Key Theorists and Their Theories in Social Psychology

Malcolm Gladwell - The Tipping Point - Theory

Gladwell theorizes that social behaviors and trends spread like epidemics through key influencers, called 'connectors,' 'mavens,' and 'salesmen.'

Malcolm Gladwell - The Tipping Point - Significance

Explains how small actions or ideas can spark major cultural or behavioral shifts in society.

Jane Goodall - Among the Wild Chimpanzees - Theory

Used participant observation to study chimpanzee behavior, revealing emotional complexity and tool use among primates.

Jane Goodall - Among the Wild Chimpanzees - Significance

Revolutionized primatology and challenged views on human uniqueness.

Kitty Genovese - Diffusion of Responsibility - Theory

This theory suggests that individuals are less likely to help in emergencies when others are present, due to shared responsibility.

Kitty Genovese - Diffusion of Responsibility - Significance

Led to research in bystander effect and social psychology.

Muzafer Sherif - Robbers Cave & In/Out Groups - Theory

Showed that intergroup conflict arises from competition, and cooperation reduces hostility.

Muzafer Sherif - Robbers Cave - Significance

Illustrated how group dynamics shape prejudice and conflict resolution.

Sigmund Freud - Psychoanalysis, Id/Ego/Superego - Theory

Believed the mind has unconscious desires. The id is instinctual, the superego is moral, and the ego balances both.

Sigmund Freud - Significance

Influenced therapy, personality theory, and our understanding of mental health.

Behaviourism - Theory

Focuses on observable behavior, shaped through conditioning. Associated with Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner.

Behaviourism - Significance

Paved the way for behavior modification and learning theory.

Learning Theory - Theory

People learn behaviors through interaction with the environment and reinforcement.

Learning Theory - Significance

Explains how behaviors are acquired and maintained.

Emile Durkheim - Structural Functionalism - Theory

Society is a system of interconnected parts that maintain stability.

Emile Durkheim - Structural Functionalism - Significance

Helps explain social order and institutions.

Karl Marx - Conflict Theory - Theory

Society is in conflict due to inequality between the bourgeoisie and proletariat.

Karl Marx - Conflict Theory - Significance

Highlights power struggles and promotes social change.

George H. Mead - Symbolic Interactionism - Theory

Focuses on the meanings individuals assign to interactions and symbols.

George H. Mead - Symbolic Interactionism - Significance

Explains how identity and society are built through daily interactions.

G. Stanley Hall - Storm and Stress - Theory

Adolescence is a time of emotional instability, conflict with parents, and mood swings.

G. Stanley Hall - Significance

Framed adolescence as a distinct psychological stage.

Philip Zimbardo - Heroic Imagination, Prosocial Behaviour - Theory

People can choose to act heroically despite pressure to conform.

Philip Zimbardo - Significance

Encourages teaching ethical behavior and critical thinking.

David Elkind - Adolescent Egocentrism - Theory

Teens experience an imaginary audience (believe everyone's watching) and personal fable (believe they're unique).

David Elkind - Significance

Explains teen self-consciousness and risky behavior.

Allison Davis - Socialized Anxiety - Theory

Stress caused by societal expectations; motivates achievement.

Allison Davis

Explains class-based pressure on adolescent development.

Harry Harlow - Monkey Love Experiment

Infant monkeys prefer comfort over food, showing the importance of emotional bonds.

Harry Harlow - Significance

Demonstrated the role of affection in healthy development.

Robert Merton - Strain Typology & Deviance

People may turn to deviance when societal goals are unreachable.

Robert Merton - Significance

Explains crime and deviant behavior.

Leon Festinger - Social Comparison Theory

People evaluate themselves by comparing to others.

Leon Festinger - Significance

Explains self-esteem and peer influence.

Emile Durkheim - Suicide: 3 Types

Defined egoistic, altruistic, and anomic suicide based on social integration.

Emile Durkheim - Significance

Showed how social factors affect personal decisions.

Abraham Maslow - Hierarchy of Needs

People must meet basic needs before achieving self-actualization.

Abraham Maslow - Significance

Widely used in education, motivation, and therapy.

Lawrence Kohlberg - Moral Development

Moral reasoning develops through three levels: preconventional, conventional, postconventional.

Lawrence Kohlberg - Significance

Explains how ethics and values evolve.

Erik Erikson - Psychosocial Development

Identity develops through 8 life stages, each with a crisis to resolve.

Erik Erikson - Significance

Explains emotional and identity development.

Robert Havighurst - Developmental Tasks

Each stage of life has tasks (e.g., building relationships, becoming responsible).

Robert Havighurst - Significance

Highlights skills needed for successful development.

Jean Piaget - Cognitive Development

Children go through 4 stages of cognitive growth (e.g., sensorimotor to formal operations).

Jean Piaget - Significance

Foundation for education and understanding how children think.

Karl Marx - Alienation & Proletariat/Bourgeoisie

Workers feel powerless when not owning production; class conflict drives change.

Karl Marx - Significance

Key to understanding capitalism and inequality.

Antonio Gramsci - Cultural Hegemony

The ruling class maintains control by shaping cultural beliefs.

Antonio Gramsci - Significance

Reveals how power is maintained without force.

Emile Durkheim - Anomie

A state of normlessness where individuals feel disconnected due to rapid change.

George Herbert Mead - I & Me

"I" is the spontaneous self; "Me" is the socialized self.

George Herbert Mead - Significance

Explains identity development through social interaction.

Charles Cooley - Looking Glass Self

People shape their self-concept based on how they think others perceive them.

Charles Cooley - Significance

Explains how social feedback shapes identity.

Albert Bandura - Social Learning Theory

People learn behaviors by observing others (Bobo Doll Experiment).

Albert Bandura - Significance

Supports media's impact on behavior and learning.

Marshall McLuhan - The Medium is the Message

The way information is delivered (medium) shapes how we perceive content.

Marshall McLuhan - Significance

Foundational to media studies and understanding technology's influence.

George Gerbner - Cultivation Theory

Heavy media exposure shapes viewers' perceptions of reality.

George Gerbner - Significance

Explains media's role in shaping fear, stereotypes, and values.