Social Psychology And Its Impact On Individual Behavior

Social psychology has evolved through history and its developments and contributions have been remarkable. This specialized area of psychology studies various topics that are significant for human beings (Ross, Lepper, Ward, 2010). This paper presents with an overview of social psychology by addressing its central themes, strengths, limitations, relevance, and the significance of cultural considerations. Central themes Three central themes are apparent in social psychology research. These themes are group influence, subjectism, and non-obvious experimental demonstrations. Studies of power of group on individual behavior dominated in the early days of social psychology research. Researchers recognized that both explicit and implicit group norms are important. Moreover, reference groups serve as a source of norms and are closely associated with a degree of satisfaction with individual life situations (Ross, Lepper, Ward, 2010). Based on these recognitions, there was the development of social comparison theory, which focused on the drive for self-evaluation based on comparison with others (Festinger, 1954). Other bodies of study involving group influence include topics, which related to intergroup relations, cultural influences, and group verses individual estimates, judgments, and predictions (Ross, Lepper, Ward, 2010). Subjectism as a theme in social psychology has stood in an oppos ition to behaviorism, which left no room for individual mental processes. SocialShow MoreRelatedSocial Psychology And Its Impact On Individual Behavior, Attitudes, Perceptions, And Motives Essay2094 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction What is social change? It is a change within a community; a change in the social relationships. For a society to exist there has to be social relationships. Therefore, for change to exist for the entire society it would have to be within those relationships. 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