Outline and Assess the Use of Experiments in Social Psychology Drawing on the Cognitive Social Perspective and One of the Other Three Perspectives in the Module (Discursive Psychological, Phenomenological or Social Psychoanalytic).
Outline and assess the use of experiments in social psychology drawing on the cognitive social perspective and one of the other three perspectives in the module (discursive psychological, phenomenological or social psychoanalytic).
Traditional experimental psychology has been criticised on the grounds of its objectivity and natural scientific human approach to research. The alternative paradigm has been suggested that favoured human scientific approach. One of the main differences between these two are reflected in the methodology, although it must be said that this distinction is not clear cut and there is a considerable amount of overlap that reveal complexity of the causes of human phenomena. In this essay, we will look at two approaches to psychological methods that produce different “knowledges” about human condition in social settings, i. e. they reflect on different psychological phenomena (as cited in Hollway, 2007). We will look at the “cognitive social” or “experimental” approach and “discursive” psychological approach and see what are the similarities and differences between them and how they view and use experimentation in the social psychology today.
One of the major differences in British social psychology today lies in method use, i.e. conventionally empirical social psychology that uses experiments and social psychometrics vs. “critical” social psychology, namely discourse analysis that uses qualitative analysis of text, also referred to as “interpretative” method of research (as cited in Taylor, 2007). The origins of this division lie in two different social psychologies that originated in North America, PSP (psychological social psychology) and SSP (sociological social psychology). PSP focuses on the individual, while the SSP looks at social interaction between the society and the individual. The first one relies largely on experimental methodology while the second one uses observation, interviews and surveys (as cited in Hollway, 2007).
Traditional experimental psychology has been criticised on the grounds of its objectivity and natural scientific human approach to research. The alternative paradigm has been suggested that favoured human scientific approach. One of the main differences between these two are reflected in the methodology, although it must be said that this distinction is not clear cut and there is a considerable amount of overlap that reveal complexity of the causes of human phenomena. In this essay, we will look at two approaches to psychological methods that produce different “knowledges” about human condition in social settings, i. e. they reflect on different psychological phenomena (as cited in Hollway, 2007). We will look at the “cognitive social” or “experimental” approach and “discursive” psychological approach and see what are the similarities and differences between them and how they view and use experimentation in the social psychology today.
One of the major differences in British social psychology today lies in method use, i.e. conventionally empirical social psychology that uses experiments and social psychometrics vs. “critical” social psychology, namely discourse analysis that uses qualitative analysis of text, also referred to as “interpretative” method of research (as cited in Taylor, 2007). The origins of this division lie in two different social psychologies that originated in North America, PSP (psychological social psychology) and SSP (sociological social psychology). PSP focuses on the individual, while the SSP looks at social interaction between the society and the individual. The first one relies largely on experimental methodology while the second one uses observation, interviews and surveys (as cited in Hollway, 2007).
References: Danziger, K. (1996) ‘The practice of psychological discourse’ in Graumann, C.F. and Gergen, K.J. (eds) Historical Dimensions of Psychological Discourse, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, pp. 17-35. Hallway, W. (2007) ‘Social psychology: past and present’ in Hollway, W., Lucey, H. and Phoenix, A. (eds) Social Psychology Matters, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. Hallway, W. (2007) ‘Methods and knowledge in social psychology’ in Hollway, W., Lucey, H. and Phoenix, A. (eds) Social Psychology Matters, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. Potter J. and Wetherell, M. (1987) Social Psychology and Discourse: Beyond Attitudes and Behaviour, London, Sage. Silverman, I. (1977) ‘Why social psychology fails’, Canadian Psychological Review, vol.18, pp.353-8. Taylor, S. (2007) ‘Introduction’ in Landridge, D. and Taylor, S. (eds) Critical Readings in Social Psychology, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. The Open University (2006) ‘DVD1 Contemporary Methods and Perspectives’ in DD307