Social Psychology Essay

Social Psychology Janelle Gunnels PSY/400 August 28, 2013 Katherine Smith

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Social psychology is a field of psychology; it is the branchy of psychology that deals with social interactions, including their origins and their effects on the individual. Social psychology uses the scientific method to help explain peoples perception of themselves, and how the options of others may influence that perception. Each individual has an unconscious roadmap serving as our main perception of certain circumstances setting the stage for future predictions. Opposing, our intuitions also can be misleading; one may mispredict his or her own feelings, one may misjudge a predicament, or even misread ones own mind. Certain external circumstances may cause an individual to act beyond the scope of his or her normal expectations. One social interaction may force one to make immoral decisions or to depart from ones own personal attitudes, beliefs, or values. Personal attitudes and behaviors are shaped by external social forces reflecting from each specific situation (Myers, 2010, p. 10). Behavior may also be shaped or guided by our own inner forces; personal attitudes, values, beliefs, or cultures about each specific situation at hand. Social behavior also can be shaped by biological tendencies. Biological aspects combined with social perspectives can explain and predict behavior in terms of neuronal and psychological bases of behavior (Myers, 2010). Social psychology principles are applied to everyday living. Social aspects have the potential to enlighten our lives, bring an understanding of which we are and who we can become, how to influence others, and further yet, to help us plan our destiny; we are social creatures (Myers, 2010). Social psychology is all about our lives, our thoughts, feelings, desires, and behaviors.

Social Psychology Differs From Other Related Disciplines

Social Psychology Social psychology differs from other related disciplines by the use of experimentation and research to support the main ideas and theories within the field of study. Psychologists often suggest theories from observable speculations, to further, imply hypothesis and predictions to be tested and supported through scientific measures. Social psychology is often confused with personality psychology, organizational psychology, and sociology. Social psychology differs

from personality psychology it focuses more on the situational influences of behavior rather than individual differences among people. In terms of organizational psychology, social psychology differs because it does not focus exactly on behaviors within organizations. Organizational psychology can use research to help promote the business or organization in hopes to better understand the employee and relations amongst the organization. When it comes to sociology, social psychology differs because it focuses on the behavior of individuals and small groups rather than behavior of large social systems and societies. The Role of Research in Social Psychology The role of research in social psychology consists of the experimentation of individuals in social settings. Since a variety of variables lead to the way people interact with one another, researchers enjoy controlling certain variables in hopes of discovering predictable behavior patterns. Social psychologists will organize the findings, imply testable predictions, and experiment through numerous methods of scientific models of research. Some of the common used methods include: field research, correlational research, and experimental research. Field research is defined as the research done in natural, real-life settings outside the laboratory (Myers, 2010, p. 20). This method of research may involve observation in natural settings to record spontaneous behavior of individuals in everyday situations. Direct observation can be a valuable tool to obtain reliable results without the worry of bias, interference, or influence from others. Correlational research will search for relationships amongst different

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variables. Correlational research can help psychologists predict information, but does not prove a definite cause and effect relationship. Correlational research can return a positive relationship; proving that the two variables indeed increase or decrease at the same time, a negative relationship; proving that as one variable increases, the other will decrease, and last, a neutral relationship; proving that the two variables are not related.

Experimental research involves testing two variables in study, manipulating one group and controlling the other, to test and predict a definite cause and effect relationship between the variables in study. This type of research can produce the most accurate effects if done correctly. A psychologist will construe a miniature representation of the situation, manipulate one variable and then another, and finally, study and record the effects on behavior (Myers, 2010). The findings from the different experiments can then be progressed into theories, an integrated set of principles that explain and predict observed events (Myers, 2010, p. 33), to further be used in everyday social applications.

Conclusion Social psychology came about due to the effects of World War II and the issues of the holocaust which lead researchers to examine and study the effects of social influence, conformity and obedience. Believe it or not, social psychology soon became an interest in the eyes of the U.S. government whom sought to apply social psychological concepts to influence citizens. Since then, social psychology has continually grown throughout the century motivating research that contributes to our understanding of social experience and behavior.

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Social Psychology References Myers, D. (2010). Social Psychology (10th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. http://www.legacy.socialpsychology.org//facq.htm