There are two separate sections in this three page paper. 1.Discussion a page or page and half. A brief definition of applied social psychology.(b) Then explain how you might apply one element of applied social psychology in your field of interest.(C) explain one way that using applied social psychology in your field of interest may affect social change. 2. discussion: Two pages or one and half pages (A) A brief descripton of the employees with low job satisfaction and employee with high job satisfaction. (B) Explain the reasons for their satisfaction beyond the score, (C)Explain how non-work related social cognitive factors might have influenced employee satisfaction for two of the employees. (D) Explain two areas in which a consultant might use social psychology to maintain or improve work satisfaction .
Social Psych
Applied social psychology refers to the application of social psychological theories and research to practice. Social psychology is the study of human behavior in social situations. The field draws as much from sociology as psychology, to describe issues like gender, race, and power but from a more individualistic perspective. Whereas sociology is interested more in the macro processes shaping society and its institutions, social psychology is concerned with the role the individual plays and how social factors shape personal identity and behavior. The application of social psychology could be in a range of professional fields including private counseling, school counseling, or social work. Some of the most important applications of social psychology are in the realm of public policy analysis and development, or in administration. Issues such as attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms are probed in the research, as are problems related to criminality and aggression.
I will apply several elements of social psychology in my field. For example, I would like to study the phenomenon of bullying in schools related to the use of technology. What I learn from this research can be applied to the development of school policies and programs, as well as for counseling best practices. I would also like to study the social psychology of social media, and apply that knowledge to school policies or public awareness campaigns. Another area in which I will use applied social psychology in my field is by studying risk factors for criminality among young people, including family influences and the influences of conflict theory. Then, I can apply that knowledge to targeted intervention programs. Industrial and organizational psychology are also fields in which I can apply my learning.
Using applied social psychology in my field of interest can directly cause social change. This is because the application of social psychology in my field can lead to public policies and legislations that will impact the daily lives of people. At the level of industrial and organizational psychology, too, my work can impact the way companies are run and therefore have a strong bearing on the lives of the individual employees working in that company. Social change often begins with small endeavors to shift attitudes, beliefs, and social norms on the individual level. It can take generations to root out and address the causes of sexism and racism, for example. Applied social psychology can help individuals change their beliefs, which lead to tremendous social change and greater equality.
2. (A) Low job satisfaction is linked to a number of behavioral issues that can impact the organization. For example, employees with low job satisfaction are more likely to be absent from work and the relationship is causal (Ybema, Smulders & Bongers, 2010). In this scenario, Teresa, Jeanette, and Brian have low job satisfaction, with Jeanette being the worst. They all claim to have feelings of frustration related to not being able to get their job done, miscommunication, and poor teamwork. The employees with high job satisfaction like Kathy and Ken seem to be speaking about a different company altogether. Their impressions are that management is doing a good job, whereas the low job satisfaction team does not feel that way.
(B) For Kathy, she feels personally empowered, which is linked to high job satisfaction in research (Dickson & Lorenz, 2009). She especially appreciated the training, which helped minimize role conflict and helped her feel confident in her position. Ken notes that his high job satisfaction comes from the fact that dissent is encouraged in team meetings, leading to productive discussions. Brian was least satisfied because he perceived too many arbitrary changes taking place in the workplace, and views the changes as unproductive. Jeanette complained about everything, but said the technology was old and the company needed to replace and upgrade their systems. Teresa did not like the fact that teams were getting shuffled around too much and lacked strong leadership.
(C) Non-work related factors may influence the person's attitudes and behaviors on the job (Staufenbiel & Konig, 2010). For example, Kathy and her husband bought a new home and are very happy where they are. Teresa also expresses high personal life satisfaction, even though her job satisfaction is low. Jeanette has low personal life satisfaction due to a divorce and other turmoil in her life. This could be potentially impacting her work. Ken recently lost his parents, but counseling has been helping him to cope, and his job satisfaction remains high. Therefore, the link between personal and professional life satisfaction is unclear in these cases.
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