The History Of Social Psychology - 2266 Words

The history of social psychology goes far back in time. â€Å"Aristotle believed that humans were naturally sociable, a necessity which allows us to live together.† (McLeod) Plato was also another influencer in social psychology by saying that â€Å"the state controlled by the individual and encouraged social responsibility through social context. (McLeod) Social psychology is the section of psychology that studies individuals in a social environment. It studies how people think and how they feel, and why they do the things they do. This field of psychology studies aggression, attitudes, group dynamics, discrimination, and perception. Being able to understand why social psychology is important and useful for many reasons. â€Å"First, we can better understand how groups impact our choices and actions.† (Cherry) Social psychology depends on scientific research to find theories of behavior. Through understanding this field of psychology, â€Å"we can better understand h ow groups impact our choices and actions.† (Cherry) In many cases, people behave and react differently based on the type of situation. A major factor of the reaction outcome are the â€Å"environmental and situational variables.† (Cherry) Some outside variables may include aggression, attraction, love, or altruism. Social psychology can be defined as connecting mental states alongside of human behavior in their social surroundings. Unlike a few fields of psychology, social theories are specific and centered on one topic rather thanShow MoreRelatedEvolution of Social Psychology Essay1668 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Social Psychology is one of the younger sub disciplines within the field of Psychology. In the short span in which social psychology has existed, began with the work of the Norman Triplett in the late 1890s. Tripletts work at Indiana University was primarily experimentation with people in competitive settings. Gordon Allport followed Tripletts experimentation with his observations the attitudes of individuals and the study of the self. While these contributions to the history of social psychologyRead MoreThe Study of Human Behavior in Given Situations1613 Words   |  7 PagesPsychology is a social science study that covers diverse subject topics and carries out different forms of research in order to understand the development and function of human beings. It is a scientific study that focuses on peoples mind and its functions especially those affecting behavior in a particular context. Psychology is divided into different branches, and each branch addresses its own form of content in relation to mental processes and behavior. Social psychology is one of the psychologyRead MoreInvestigating The Expository Qualification And The Debate Between The Personalistic And Naturalistic Position1574 Words   |  7 PagesThe objective of this task is to investigate the expository qualification and the debate between the Personalistic and Naturalistic position in the originations of experimental history in psychological research, it likewise clarified the correlation between the two ideas and how the zeitgeist secured the associations with each of these ideas. Zeitgeist portrays as the â€Å"spirit of the time† and amid the seventeenth and nineteenth hundreds of years. 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The reasoning behind it will be explained in detail but it can be broken down to three main reasons; being the first discipline with verified results and facts rather than unproven theories, having more post-high school opportunities considering that I wish to pursue a career in business, and being the most in-depth discipline. Psychology has more quantitative information, more interestingRead MoreThe Theory Of Psychology And Psychology1507 Words   |  7 PagesLike  any field in history, there has always been   periods where theoretical foundations are built. The same can be said for psychology. This field has evolved greatly to be considered a science. Psychology has to go through similar process like hard sciences did before it. Psychology has to become widely acceptable by the public, not that psychology hasn’t earned the right to be called a Science with a capital† S†. As we advance throughout time psychology, is trying to grow into a â€Å"P† that is inclusiveRead MoreHistorical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology1320 Words   |  6 PagesHistorical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology Susan Hardin University of Phoenix Abnormal Psychology PSY/410 Krisit Lane, Ph.D. October 25, 2011 Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology Historical perspectives of abnormal psychology sounds complicated, mainly due to the differing definitions, or interpretations, of what is considered abnormal. Identifying someone at work or in a social situation who appears to be behaving abnormally is easier to spot than it is to define theRead MoreKurt Lewin s Influence On Social Psychology Essay1209 Words   |  5 PagesThere have been many famous psychologists throughout history, including Sigmund Freud, B. F. Skinner, and countless others. Though the psychologist who had the biggest impact on social psychology would be Kurt Lewin. Commonly known as the father of social psychology, Lewin put in countless hours of hard work and research in the study of the individual behavior among social situations. By working with other renowned psychologists, creating theories of his own, and leaving a mark on the world thatRead MoreThe Important Effects of Theories, Systems, and Paradigms on Psychology543 Words   |  3 Pages Psychol ogy is the study of the way people think and behave. The field of psychology has a number of subdisciplines devoted to the study of the different levels and contexts of human thought and behavior that includes theories, systems, and paradigms. Theories, systems, and paradigms have had an important effect on psychology. A theory is a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena. A theory can also be explained as an abstractRead MoreHistory of Cognitive Psychology1666 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract An analysis of the history of cognitive psychology. Including key ideas, contributors, trends, etc. History of Cognitive Psychology According to G. Miller of Princeton University, cognitive psychology  is an approach to psychology that emphasizes internal mental processes. So, â€Å"since the beginning of experimental psychology in the nineteenth century, there had been interest in the study of higher mental processes. But something discontinuous happened in the late 1950s, something so