Chapter 1 Flashcards
The scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave in a social context.
Social psychology
To avoid subjective opinions and instead use objective ways to measure thoughts, feelings, and behavior. It helps to minimize bias and produce testable questions
Application of empirical - systematic observations
What can we study about people in social psychology?
Thoughts, feelings, and behavior
Attitudes and beliefs, both conscious and non conscious are considered
Thoughts
Emotions (shorter duration) and mood (longer duration) are considered
Feelings
The choices we make and the actions we take and/or don’t take are considered
Behavior
Social Psychology vs. Sociology
Individuals vs. collective. Groups are studied but emphasize their influence on the individual.
Social Psychology vs. Psychology
Emphasis on the social nature of individuals while psychology includes nonsocial factors that can affect individuals
Who was the first to publish a research article in social psychology and what was it about?
Norman Triplett, bicyclist tend to ride faster when racing in the presence of others
Who is argued to be the first to research a social psychology issue and what was it about?
Max Ringelmann, performance of simple tasks worsened when done with others
Who established social psychology as a field of study?
William McDougall, Edward Ross, and Floyd Allport
A book that emphasized interactions of individuals in a social context and also emphasized the scientific method and experimentation.
Alport’s textbook
Who developed the social influence theory and what does it mean?
Muzafer Sherif, focuses on conformity and social influence. How groups can influence an individual’s behavior
Who developed the interactionist perspective and what does it mean?
Kurt Lewin, Individuals personality and environment influence behavior
Which war significantly influenced social psychology and why?
WWI
Sought to understand prejudice, aggression, and conformity
