Social Psychology Overview and Theories

Social Psychology Definition

• Social psychology scientifically explains how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by others (actual, imagined, or implied presence of others).
• It emphasizes the role of society, media, and interpersonal interactions.

Key Theories & Concepts

• Gordon Allport (1954): Social psychology focuses on how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by others.
  • Society and media shape individual attitudes.
  • Social psychology examines external influences on behavior, considering individuals within their societal context.

Schachter's 1959 Social Isolation Experiment

• Experiment Setup: Five volunteers were isolated in a windowless room with only basic necessities (food, water, entertainment).
• Results:
  • 80% exhibited psychological distress (anxiety, depression).
  • One person lasted eight days without significant distress. Most could not tolerate more than two days of isolation. This highlights the impact psychological stress.
• Limitations: Small sample size, lack of diversity, no control group, and lacking standardized measurement for psychological impact. Ethical concerns included lack of informed consent, freedom to withdraw, and debriefing.

Impacts of Social Isolation (Hawthorn 2006, Holt-Lunstad 2015, Shanker 2015)

• Social isolation is associated with high blood pressure, mental illness (anxiety, depression), physical inactivity, dementia, emotional distress, decreased immune function, smoking, poor sleep, and premature death.

Milgram's 1967 Small World Phenomenon

• 6 Degrees of Separation: Any two people are connected by at most five intermediaries. This concept emphasizes human interconnectedness.

Environmental vs. Dispositional Factors

• Environmental Factors: How different situations influence behavior (e.g., peer pressure, media, social norms).
• Dispositional Factors: How individual characteristics influence reactions to situations (e.g., personality, demographics, beliefs, skills).

Brindle 2021 COVID Study on Life Satisfaction

• Key Findings: More life satisfaction during COVID-19 lockdowns, possibly due to working from home.

Community Psychology & Collectivism

• Focuses on societal and environmental factors impacting behavior (rejects individual responsibility).
• Supports collectivism (emphasizing societal issues and second-order change).
• Aimed at preventative measures and community problem-solving, through systemic social interventions.

Kelly 2019: Social Isolation in Scotland

• Study focused on the impact of community activity on social isolation.
• Social connection is crucial in countering social isolation, acknowledging that individual characteristics influence how people react to it.

Key Takeaways for Exam (General Concepts in Social Psychology)

• Social psychology: External factors (others, society, media) influence individual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
• Milgram’s Small World Phenomenon: Emphasizes human interconnectedness.
• Recognizing social isolation's negative effects on mental and physical health (e.g., depression, poor health).

Environmental vs. Dispositional (General Summary)

• Differentiate how external factors vs. internal characteristics (personality, predispositions) shape behavior.

COVID-19 Study Implications (General Summary)

• Recognize the dispositional factors that affected life satisfaction during COVID-19.

Community Psychology (General Summary)

• Social change, emphasized by second-order solutions for improving overall well-being instead of individual behavior modification.