Introduction to Social Psychology more than we should. We misread our own minds; we deny being
Social psychology is a science that studies the influences of our affected by things that do influence us.
situations, with special attention to how we view and affect one Question: If you happen to meet a new person, (in a workplace,
another. More precisely, it is the scientific study of how people think classroom), what perception (or question) usually comes into your
about, influence, and relate to one mind?
Compared with personality psychology, social psychology focuses
less on individuals' differences and more on how people, in general, Social Influences Shape Our Behavior
view and affect one another. We are, as Aristotle long ago observed, social animals. We speak and
think in words
Social psychology is the scientific study of ... we learned from others. We long to connect, to belong, and to be well
Social thinking thought of.
• How we perceive ourselves and others As social creatures, we respond to our immediate contexts.
• What we believe Sometimes the power of
a social situation leads us to act contrary to our expressed attitudes.
• Judgments we make
Indeed, powerfully evil situations sometimes overwhelm good
• Our attitudes
intentions, inducing people to accept falsehoods or comply with
Social influence cruelty. (Nazi, WWII, Hurricane Haiyan, Philippines) Social
• Culture psychologist Hazel Markus (2005) sums it up: ÒPeople are, above all,
• Pressures to conform malleable. Ó Said differently, we adapt to our social context. Our
• Persuasion attitudes and behavior are shaped by external social forces.
• Groups of people
Social relations Personal Attitudes and Dispositions Also Shape Behavior
• Prejudice Our inner attitudes affect our outer behavior. Personality
dispositions also affect behavior. Facing the same situation, different
• Aggression
people may react differently.
• Attraction and intimacy
• Helping Social Behavior Is Biologically Rooted
Twenty-first-century social psychology provides us with ever-
Social psychology studies our thinking, influences, and growing insights into our behavior's biological foundations. Many of
relationships by asking questions that have intrigued us all. our social behaviors reflect a deep biological wisdom.
Here are some examples:
1. Does our social behavior depend more on the objective Social Psychology's Principles Are Applicable in Everyday Life
situations we face or how we construe them? Social psychology is all about life-your life: your beliefs, your
2. Would people be cruel if ordered? attitudes, your relationships
3. To help? Or to help oneself?
Some Big Ideas in Social Psychology
1. We construct our soclal reality
2. Our soclal Intultions are powerful, sometimes perilous
3. Attitudes shape, and are shaped by, behavior
Social thinking
4. Social Influences shape behavior
5. Dispositions shape behavior
Social influences How Do Human Values Influence Social Psychology
Obvious Ways Values Enter Psychology?
6. Social behavior Is also biological behavior Values differ not only across time but also across cultures.
7. Feellngs and actions towar people are sometimes *Values obviously enter the picture as the object of social
negative (prejudiced, aggressive) and sometimes positive psychological analysis.
(helpful, loving) Not-So-Obvious Ways Values Enter
Social relations Psychology
NOTE: Social psychology's principles are applicable to everyday life 1. The subjective aspects of Science
2. Psychological Concepts Contain
We Construct Social Responsibility 3. Hidden Values
• People have an irresistible urge to explain behavior, to
attribute it to some cause, and therefore to make it seem How Do Human Values Influence Social Psychology
orderly, predictable, and controllable. You and I may react Social psychologistsÕ values penetrate their work in
differently to a situation because we think differently. Obvious ways, such as their choice of research topics and the types
• There is an objective reality out there, but we always view of people who are attracted to various fields of study.
it through the lensi of our beliefs and values. ∙ They also do this in subtler ways, such as their hidden assumptions
• We are all intuitive scientists. We explain people's when forming concepts, choosing labels, and giving advice.
behavior, usually with enough speed and accuracy to suit ∙ This penetration of values into science is not a reason to fault social
our daily needs. psychology or any other science. That human thinking is seldom
• Your beliefs about yourself also matter dispassionate is precisely why we need systematic observation and
experimentation if we are to check our cherished ideas against
Our Social Institutions Are Often Powerful but Sometimes reality.
Perilous
Our instant intuitions shape fears, impressions, and relation Even Hindsight bias: "I-knew-it-all-along" phenomenon
our intuitions about ourselves often err. We intuitively trust our me I KNEW IT ALL ALONG: IS SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Social psychology is a science that studies the influences of our affected by things that do influence us.
situations, with special attention to how we view and affect one Question: If you happen to meet a new person, (in a workplace,
another. More precisely, it is the scientific study of how people think classroom), what perception (or question) usually comes into your
about, influence, and relate to one mind?
Compared with personality psychology, social psychology focuses
less on individuals' differences and more on how people, in general, Social Influences Shape Our Behavior
view and affect one another. We are, as Aristotle long ago observed, social animals. We speak and
think in words
Social psychology is the scientific study of ... we learned from others. We long to connect, to belong, and to be well
Social thinking thought of.
• How we perceive ourselves and others As social creatures, we respond to our immediate contexts.
• What we believe Sometimes the power of
a social situation leads us to act contrary to our expressed attitudes.
• Judgments we make
Indeed, powerfully evil situations sometimes overwhelm good
• Our attitudes
intentions, inducing people to accept falsehoods or comply with
Social influence cruelty. (Nazi, WWII, Hurricane Haiyan, Philippines) Social
• Culture psychologist Hazel Markus (2005) sums it up: ÒPeople are, above all,
• Pressures to conform malleable. Ó Said differently, we adapt to our social context. Our
• Persuasion attitudes and behavior are shaped by external social forces.
• Groups of people
Social relations Personal Attitudes and Dispositions Also Shape Behavior
• Prejudice Our inner attitudes affect our outer behavior. Personality
dispositions also affect behavior. Facing the same situation, different
• Aggression
people may react differently.
• Attraction and intimacy
• Helping Social Behavior Is Biologically Rooted
Twenty-first-century social psychology provides us with ever-
Social psychology studies our thinking, influences, and growing insights into our behavior's biological foundations. Many of
relationships by asking questions that have intrigued us all. our social behaviors reflect a deep biological wisdom.
Here are some examples:
1. Does our social behavior depend more on the objective Social Psychology's Principles Are Applicable in Everyday Life
situations we face or how we construe them? Social psychology is all about life-your life: your beliefs, your
2. Would people be cruel if ordered? attitudes, your relationships
3. To help? Or to help oneself?
Some Big Ideas in Social Psychology
1. We construct our soclal reality
2. Our soclal Intultions are powerful, sometimes perilous
3. Attitudes shape, and are shaped by, behavior
Social thinking
4. Social Influences shape behavior
5. Dispositions shape behavior
Social influences How Do Human Values Influence Social Psychology
Obvious Ways Values Enter Psychology?
6. Social behavior Is also biological behavior Values differ not only across time but also across cultures.
7. Feellngs and actions towar people are sometimes *Values obviously enter the picture as the object of social
negative (prejudiced, aggressive) and sometimes positive psychological analysis.
(helpful, loving) Not-So-Obvious Ways Values Enter
Social relations Psychology
NOTE: Social psychology's principles are applicable to everyday life 1. The subjective aspects of Science
2. Psychological Concepts Contain
We Construct Social Responsibility 3. Hidden Values
• People have an irresistible urge to explain behavior, to
attribute it to some cause, and therefore to make it seem How Do Human Values Influence Social Psychology
orderly, predictable, and controllable. You and I may react Social psychologistsÕ values penetrate their work in
differently to a situation because we think differently. Obvious ways, such as their choice of research topics and the types
• There is an objective reality out there, but we always view of people who are attracted to various fields of study.
it through the lensi of our beliefs and values. ∙ They also do this in subtler ways, such as their hidden assumptions
• We are all intuitive scientists. We explain people's when forming concepts, choosing labels, and giving advice.
behavior, usually with enough speed and accuracy to suit ∙ This penetration of values into science is not a reason to fault social
our daily needs. psychology or any other science. That human thinking is seldom
• Your beliefs about yourself also matter dispassionate is precisely why we need systematic observation and
experimentation if we are to check our cherished ideas against
Our Social Institutions Are Often Powerful but Sometimes reality.
Perilous
Our instant intuitions shape fears, impressions, and relation Even Hindsight bias: "I-knew-it-all-along" phenomenon
our intuitions about ourselves often err. We intuitively trust our me I KNEW IT ALL ALONG: IS SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
