Social Psychology

Social Psychology

The scientific study of how society affects the way individuals behave, think, and feel.

Jane Elliot

Well known for the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes exercise - demonstrated the impact of racism on education

Social Cognition

How society influences our the way we think and how we make sense of the world around us.

Cognition

Thought processes

The Self in a Social Context

The study of how individuals define themselves and how others define them in a social setting.

Attitudes and Persuasion

The study of how individuals feel and think about people and situations, as well as the ways in which humans can be persuaded to think or believe certain things.

Group Decisions

The study of how decisions are made within a group and how group dynamics influence decision-making processes.

Ingroups

Social groups formed when members identify with one another.

Outgroups

Social groups towards which an individual feels disrespect or opposition, often treated poorly by the group.

The Nature of Prejudice

Understanding that hostility towards outgroups can strengthen a sense of belonging.

Allport's Differentiation Theory

Ingroups require differentiation from other groups, indicating who is "in" and who is "out," which implies the existence of outgroups.