Social psychologists focus on how people construe or interpret situations and how these interpretations influence their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Ross & Nisbett, 1991). Social psychology deals with all kinds of interactions between people, spanning a wide range of how we connect: from moments of confrontation to moments of working together and helping others, as shown here. Interpersonal topics (those that pertain to dyads and groups) include helping behavior (figure below), aggression, prejudice and discrimination, attraction and close relationships, and group processes and intergroup relationships. Intrapersonal topics (those that pertain to the individual) include emotions and attitudes, the self, and social cognition (the ways in which we think about ourselves and others). The field of social psychology studies topics at both the intra- and interpersonal levels. If we are in a new situation or are unsure how to behave, we will take our cues from other individuals. In other situations less structured by social norms individuals may be more likely to allow their own idiosyncratic personality characteristics show. In some cases people will change their behavior to align with the social situation at hand. Social psychologists assert that an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are very much influenced by social situations. Most research reported in this chapter employs random assignment of participants to different conditions to neutralize any explanatory power individual personality characteristics might have over behavior within these situations. The focus of most research in social psychology is how situational characteristics alters human psychology separate from personality characteristics. Social psychology examines how people, or even the imagined presence of others, affect how people think, feel, and behave. Describe the fundamental attribution error.Describe situational versus dispositional influences on behavior.By the end of this section, you will be able to:
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