Social Psychology Definition Paper

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Social Psychology Definition Paper Tony D. Roberson PSY 400 January 3, 2014 Dawn Oliwa Social Psychology Definition Paper Social psychology is a descendent of sociology although it is easy to get the two terms confused they approach the world of socialism in different perspectives. Sociology studies the effects of a culture on human behavior. Social psychology focuses on the individual and the certain variables placed around him or her that contribute to his or her attitude and behavior. There have been many enthusiast who have studied social psychology such as Allport’s social facilitation, Bandura’s social learning theory, Festinger’s cognitive dissonance, Tajfel’s social identity theory, and Weiner’s attribution theory all played instrumental roles in developing the science of social psychology. This science has allowed for collected data and theories to be tested and proven on the effects of exterior motives that implement individual behavior. Define social psychology Social psychology concentrates on individual behavior in a social context. Baron, Byrne & Suls (1989) define social psychology as “the scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual behavior in social situations”. (p. 6). Social psychologist observe human behavior and significance of influence by outside sources such as people, society, environment, and culture. Social psychologist focus on facts that underline human behavior in social settings and how individuals’ conduct him or herself under various conditions, thus, leading to behavior, actions, and feelings. According to Mcleod (2007), “Topics examined in social psychology include: the self-concept, social cognition, attribution theory, social influence, group processes, prejudice and discrimination, interpersonal processes, aggression, attitudes and stereotypes” (para. 3). Social Psychology
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