Unit 1 Introduction To Social Psychology : 1.0 Objectives
Unit 1 Introduction To Social Psychology : 1.0 Objectives
Unit 1 Introduction To Social Psychology : 1.0 Objectives
PSYCHOLOGY*
Structure
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Definition, Nature and Scope of Social Psychology
1.2.1 Definition of Social Psychology
1.2.2 Nature of Social Psychology
1.2.2.1 Social Psychology Applies Scientific Methods of Study
1.2.2.2 Social Psychology Studies Individuals’ Thought, Feeling and
Behaviour
1.2.2.3 Social Psychology Studies Individuals’ Behaviour in Social Contexts
1.2.3 Scope of Social Psychology
1.3 Historical Development of Social Psychology
1.3.1 Early Years of Social Psychology
1.3.2 Formational Years of Social Psychology
1.3.3 Expansion of Social Psychology
1.3.4 Social Psychology in 21st Century
1.3.5 Social Psychology in India
1.4 Let Us Sum Up
1.5 Unit End Questions
1.6 Glossary
1.7 Answers to Self Assessment Questions
1.8 Suggested Readings and References
1.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit, you will be able to:
Define social psychology;
Explain the nature and scope of social psychology;
Describe the historical background of social psychology; and
Illustrate the development of social psychology with reference to India.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Let us ponder upon some situations, events, issues and people. While going for a
job interview we dress up individually; but when we reach the interview venue
we find that all the candidates are dressed up in almost similar fashion. In another
situation, after the Nirbhaya incidence in Delhi on 16 December 2012, thousands
of people flooded on the roads of Delhi and other parts of the country protesting
against the incidence. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson
Mandela, Dalai Lama and many others like them influenced thoughts, feelings
and behaviours of the masses in a great manner and led the people’s thought
toward remarkable social, religious, political and ethical revolutions.
* Dr. Ari Sudan Tiwari, Scientist ‘E’Defence Institute of Psychological Research, Ministry of Defence,
Lucknow Road, Timarpur, Delhi
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Introduction to Social These are few examples from the history of human being where either we are
Psychology
influenced by other people or we influence other people’s behaviours. Social
psychology is the branch of psychology which studies human behaviour in an
array of social situations. The present unit will help you to understand the
definition, scope and nature of psychology. Further, in this unit, you will be
acquainted with the historical background and social psychology with reference
to Indian context.
The scientific social psychology carries out three major activities: description,
explanation and prediction of social behaviours. Social psychology provides a
scientific account of social behaviour based on direct observation rather than on
common beliefs. Social psychology also attempts to explain why people behave
in a particular way in a particular social situation. Such interconnected
explanations of social behaviours lead to formation of theories which help in
predicting social behaviours and managing them in a desirable direction.
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1.2.2.2 Social Psychology Studies Individuals’ Thought, Feeling Introduction to Social
Psychology
and Behaviour
The varied issues of the field of social psychology include– individuals’ thought,
feeling and behaviour. Cognition is referred as the manner in which people process
information. Social psychology studies cognition that relates to social activities
and that helps us in understanding and predictingour social behaviours. Social
psychology also studies the feelings we experience as an individual in our social
lives. What we think or feel in the social context is finally expressed through our
behaviours in social interactions. Social psychology studies these behaviours in
the forms of cooperation, helping behaviour, conflict, aggression, etc.
Social psychologists study why we are often helpful to other people and
why we may be unfriendly or aggressive at other times.
Social psychologists study what factors lead people to purchase one product
rather than another.
Social psychologists study how men and women behave differently in social
settings.
Social psychologists study what makes some people more likely to engage
in environmentally friendly behaviours than others.
Social psychologists study how someone might choose to risk their life to
save that of a complete stranger.
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Self Assessment Questions I Introduction to Social
Psychology
1) Define social psychology.
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During the time of World War II,the studies on conformity were conducted by
Muzafir Sherif (1936) and Solomon Asch (1952). Studies on obedience were
conducted by Stanley Milgram (1974) and Philip Zimbardo (Haney, Banks, &
Zimbardo, 1973).
In the later years, Indian social psychologists continued working in the areas of
prejudice, stereotypes and social attitudes. Large scale surveys were conducted
taking various attitude measures. Adinarayan conducted studies on racial and
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Introduction to Social communal attitudes (1953) and on caste attitudes (1958). With increasing
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emphasis on public awareness programmes for health, family planning,
agricultural innovations, attitude change became a major topic of research. During
these years social psychology was growing in popularity in India as evident
from surveys conducted from time to time.
1) Define social psychology and explain the nature and scope of social
psychology.
1.6 GLOSSARY
Social Psychology: Social psychology is defined as the scientific study of how
we feel about, think about and behave toward the people around us and how our
feelings, thoughts, and behaviours are influenced by those people in the social
context.
Social Neuroscience:Social neuroscience is the study of how our socialbehaviour
both influences and is influenced by the activities of our brain.
Classical Conditioning: Classical conditioning presumes that when a neutral
stimulus (conditioned stimulus, CS) is paired with a natural stimulus
(unconditioned stimulus, UCS), neutral stimulus alone acquires the ability to
elicit the response (conditioned response, CR) which naturally occurs
(unconditioned response, UCR) after natural stimulus.
Reinforcement: Reinforcement is the mechanism by which people learn to
perform a particular behaviour because it is followed by something that is
pleasurable or that satisfies a need (or they learn to avoid behaviour that is followed
by unpleasant consequences).
Observational Learning: Observational learning presumes thatpeople often learn
social attitudes and behaviours simply by watching other people, known
technically as “models”.
Social Exchange Theory: Social exchange theory uses the concept of
reinforcement to explain stability and change in social interactions and relations
between individuals.
Social Cognitive Theories: Social cognitive theoriesemphasise that a person’s
behaviour depends on the way he or she perceives the social situation.
Schema: Schema is a mental representation capturing the general characteristics
of a particular class of episodes, events or individuals.
Principle of Cognitive Consistency:Principle of cognitive consistency maintains
that individuals strive to hold ideas that are consistent or congruous with one
another, rather than ideas that are inconsistent or incongruous.
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Introduction to Social 2) Social psychology is scientific in nature. It applies the scientific method of
Psychology
systematic observation, description and measurementto the study of the
human behaviour in social context. Social psychological studies refer to the
data being collected through direct observation or experiment. Such
experiments and observation are carried out carefully and reported in detail
so that other investigators can repeat and verify the work.
References
Adinarayan, S. P. (1953). Before and after Independence–A study of racial and
communal attitudes in India. British Journal of Psychology, 44, 108-115.
Dalal, A. K., & Mishra, G. (2001). Social Psychology in India: Evolution and
emerging trends. In In A. K. Dalal& G. Misra (Eds.), New Directions in Indian
Psychology (vol. 1: Social Psychology), New Delhi: Sage.
Eagly, A. H., &Chaiken, S. (1993). The Psychology of Attitudes. Fort Worth, TX:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Fiske, S. T., & Taylor, S. E. (2008). Social Cognition: From Brains to Culture.
Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
Kahneman, D., Slovic, P., & Tversky, A. (1982). Judgment under Uncertainty:
Heuristics and Biases. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Kassin, S., Fein, S., & Markus, H. R. (2017). Social Psychology (10th ed.).
Cengage Learning.
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