Understanding Human Behavior through Social Psychology

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Social psychology encompasses the scientific study of how human think, act and behave in the milieu of the society (Fiske, 2014). Social psychology is about having a contextual understanding of the behavior displayed by people in social situations and the influence of other people on human behavior. Hence, social psychologists deal with different influences that engender us to behave in a given way in the presence of others and highlights conditions under which certain behaviors and feelings occur. Fundamental topics examined in the field of social psychology include the study of social cognition, attribution theory, self-concept, social influence, prejudice and discrimination, aggression, attitudes and stereotypes. Also, significant intellectual …show more content…

Also, Allport took a methodological approach by discussing actual research and emphasizing that social psychology field is a scientific field which studies human behavior and impact of our actions on others ( ). Allport’s book highlights social topics that is still evident today including conformity, emotion, and the effects of an audience on others ( ). Further, early experiments among some of the most prominent social psychologists include the analysis by Triplett (1898) to investigate the performance of cyclists and how the presence of others influences overall performance ( ). Also, Lwwin et al. (1939) conducted an experiment on leadership and group process, looking at efficient work ethics under different leadership styles ( ). However, later critical research in social psychology developed following the world war II, when individuals became interested in the behavior of other people when grouped together in a social situation ( ). Some studies focused on how attitudes are formed or changed by the social context. Among some of the most famous work in social psychology is the experiment by Milgram in ( ) on obedience which looked at the role that authority figure plays in shaping behavior. Similarly, the prison simulation experiment by Zimbardo demonstrated conformity ascribed roles in the social world (). Hence, wider topics such as social perception, prosocial behavior, aggression, attribution, racism and discrimination have emerged over the

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