Social influence, social perception, and social interaction
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1) How do I define social psychology?
I need to explain the discipline of social psychology and the following topics within social psychology: social influence, social perception, and social interaction.
(2) What exactly is conformity? and what makes people conform to others (e.g., join gangs, social groups, etc.)?
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Defines social psychology, and topics within social psychology: social influence, social perception, and social interaction. It also explains the concept of conformity and what makes people conform to others (e.g., join gangs, social groups, etc.), References are provided.
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RESPONSE:
1) How do I define social psychology? I need to explain the discipline of social psychology and the following topics within social psychology: social influence, social perception, and social interaction.
Social Psychology examines the influence of social processes on the way people: think (thoughts; cognition); feel (feelings; emotions), and; behave (behavior; actions) (Westen, et al, 2006). Another way to define social psychology is: "The scientific study of how the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of people are influenced by the real, imagined, or implied presence of others" (Allport, 1985). (http://wilderdom.com/psychology/social/introduction/Influence.html)
Social Psychology asks certain questions, such as:
? Where do attitudes come from? (Attitudes)
? What leads to ethnic prejudice? (Prejudice)
? Why do people help others? (Altruism)
? How are we influenced by others? (Influence)
? Why do people obey their leaders? (Leadership)
? Why do people behave aggressively? (Aggression)
? Why are we attracted to others? (Attraction)
Social Psychology also deals with different themes including:
? Social Thinking - how we think about others e.g., Attributions
? Social Influence - how we are influenced by others, e.g., Conformity
? Social Perception - how we perceive others e.g.
? Social Relations and Interaction - how we interact with others, e.g., Relationships
(1) Social influence
Social influence is such that the mere presence of others can alter human behavior. Social influence "investigates the causes of human change--whether that ...
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