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Social Psychology

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Social Psychology
8/20/2012

Myers (2012)
PowerPoint prepared by D. Owens

A science that studies the influences of our situations, with special attention to how we view and affect one another
The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

A fairly young science

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8/20/2012

Sociology the study of human societies and the behavior of individual people and groups in society

Personality Psychology
The study of personality and individual differences

Social influence

Social Class

Attachment
Persuasion

Family
Prejudice &
Discrimination

Gender &
Gender Differences

Attraction &
Relationships

We construct our social reality
Our social intuitions are often powerful but sometime perilous
Social Influences Shape our behavior
Personal attitudes and dispositions also shape behavior Social behavior is biologically rooted
Social psychology principles are applicable to everyday life

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8/20/2012

Values: personal convictions about what is desirable and how people ought to behave
Obvious ways values enter psychology
Choice of research topics
Type of people who are attracted to various field of study

Not so obvious ways
Hidden assumptions when forming concepts
Choosing labels
Giving advice

Common criticisms of social psychology
“If social psych research is driven by researchers values, how can it be scientific?”
“Isn’t social psychology just common sense?

Hindsight bias: the tendency to exaggerate one’s ability to have foreseen how something turned out after learning the outcome.
Invoked after we know the facts

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8/20/2012

Forming and Testing Hypotheses
Theory
Integrated set of principles that explain and predict observed events

Hypotheses
Testable proposition that describes a relationship that may exist between events

Forming and Testing Hypotheses
Location
Laboratory
Controlled situation
Field
Everyday situations

Method
Correlational
Naturally
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