The Conceptual Foundations of Social Psychology Term Paper by Spirittalk

The Conceptual Foundations of Social Psychology
An examination of the study of social psychology.
# 151507 | 1,574 words | 4 sources | APA | 2012 | US
Published on Jun 13, 2012 in Psychology (Social)


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Description:

The paper defines social psychology and its four key characteristics. The paper explores the concept of situationism and its role in social psychology and also explains the five core social motives of belonging, understanding, controlling, enhancing self and trusting others and how they affect social psychology.

Outline:
Social Psychology Defined
The Four Key Characteristics of Social Psychology
The Concept of Situationism and its Role in Social Psychology
Five Core Social Motives and How They Affect Social Psychology
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The four key characteristics of social psychology include a broad scope, cultural mandate, use of scientific methods, and the search for wisdom (Fiske, 2010). Social psychology is a wide-ranging domain with diverse perspectives that cover concepts and philosophies like conventionality and nonconformity, loving and loathing, altruism and antagonism, individuals and groups, and the attitudes and behaviors of those individuals with relation to the group. Social psychology focuses upon the whole with regard to human beings and their relationships with others from individual emotions to the social victories and defeats that become contemporary phenomenon. The latitude afforded this domain is the direct result of a cultural mandate. "Social psychology is a culturally mandated translation of our understanding of human behavior" (Fiske, 2010, p. 33), derived from outdated expressions and languages into contemporary terminologies and manifestations. Before the establishment of social psychology as a science, individual and societal standards were established in and relied strictly upon religion, traditions, and codes of behavior. In other words, one acted as one was expected to act; the effects of this narrow minded perspective with regard to the understanding and treatment of human beings remained disastrous until the not too recent past. The endeavor of social psychology is to explain human behavior in a manner that can be understood with confidence by peoples, and this can be accomplished by way of the universal language provided in the scientific method (Fiske, 2010)."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Back, K. W. (1963). The Proper Scope of Social Psychology. Social Forces, 41(4), 368-376.
  • Fiske, S. T. (2010). Social beings: Core Motives in Social Psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
  • Tjeltveit, A. C. (2004, June). Review of 'Lack of Character: Personality and Moral Behavior'. Theory & Psychology, 14(3), 420-422.
  • Trigg, A. B. (2004, September). Social Structure & Organization. Review of Social Economy, 62(3), 393-406. doi:10.1080/0034676042000253987 Turton, R. (1999, December). Assumptions, Behaviors and Cognitions. The Psychologist, 12(12), 585-586.

Cite this Term Paper:

APA Format

The Conceptual Foundations of Social Psychology (2012, June 13) Retrieved October 03, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-conceptual-foundations-of-social-psychology-151507/

MLA Format

"The Conceptual Foundations of Social Psychology" 13 June 2012. Web. 03 October. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-conceptual-foundations-of-social-psychology-151507/>

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