Social Psychology
What is Social Psychology?
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual or imagined presence of others. This field explores the impact of social interactions, group dynamics, social norms, and interpersonal relationships on individual behavior. By analyzing how social forces shape human actions, social psychology offers critical insights into phenomena such as conformity, social influence, prejudice, group behavior, and decision-making processes.
The Basic Idea
Have you ever been asked, “If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you?” While this question is usually posed rhetorically, it raises interesting points when viewed through the lens of social psychology. What if everyone else was enjoying the thrill of the risky dive? What if you were scared of heights but too embarrassed to admit it to the group? And what if you felt more confident because your best friends were there to support you?
Social psychology seeks to understand these kinds of behaviors and the motivations behind them by examining how social dynamics influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions. It explores how we are influenced by those around us in everyday life—why we might follow the group decision to jump, how we form first impressions of others, or why we feel anxious in certain social situations. This subfield of psychology attempts to answer critical questions, like to what extent are our decisions shaped by the expectations and behaviors of those around us? How does the social environment influence our own emotions and actions?
In essence, social psychology is the study of how we behave in social settings and how factors like individual differences, culture, and the presence of others can alter what we think and do.
Social psychology is especially interested in the effect which the social group has in the determination of the experience and conduct of the individual member.
George H. Mead, American philosopher and sociologist
About the Author
Annika Steele
Annika completed her Masters at the London School of Economics in an interdisciplinary program combining behavioral science, behavioral economics, social psychology, and sustainability. Professionally, she’s applied data-driven insights in project management, consulting, data analytics, and policy proposal. Passionate about the power of psychology to influence an array of social systems, her research has looked at reproductive health, animal welfare, and perfectionism in female distance runners.
