1. Chapter 1: Intro to Social Psychology
Part 1: Wed. Jan. 14
(Basic Outline only)

2. What is Social Psychology?
The scientific study of how individuals think about, influence & relate to one another
…in a social context
4 emphases this semester: what are they?
Big picture focused on social thinking, social influence, & social relations
 and Context!

3. Social Psych and Other Fields
Little overlap with clinical psych
Differences?
Overlaps more with Cognitive Psych and Personality Psych –
Sociology – differs from social psychology in level of analysis & research methods used
Group vs. individual level of analysis

4. Importance of Context
Research-based examples of how the situation can influence us:
1984 Presidential Debate results:
How did perceptions differ based on what was heard on the audio tape?

5. 2. Discussion of shoes vs. travel –
what do you hear given the context?
3. “Pearls before breakfast” experiment -
Violinist playing in the subway station
How did context impact people’s reactions to the violinist?

6. 4. Vietnam soldiers’ heroin use
Addiction while in Vietnam  treatment
Relapse of group who were treated in Vietnam, then returned home?
Typical relapse of those treated in U.S.?

7. Benefits of Social Psych research:
Differs from hindsight
Use of theories & predictions (hypotheses)
What are theories?
Need well-controlled studies -
Some results appear counterintuitive
How to increase voter turnout?