Introducing Social Psychology

by Fraser, Colin; Burchell, Brendan; Hay, Dale F.; Duveen, Gerard

• ISBN13: 9780745610931
• ISBN10: 0745610935
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-11-28
• Publisher: Polity

Summary

This book offers an accessible and broadly conceived introduction to social psychology. Written in a lucid and lively style, it assumes no prior knowledge of the field, and is the ideal textbook to get students thinking about the subject.The volume covers the main issues of social psychology – as well as many classic studies – such as self and personality, interpersonal relations, language and communication, altruism and aggression, group processes, attitudes, and intergroup relations. What sets this book apart is its coverage of less orthodox topics which are often neglected in introductions of this kind. These areas include emotions, social and moral development, social representations, health and illness, employment and unemployment, and the implications of these fields for social policy. The result is an unusually rich and wide-ranging presentation of social psychology, drawing together a deliberately varied range of methodology and theory.The currently dominant cognitive and psychological approach to social psychology receives systematic consideration in a number of chapters, but its focus on individuals and face-to-face interaction is continually related to broader social concerns and contexts. This is achieved through the use of cross-cultural and historical comparisons, together with an awareness of the contributions that can be made by related social sciences. The authors aim to show that social psychology illuminates the whole of social life, including everyday issues faced by all of us.

Author Biography

Colin Fraser is a Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge, and was formerly a University Lecturer in Social Psychology at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. Brendan Burchell is a University Lecturer in the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University, and a Fellow of Churchill College. Gerard Duveen is a University Lecturer in Social and Developmental Psychology at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University, and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College. Dale Hay is a Professor in Social Psychology at the University of Cardiff.

Table of Contents

A Brief Introduction	1	(6)
Colin Fraser
Introduction	1	(1)
A definition of social psychology	2	(1)
The organization of this book	2	(5)
The Social Individual	3	(1)
SociaL Interaction and Relationships	3	(1)
Understanding the Social World	4	(1)
Social Issues	4	(1)
The Nature of Social Psychology	5	(2)
PART I The Social Individual	7	(88)
Personality and the Self	9	(25)
David Good
Introduction	9	(2)
Traits, types and individual differences	11	(9)
The beginnings in everyday speech	11	(1)
Taxonomy, factor analysis and assessment	12	(4)
The uses of assessment	16	(1)
Consistency and the situationist critique	17	(2)
Prospect	19	(1)
Freud and the psychoanalytic tradition	20	(7)
A classical cast	23	(3)
A classic, but is it relevant?	26	(1)
The self	27	(5)
George Herbert Mead	29	(2)
Social identity and self-categorization	31	(1)
The merely social self?	31	(1)
Conclusions	32	(1)
Recommended reading	33	(1)
Cognition and Social Behaviour	34	(22)
David Good
Introduction	34	(1)
Perception	35	(3)
Ambiguity	36	(2)
Top-down and bottom-up	38	(1)
Memory and meaning	38	(6)
Effort after meaning	39	(1)
Autobiographical memory	40	(2)
Recovered memories?	42	(1)
Information or connections?	43	(1)
Judgement and reasoning	44	(4)
Availability heuristic	45	(1)
Representativeness heuristic	46	(1)
Anchoring and adjustment heuristic	47	(1)
Confirmation bias	47	(1)
Universality and specificity	48	(1)
Situated cognition	48	(2)
Do they think like us?	50	(2)
The evolved social mind	52	(2)
Autism: a cognitive and social deficit	53	(1)
Conclusions	54	(1)
Recommended reading	55	(1)
Emotion	56	(20)
David Good
Introduction	56	(1)
The intrapersonal side of emotion	57	(6)
The beginning: William James	57	(3)
William Cannon	60	(1)
Stanley Schachter	60	(3)
The interpersonal side of emotion	63	(5)
Darwinian beginnings	63	(1)
Paul Ekman	63	(3)
Facial feedback	66	(1)
Cross-cultural differences	67	(1)
Empathy	68	(2)
Why do we have emotions?	70	(1)
Emotional pathologies	71	(3)
Psychopathy	72	(1)
Schizophrenia	73	(1)
Depression	74	(1)
Conclusions	74	(1)
Recommended reading	75	(1)
Language and Communication	76	(19)
David Good
Introduction	76	(1)
Three basic properties	77	(4)
Variation	77	(2)
Indeterminacy	79	(1)
Reflection	80	(1)
The structure of human communication	81	(5)
The structure of language and conversation	82	(3)
The structure of non-vocal communication	85	(1)
Summary	86	(1)
Gender, language and interaction	86	(7)
Gendered speech	87	(3)
Sexist language?	90	(3)
Conclusions	93	(1)
Recommended reading	93	(2)
PART II Social Interaction and Relationships	95	(98)
The Development of Social Relationships	97	(19)
Dole Hay
Introduction	97	(1)
The emergence of interaction	98	(2)
Readiness for interaction	98	(1)
Mutuality in infancy	99	(1)
The beginnings of cooperation and conflict	100	(1)
Links between early social experiences and later social relations	100	(8)
Attachment theory	101	(2)
Measuring the security of attachment	103	(2)
Effects of early experience: a gradient of privation	105	(3)
Others than mother	108	(6)
Fathers	108	(2)
Siblings	110	(2)
Peers	112	(2)
Conclusions	114	(1)
Recommended reading	115	(1)
Interpersonal Relationships	116	(24)
Robert Hinde
Introduction	116	(1)
What is a relationship?	117	(3)
Interactions and relationships	117	(1)
The self-system	117	(1)
Levels of complexity	118	(2)
Describing relationships	120	(2)
Dimensions of interpersonal relationships	122	(11)
Content of interactions	122	(1)
Diversity of interactions	123	(1)
Qualities of interactions	124	(1)
Relative frequency and patterning of interactions	124	(2)
Reciprocity in interactions	126	(2)
Complementarity in interactions	128	(1)
Conflict	128	(1)
Power	129	(1)
Self-disclosure	130	(1)
Interpersonal perception	130	(1)
Satisfaction with the relationship	131	(1)
Commitment	132	(1)
The dynamics of relationships	133	(4)
Individual characteristics	133	(1)
Dissonance and balance	133	(1)
Attribution	134	(1)
Exchange and interdependence theories	134	(1)
Attachment	135	(1)
Positive and negative feedback	136	(1)
Social and other extra-dyadic issues	136	(1)
The diversity and complexity of relationships	137	(1)
Conclusions	138	(1)
Recommended reading	139	(1)
Interaction in Groups	140	(22)
Colin Fraser
Introduction	140	(1)
What is a group?	140	(3)
How small is `small'?	141	(1)
Defining characteristics	142	(1)
Describing social influence processes in groups	143	(9)
Norms	143	(1)
Norm formation	144	(1)
Maintaining norms through majority influence	145	(2)
Changing norms through minority influence	147	(2)
Group decision-making and group polarization	149	(2)
Groupthink	151	(1)
Explaining social influence in groups	152	(8)
Social comparison processes	153	(1)
The law of social impact	153	(1)
Normative and informational social influence processes	154	(5)
Self-categorization theory	159	(1)
Conclusions	160	(1)
Recommended reading	160	(2)
Altruism and Aggression	162	(31)
Abigail Buckle
Introduction	162	(3)
Problems of definition	163	(2)
Are people genuinely altruistic?	165	(2)
The majority view: helpers profit from helping	165	(1)
The dissenters' view: helping for the sake of helping	166	(1)
The social context of helping	167	(3)
Why do people not help?	167	(2)
The presence of other bystanders	169	(1)
Who helps?	170	(4)
Mood and helpfulness	171	(1)
Gender differences	172	(1)
The altrustic personality	173	(1)
Encouraging long-term helpfulness	174	(4)
Non-spontaneous helping: researching voluntary work	175	(1)
Helping people with AIDS	175	(2)
Future directions	177	(1)
Theories of aggression	178	(5)
Aggression as coercion	179	(1)
Power and dominance	179	(2)
Impression management	181	(1)
The cognitive neoassociationist view	181	(2)
Assessment of the theories	183	(1)
Individual differences	183	(3)
Institutional violence	186	(1)
Deindividuation and aggression	186	(1)
Aggression and dehumanization	187	(1)
Obedience and aggression	187	(1)
Genocide	187	(3)
Hard times	189	(1)
The continuum of destruction	189	(1)
Evaluation of Staub's analysis	189	(1)
Summary	190	(1)
Conclusions	191	(1)
Recommended reading	191	(2)
PART III Understanding the Social World	193	(96)
The Development of Moral Reasoning	195	(21)
Patrick Leman
Introduction	195	(1)
Learning morality from others	196	(4)
Social learning theories	196	(1)
Parents and moral development	197	(2)
Society and morality	199	(1)
Piaget's theory	200	(6)
The rules of the game	201	(2)
Heteronomy and autonomy	203	(1)
Social relations	204	(2)
Cognitive-developmental theory	206	(6)
Kohlberg's theory	206	(3)
The logic of moral development	209	(2)
Moral and conventional rules	211	(1)
Moral development in a cultural context	212	(2)
Culture and morality	212	(1)
Women's moral voice	213	(1)
Conclusions	214	(1)
Recommended reading	215	(1)
Perceiving and Understanding People	216	(19)
Brendan Burchell
Introduction	216	(1)
Simple impression formation	217	(1)
Attribution theories	218	(9)
Biases in attributions	221	(1)
The fundamental attribution error	221	(1)
The actor--observer error	222	(2)
Motivational biases	224	(2)
Other critiques of attribution models	226	(1)
Memory and recall for information about people	227	(4)
Categorizing people	229	(1)
Other knowledge structures used in person perception and categorization	230	(1)
The outcomes of person perception	231	(2)
Conclusions	233	(1)
Recommended reading	234	(1)
Attitudes and Actions	235	(15)
Colin Fraser
Introduction	235	(1)
Might attitudes be irrelevant?	236	(2)
Conceptions of attitudes	238	(3)
One component	239	(1)
Two components	239	(1)
Three components	240	(1)
Zero components	241	(1)
Attitudes, actions and behaviour	241	(8)
Are attitudes and behaviour unrelated?	241	(2)
The theory of reasoned action	243	(3)
The theory of planned behaviour	246	(1)
Attitude accessibility	246	(2)
Self-monitoring and personality differences	248	(1)
Conclusions	249	(1)
Recommended reading	249	(1)
Attitude Organization and Change	250	(18)
Colin Fraser
Introduction	250	(2)
The emergence of interest in attitude change	252	(1)
Attitude organization as cognitive consistency	253	(6)
A simple idea	253	(1)
Festinger's Theory of Cognitive Dissonance	253	(4)
A reformulation of dissonance theory	257	(2)
Methods of attitude change other than persuasion	259	(1)
Theories of attitude change	260	(5)
McGuire's information processing model	260	(1)
Greenwald's cognitive-response model	261	(1)
Systematic and heuristic processing	261	(1)
The elaboration likelihood model	262	(2)
The heuristic-systematic model	264	(1)
Attitude change or behaviour change?	265	(1)
Conclusions	266	(1)
Recommended reading	267	(1)
Social Representations	268	(21)
Gerard Duveen
Introduction	268	(3)
Characteristics of social representations	271	(2)
The dynamics of social representations	273	(2)
Reified and consensual universes	275	(3)
The development of social representations of gender	278	(5)
Social representations as organizations of meanings	283	(3)
Conclusions	286	(1)
Recommended reading	287	(2)
PART IV Social Issues	289	(92)
Prejudice and Intergroup Relations	291	(26)
Colin Fraser
Introduction	291	(3)
The commonness of prejudice	291	(1)
Definition of terms	292	(2)
Four types of theories	294	(1)
Psychodynamic theories	295	(4)
Freud's theory	295	(1)
The authoritarian personality	296	(3)
Cognitive analyses	299	(3)
Acquisition theories	302	(3)
Socialization analyses	302	(1)
A social-cognitive developmental theory	303	(2)
Intergroup theories	305	(6)
Realistic group conflict theory	305	(2)
Tajfel's social identity theory	307	(4)
Some conclusions from the theories	311	(1)
What can be done?	312	(4)
Implications of the theories for change	312	(2)
Empirical evidence: the contact hypothesis	314	(2)
Conclusions	316	(1)
Recommended reading	316	(1)
The World of Paid Work	317	(25)
Colin Fraser
Brendan Burchell
Introduction	317	(1)
Why do we work?	318	(1)
What might employees get from their jobs?	319	(5)
What do employees get from their jobs?	324	(5)
Surveys of job satisfaction	324	(4)
Indirect questions in surveys of job satisfaction	328	(1)
Methods of increasing job satisfaction	329	(2)
Job satisfaction and performance	331	(3)
The psychological effects of unemployment	334	(6)
Unemployment and psychological health: the evidence	334	(2)
Why does unemployment affect psychological well-being?	336	(1)
Environmental vitamins and latent functions	336	(1)
Personal agency	337	(1)
Unemployment, poverty and social exclusion	338	(1)
The psychological health of dependents of unemployed people	339	(1)
Conclusions	340	(1)
Recommended reading	340	(2)
Health and Illness	342	(23)
Fraser Watts
Nicola Morant
Introduction	342	(1)
Social psychological perspectives on health and illness	343	(1)
The social distribution of illness	344	(4)
Women and depression	345	(3)
Social distribution of schizophrenia	348	(1)
Predisposing factors	348	(3)
Childhood experiences and adult depression	348	(1)
Dimensions of personality as predisposing factors	349	(2)
Life events	351	(3)
Depression	351	(2)
Schizophrenia	353	(1)
Social support	354	(2)
Marital and family interactions	356	(4)
Depression	356	(2)
Schizophrenia	358	(2)
Social integration and public attitudes	360	(1)
Lay notions of illness	361	(2)
Conclusions	363	(1)
Recommended reading	364	(1)
Social Psychology and Policy	365	(16)
David Halpern
Introduction	365	(2)
Objectives: what are we trying to achieve?	367	(4)
Understanding social processes: the example of social capital	371	(3)
Making judgements: if not rational, then what?	374	(2)
The problem of individual differences in ability	376	(3)
Conclusions	379	(1)
Recommended reading	380	(1)
PART V The Nature of Social Psychology	381	(35)
Research Methods	383	(20)
Brendan Burchell
Introduction	383	(1)
So, what exactly is an experiment?	384	(7)
Experimenter effects	388	(1)
Demand characteristics	388	(2)
The radical critiques of experimentation	390	(1)
Field experiments and quasi-experiments	391	(1)
Surveys and interviewing people	392	(3)
Survey designs	394	(1)
Observation	395	(2)
Other methods	397	(1)
Quantification	398	(1)
Ethics	399	(1)
The research process	399	(2)
Research and theory	401	(1)
Conclusions	401	(1)
Recommended reading	402	(1)
The Nature of Social Psychology	403	(13)
Colin Fraser
Introduction	403	(1)
A brief history of social psychology	403	(6)
An excursion into experimental psychology	404	(1)
Social psychology's immediate precursors	405	(1)
Influences from sociology and psychology	406	(1)
Critiques of scope and method	407	(2)
Alternative conceptions of social psychology	409	(5)
Broader and narrower views of social psychology	411	(3)
Conclusions	414	(1)
Recommended reading	415	(1)
Glossary	416	(23)
Picture Credits	439	(1)
References	440	(58)
Name Index	498	(14)
Subject Index	512