Introduction to Social Psychology
Key concepts, theories, and research methods
1. What Is Social Psychology?
| Aspect |
Description |
| Definition |
The scientific study of how people think, feel, and behave in the presence of (real or imagined) others. |
| Focus |
Interaction between the individual and the social environment: attitudes, group processes, social influence, inter‑group relations, self‑concept, etc. |
| Goal |
Explain and predict social behavior; apply findings to improve interpersonal and societal outcomes. |
| Scope |
Micro‑level (person‑to‑person) and macro‑level (societal, cultural) phenomena. |
2. Core Themes & Topics
| Theme |
Representative Topics |
Typical Questions |
| Social Cognition |
Schemas, heuristics, attribution, impression formation, self‑serving bias. |
How do we interpret others’ actions? |
| Attitudes & Persuasion |
Cognitive dissonance, elaboration likelihood model, foot‑in‑the‑door, fear appeals. |
When will a message change a belief? |
| Social Influence |
Conformity, obedience, compliance, minority influence, social norms. |
Why do people follow the crowd? |
| Group Dynamics |
Social facilitation, groupthink, deindividuation, leadership, cohesion, intergroup conflict. |
What makes groups perform better or worse? |
| Self & Identity |
Self‑esteem, self‑concept, social identity theory, self‑presentation, possible selves. |
How do we define ourselves socially? |
| Interpersonal Relationships |
Attraction, love, attachment, aggression, prosocial behavior, conflict resolution. |
What predicts helping versus hurting? |
| Culture & Social Psychology |
Individualism vs. collectivism, cultural norms, acculturation, cross‑cultural comparisons. |
How does culture shape cognition and behavior? |
3. Foundational Theories
| Theory |
Proposer(s) |
Core Idea |
Example |
| Attribution Theory |
Fritz Heider, Harold Kelley |
People infer causes of behavior (internal vs. external). |
“She is late because she’s lazy” (internal) vs. “Because traffic was bad” (external). |
| Cognitive Dissonance |
Leon Festinger |
Inconsistency between beliefs & actions creates discomfort → attitude change or rationalization. |
A smoker who knows smoking is harmful may downplay risks. |
| Social Identity Theory |
Henri Tajfel & John Turner |
Part of self‑concept derives from group memberships; leads to in‑group favoritism & out‑group bias. |
Sports fans cheering their team and disparaging rivals. |
| Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) |
Petty & Cacioppo |
Persuasion occurs via central (thoughtful) or peripheral (heuristic) routes depending on motivation & ability. |
High‑involvement product ads use detailed arguments; low‑involvement ads rely on celebrity endorsement. |
| Social Learning Theory |
Albert Bandura |
Behavior learned through observation, imitation, and reinforcement. |
Children mimic aggressive behavior seen on TV. |
| Theory of Planned Behavior |
Icek Ajzen |
Intentions predict behavior; shaped by attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control. |
Intention to recycle predicts actual recycling when facilities are accessible. |
4. Research Methods
| Method |
Strengths |
Limitations |
Typical Use |
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