Introduction to Social Psychology

(DLE 2083)

Prepared by:
AHMAD SYAFIQ
BIN MOHD ARIF
CHAPTER 01

THEORIES AND METHODS IN

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
CLO1. Describe general information pertaining to social
psychology psychological theories.
CLO2. Demonstrate critical thinking about the major theories and
research findings in social psychology.
CLO3. Explain orally on the theories and principles of social
psychology in everyday behavior.
CHAPTER LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Define the concept of social psychology.
2. Able to explain the history of social psychology.
3. Able to relate social psychology theories with current situation.
NO. ASSESSMENTS WEIGHTAGE EXPECTED SUBMISSION

1 TEST 20% WEEK 5

2 ASSIGNMENT 20% WEEK 9

3 PRESENTATION 10% WEEK 11

WHAT IS SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY?
Examines the effects of social variables and cognitions; attempts to
understand behavior within its social context

Social context includes:

- Real, imagined, or the symbolic presence of other people
- Activities and interactions among people
- Settings in which behavior occurs
- Expectations and social norms governing behavior in a
given setting
HOW DOES THE SOCIAL SITUATION AFFECT OUR
BEHAVIOR?
We usually adapt our behavior to the demands of the social
situation; in new or ambiguous situations, we take our cues from the
behavior of others in that setting.
HISTORICAL ROOTS OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Historically, three major perspectives influenced social psychology:

- Psychoanalytic Theory
- Behaviorism
- Gestalt Psychology
HISTORICAL ROOTS OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Psychoanalytic Theory
Freud’s theory emphasizing unconscious motivation.

Behaviourism
Analysis of learning that focuses on observed behavior.

Gestalt Psychology
Theory that people form coherent and meaningful perceptions based on
the whole, not individual parts.
THEORIES IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Motivational Interdependence
Learning Sociocultural
Cognitive Evolutionary
Decision-Making
Motivational Theories
Focus on the individual’s own need or motives.

Learning Theories
Contend that a person’s current behavior is determined by prior
experience.

Social Learning Theory

Contends that learning is based on reinforcement and modeling.
Reinforcement
Learning based on rewards.

Observational
Learning by watching others.

Modeling
Imitating/copying others.
Cognitive Theories
Emphasizes that a person’s behavior depends on the way he or she
perceives the social situation.

Decision-Making Theories
Contend that people rationally calculate the costs and benefits of
various actions.

Expectancy-Value Theory
Contends that decisions are based on the value of outcomes and
the probability each will occur.
Sociocultural perspective
Emphasizes how behavior is influenced by cultural values, social
norms, and social roles. Cultures differ in the relative emphasis they
give to individualism versus collectivism.

Culture affects all facets of life from our favorite foods to our
beliefs about masculinity and femininity.
Culture: shared beliefs, values, traditions, and behavior patterns of
a group.
Socialization: process of acquiring the rules, standards, and values
of a group.
Social Norms: rules and expectations about how group members
should behave.
Social Role: set of social norms about how a person in a particular
social position should behave.
Evolutionary Social Psychology
Applies the principles of evolution and natural selection to the
understanding of human behavior and social life.

Evolved Psychological Mechanisms

Human tendencies and preferences resulting from natural selection.
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES TODAY
Combine and integrate different theoretical traditions.
“middle-range theories” or models to explain specific aspects of
human behavior, are emphasized.
METHODS IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Scientific methodology minimizing biases is emphasized.

Four broad goals of research:

- Description - Theory building
- Causal analysis - Application
Research participants should represent the people whom the
researchers seek to generalize. A random sample is ideal but
costly; therefore, many researchers use convenience samples such
as college students.

Critics warn that an overreliance on white middle-class college

students may bias research results and limit their generalizability.
Laboratory research provides more control and greater internal
validity, but research in field settings is closer to the real world and
often has greater external validity.

The most common sources of data in social psychology are self-

reports, systematic observations of behavior, and data archives.

Use of the internet for research is gaining in popularity.

THANK YOU
REFERENCES
1. Kassin, S. M., Fein, S. & Markus, H. R. (2017). Social Psychology. Boston, MA:
Cengage Learning.
2. Shaver, K. G. (2016). An Introduction to Attribution Processes. Routledge.
3. Wyer, Jr. R. S. & Carlston, D. E. (2018). Social Cognition, Inference, and Attribution.
Psychology Press.
4. Parkinson, B. (2019). Calibrating emotional orientations: Social appraisal and
other kinds of relation alignment. In D. Dukes & F. Clément (Eds.), Foundations of
affective social learning: Conceptualizing the social transmission of value (pp. 117–
141). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108661362.006