reviewing or synthesizing the existing research literature, by advancing theory in the area, or by some combination of these missions. Social psychologists focus on how people construe or interpret situations and how these interpretations influence their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Ross & Nisbett, 1991). History of Social Psychology. There are numerous topics that social psychologists investigate in their research. By better understanding these issues, psychologists can look for ways to prevent, identify, and remedy such problems. If so, is its growing influence substantially different from that of other emerging psychological areas? This approach is now the rule rather than the exception and no one is surprised when scientists engage in these debates. Start studying Social Psychology: Exam #1. Social psychology is the scientific study of behavior of the individual in Society. No, one can deny the subject matter of Social Psychology. Early Influences. What makes social psychology such an important topic? How the Social Situation Influences Our Mental and Physical Health. Social Psychology in the Public Interest. Accept. Recent randomized experiments have found that seemingly “small” social-psychological interventions in education—that is, brief exercises that target students’ thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in and about school—can lead to large gains in student achievement and sharply reduce achievement gaps even months and years later. A quick glimpse at the daily news shows just how profoundly social problems can impact people's lives. There’s no shortage of evidence that loneliness, social anxiety and social isolation can cause excessive use of social networking sites in young people. Thus, social psychology studies individuals in a social context and how situational variables interact to influence behavior. To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. 1Like other scientific fields, social psychology is increasingly asked to solve the problems that civil society is facing.Major societal issues prompt fierce debates and each side tries to bolster their position by reference to scientific evidence and expertise. Sports: This is the study of how psychology can be used to improve performance and motivation in athletes. Social psychologists assert that an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are very much influenced by social situations. Using the tools of social psychology … * Social psychology, as interpreted in this chapter, seems to the editors to embrace a realm of subjeft matter that has in great part been traditionally studied by other discip-lines. Introduction to applied social psychology 5 Figure 1.1 Foot-in-the-door technique Figure 1.2 Cognitive dissonance reduction us to predict future events. Aristotle believed that humans were naturally sociable, a necessity which allows us to live together (an individual centered approach), whilst Plato felt that the state controlled the individual and encouraged social responsibility through social context (a socio-centered approach). Has the emergence of evolutionary psychology had an increasing impact on personality and social psychological research published over the past two decades? What are the causes of prejudices and other types of social conditioning? If we are in a new situation or are unsure how to behave, we will take our cues from … We use cookies to improve your website experience. In this chapter, we describe several protocols for a systematic and planned approach towards applying social psychology to understanding and reducing social problems. Social psychologists are interested in all aspects of interpersonal relationships and the ways that psychology can improve those interactions.