Lecture 2-3 What Is Social Psychology And How Do We Study It PDF

What IS Social Psychology and How Do We Study It?  Definition Core Themes and Core Concerns of Social Introduct Psychology ion Key Theoretical Perspectives How Social Psychologists DO Social Psychology What IS Soc...

What IS Social Psychology and How Do We Study It?  Definition Core Themes and Core Concerns of Social Introduct Psychology ion Key Theoretical Perspectives How Social Psychologists DO Social Psychology What IS Social Psychology? Sociolog Psycholo y gy  Definition Social Psychology Bridges the Interests of Psychology (emphasis on the Individual) and Sociology (emphasis on Social Structure) “the systematic study of the nature and causes of human social behaviour.” Interested in WHAT People Do and WHY They Do It  Key Themes WE CONSTRUCT SOCIAL SOCIAL APPLICATION OUR SOCIAL INFLUENCES RELATIONS OF REALITY KNOWLEDGE  Core Concerns The Impact One Individual has on Another The Impact that a Group has on its Individual Members The Impact that Individual Members have on the Groups they Belong to The Impact that One Group has on Another Group The Impact of Social Context and Social Structure on Groups and Individuals  People Make a The Great Impact on Impact Each Other One Individu Direct and Explicit al has on Another Indirect and Implicit  The Impact that a Establishment of Rules and Norms Group has Norms are the informal rules that govern our behaviour on its Individual Members The Impact that Individual Members have on the Groups they Belong to Impact Goes Both Ways The Impact that One Group has on Another Group GROUPS IMPACT AREA OF RESEARCH - GROUPS INTERGROUP CONFLICT The Impact of Social Context and Social Structure on Groups and Individuals Individ Society ual  Theoretical Perspectives Social Symbolic Cognitive Group Structure Interaction Perspectiv Processes and ism es Personality Evolutiona ry Theory  1. Symbolic Interactionism Developed by Charles Horton Cooley and George Herbert Mead “Symbolic Interactionism” was Coined by Herbert Blumer SI theorists understand the world as the product of the everyday interactions of people  SI - Blumer’s SI Premises People Act Towards Things Based on the Meaning Those Things Have for Them These Meanings are Derived Through Social Interaction and are NOT Inherent Meanings can be Modified and Changed Through Social Interaction  SI - Looking-Glass Self Three Elements Imagine how we appear to others Imagine the other person’s reaction to our appearance Respond with some sort of feeling Shame, Pride, Guilt, Happiness  The ‘Group’ as a Social Psychological Entity 2. Group What is a Group? Process Two or More People es Become an ‘Us’ Dependence on One Another Rules, Roles, Norms, Power Structures  Social Exchange Social Cost-Benefit Ideology Subjective Exchange Theory  3. Social Structure and Personality Social The Structu Individ re ual  Social What are Social Structures? Structure Relationships between groups of individuals and Ex. Social Class, Religion, Family, Personalit School, Mass Media, etc… y  4. Cognitive Perspectives Emphasis placed on mental activities Cognitive Processes are an as determinants of social behaviour Intervening Factor Between External Stimuli and Behavioural Responses Problem Solving, Perception, Judgement, Memory  Cognitive Concepts Cognitive Cognitions Schemas Structure ‘mental Cognitions as A Blueprint of processes of interrelated people and things acquiring Emphasis on how knowledge and they are understanding structured and through thought, the affect on experience, and behaviour and the senses’ judgement Schema Examples  5. Evolutionary Theory Social Darwin’s Behaviour is Theory of Linked to Evolution our Genes  How Social Psychologists DO Research  Empirical Research “the systematic investigation of Relies on observable Observable and phenomena Measurable (behaviour, events) phenomena in the world.” (Delamater et al.)  Research Methods in Social Psychology SURVEYS FIELD CONTENT EXPERIMEN STUDIES ANALYSIS TS  Surveys Popular Source of Data Collection Set of Questions Geared Toward Collecting Information about a Certain Group Relies on Self- Reporting Example: Public Opinion Polls  Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths: Weaknesses Generally inexpensive Problems with self-reporting Potential clear picture of the phenomena under study Glimpse into infrequent or private behaviours  Field Studies Observation of everyday life in action Unobtrusive Measures Participant Observation  Ethnography Study of Medical Students Understanding Latent Culture Moving Beyond Technical Knowledge  Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses Real-World Behaviour Significant Effect of Data Study Private and Sensitive Recording Method Chosen Matters (Unobtrusive) The Issue of Consent In-Depth Understandings Time Consuming  Archival Research The analysis of data that has already been collected by others Sources of Archival Data Government Universities Formal Organizations  Content Analysis The systematic study of documents to identify themes and make inferences based on these themes  Example: Criminalization of HIV Non-Disclosure Speakman (2017) “Constructing an ‘HIV-Killer: HIV Non-Disclosure and the Techniques of Vilification” Content Analysis of: Legal Documents Newspaper Articles On-Line Discussions  Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses Inexpensive Level of Control over Quality Less Time Consuming of Information Socio-Historical Analyses Difficulty Creating a Reliable and Valid Study Inconsistent or Missing Information in Archives  Experiments High Level of Control They are composed of 2 characteristics: Independent Variables must be Manipulated Participants must be Assigned Randomly  Lab Experiment Researchers Have More Control Can control the physical space  Field Experiment Less Control More Generalizable Mitigation of Reactivity  Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses High level of internal validity Limits to what can be More researcher control studied Ethical concerns Costly Subject Effects and Experimenter Effects Low External Validity  Ethics The Role of The Nuremberg Trials in Modern Day Ethics Protecting and Respecting Research Participants Ethics Approval is Required for Any Research Involving Human Subjects  Protecting our Participants Volunteer Informed Consent Avoiding Harm Ensuring Confidentiality  Sources of Harm Breach of Psychologi Physical Confidenti cal ality  “How we went about testing these questions and what we found may astound you. Our planned two- week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be The ended after only six days because Stanford of what the situation was doing to the college students who Prison participated. In only a few days, Experimen our guards became sadistic and our prisoners became depressed t and showed signs of extreme stress." Professor Zimbardo  1971 Zimbardo - Lead Psychologist The Randomly Assigned Male College Stanford Students to the Roles of ‘Prison Prison Guard’ and ‘Prisoner’ Experimen A Number of Ethical Issues Violation of the harm principle, first t and foremost Have a Great Day!