Introduction to Social Psychology What is Social Psychology?
Outline Definition Definition Social psychology and related disciplines Social psychology and related disciplines –Social Psychology and Sociology –Social Psychology and Personality Psychology –Levels of Explanation Social Psychology and Human Values Social Psychology and Human Values I knew it all along: Is social psychology simply common sense? I knew it all along: Is social psychology simply common sense? How social psychology is done How social psychology is done –Forming and Testing –Correlational Research: Detecting Natural Associations –Experimental Research: Searching for Cause and Effect –Generalizing from Laboratory to Life
Definition Social psychology is “the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another.” Social psychology is “the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another.” How the individual mind works in the actual presence of others, implied presence of others, and the imagined presence of others. How the individual mind works in the actual presence of others, implied presence of others, and the imagined presence of others. Studies attitude formation, self-concept, forming relationships, social influence, social thinking, motivations for helping and harming others. Studies attitude formation, self-concept, forming relationships, social influence, social thinking, motivations for helping and harming others.
Personality Psychology and Social Psychology What they have in common What they have in common –both focus on the individual Differences Differences –How social character is explained –Personality: emphasis is on private, internal attributes and differences between individuals –Social Psychology: emphasis is on what people have in common and general rules of how people view and affect one another
Levels of explanation Various perspectives that explain one event are not necessarily contradictory. They are often complimentary. Various perspectives that explain one event are not necessarily contradictory. They are often complimentary. There is no one level of explanation that is the “real” explanation. There is no one level of explanation that is the “real” explanation. Different levels of explanation often fit together to form a fuller picture. Different levels of explanation often fit together to form a fuller picture. Not very useful to think in terms of either/or. Not very useful to think in terms of either/or.
The impact of human values Values “Personal convictions about what is desirable and how people ought to behave.” Values “Personal convictions about what is desirable and how people ought to behave.” Researcher’s values can impact their work in obvious and subtle ways. Researcher’s values can impact their work in obvious and subtle ways. Obvious impact: historical trends Obvious impact: historical trends Subtle ways of impact: our preconceptions penetrate our interpretations Subtle ways of impact: our preconceptions penetrate our interpretations Much of these preconceptions are culturally patterned (socially shared beliefs, ideas, values, and assumptions) Much of these preconceptions are culturally patterned (socially shared beliefs, ideas, values, and assumptions)
Three Worlds of Social Psychology North America: First World North America: First World –Much attention on individual level explanation –Primary method is laboratory experiments Other industrialized nations: Second World Other industrialized nations: Second World –More attention to intergroup and societal levels of explanation –Method: laboratory experiments as well as natural observation and social discourse (social order) Developing countries: Third World Developing countries: Third World –Concerned with poverty, conflict, and making use of limited resources.
Is social psychology simply common sense? Many conclusions drawn from social psychological research seem obvious. Many conclusions drawn from social psychological research seem obvious. Problem with common sense. Problem with common sense. –Tends to be activated after the fact. –Hindsight bias: “I knew it all along” phenomenon. Therefore, must be cautious about relying only on common sense, especially in understanding human behavior.. Therefore, must be cautious about relying only on common sense, especially in understanding human behavior..
Correlational research Positive = “same direction” Positive = “same direction” Negative Negative = “opposite direction” The positive or negative relationship between two variables is called a correlation (poistive or negative). –Correlation is represented by the coefficient r »Conveys magnitude (value of r) and direction (- or +) Ex: correlation between hours of sleep and energy level is r=.60 (0 < r < 1) –Correlations do not imply a causal relationship
Definition of concepts Hypothesis: A tentative statement, subject to empirical test, about the expected relationship between variables. Independent variable: The variable that is manipulated in an experiment. The independent variable is believed to have an impact on the dependent variable. (multiple levels) Dependent variable: The variable measured in a study.
Experimental Research Design Experimental design: Research in which independent variables are manipulated and behavior is measured while all other variables (extraneous variables) are controlled for. Random sampling: Drawing from the population in a way that ensures equal opportunity for every member to be included in one or more conditions of the experiment.
Experimental Research Design (cont). Control Group: A group of subjects in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment. The data from the control group are used as a baseline against which data from the experimental group are compared.
Validity Internal Validity Internal Validity –Does the Design lend itself to testing the hypotheses? External Validity External Validity –Are the results only applicable in the controlled seting or can they be generalized to the real world? One compromises the other. One compromises the other.