Social psychology: overview and key concepts

Simply put, social psychology addresses “individual behavior in a social context,” (McLeod, 2007). Social psychology differs both from sociology and other approaches to psychology, in that it focuses on micro issues related to the individual’s self-concept and psychological coping specifically with regards to social stimuli. Although not as famous as other branches of psychology like cognitive behaviorism or psychoanalysis, social psychology nevertheless plays a tremendous role in improving mental health outcomes. As Bandawe (2010) points out, social psychology is instrumental in predicting individual responses to public health messages or the willingness to adapt health-seeking behaviors. Social psychologists can also contribute to fields like education, marketing, and the media.
Social psychology is actually one of the oldest branches of psychological inquiry. Philosophers from Aristotle to Hegel postulated about individual responses to social situations (McLeod, 2007). However, the first formal references to social psychology include German research conducted on Volkerpsychologie in 1860, followed by the first English language book directly covering the topic in 1908: McDougall’s An Introduction to Social Psychology (McLeod, 2007). Prominent social psychologists in the 20th century include Allport, Bandura, Milgram, Tajfel, and Festinger, each of which contributed to the field by offering unique theories and perspectives, which they tested using scientific methodology.
For example, Tajfel’s social identity theory helps clarify in-group and out-group patterns, not from a sociological standpoint but a psychological one. Tajfel showed how individuals favor people from their own group, prejudicing people from other groups. This research can be used as a springboard for further investigations into how prejudices are formed and perpetuated. In fact, social psychology remains one of the most fruitful method for understanding issues like sexism and racism. Bandura is one of social psychology’s luminaries. His research on modeling is one of the cornerstones of the field.
Although cognitive dissonance does not immediately seem like it falls under the rubric of social psychology, Festinger’s initial research into cognitive dissonance shows that individuals tend to experience cognitive dissonance most in social situations. The essence of cognitive dissonance is when our own internalized beliefs clash with the beliefs held by others, or clash with others’ behaviors. Since Festinger’s mid-20th century research, social psychologists have gone on to study related phenomenon such as how echo chambers are formed in social media. These are areas that interest me as a social psychologist.
Some of the most famous studies in psychology have been related to social psychology, such as the Stanford prison experiment. The Stanford prison experiment has been immortalized into mainstream movies. This experiment shows how people behave in the unusual situation of being imprisoned, showing how individuals make self-serving decisions. Even the Stockholm effect can be considered within the province of social psychology, as it shows how individuals start to conform to the mentality of their captors.
The prison experiment forms the basis of many dystopian films and television shows, as it reveals a dark side of human nature. I started to pay more attention to social psychology after being compelled by shows like Lost and 3%, which basically show how different people react to stressful situations. I am interested in almost every domain of social psychology. The areas of study I might investigate in greater depth in graduate school include social psychology in virtual environments, studying online interactions using social media. I have noticed how the phenomena like conformity, bystander effect, and identity shift as individuals respond to social stimuli online. I am also interested in a social psychological approach to issues like shaming, and how public attitudes are formed on the basis of irrational information even more than on facts or evidence.






References

Bandawe, C. (2010). A brief history of Social Psychology and its contribution to health in Malawi. Malawi Medical Journal 22(2): 34-37.
McLeod, S. (2007). Social psychology. Simply Psychology. Retrieved online: https://www.simplypsychology.org/social-psychology.html