The 9 Major Research Areas in Social Psychology

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSocial CognitionAttitudesViolence and AggressionProsocial BehaviorPrejudice and DiscriminationSocial IdentityGroup BehaviorSocial InfluenceInterpersonal Relationships

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Social Cognition

Attitudes

Violence and Aggression

Prosocial Behavior

Prejudice and Discrimination

Social Identity

Group Behavior

Social Influence

Interpersonal Relationships

Social psychologyis a branch of psychology that studies a wide range of subjects related to social behavior. This includes studying how people interact, factors that affect social perceptions, the formation of attitudes, and how groups influence individuals.

Research in social psychology is often focused on subjects that fall within three broad areas:

This article discusses some of the major areas of research in social psychology. It also explores some examples of the types of research that social psychologists might conduct within these subject areas.

Social cognitionis concerned with the processing, storage, and application of social information. For example, research in this area of social psychology may focus on the development and use of social schemas.

Schemasare our general ideas about the world, how things are, and how things work. In the case of social schemas, these ideas relate to how we expect people to behave in different situations.

These mental categories allow us to function without constantly stopping to interpret everything around us. We also develop associations between related schemas, which play an important role in the thought process and social behavior.

One area of social cognition research concernsperson perception, which is how people form impressions of others.

RecapUnderstanding how people acquire and process social information allows researchers to better explain how it can affect social interactions and individual behavior.

Recap

Understanding how people acquire and process social information allows researchers to better explain how it can affect social interactions and individual behavior.

Attitudes and Attitude Change

Another major research area insocial psychologyinvolves the study ofattitudes. Social psychologists are interested in the components of attitudes, how attitudes develop, and how attitudes change.

Attitudes are evaluations of people, objects, or issues. They can be positive (e.g., “I like chocolate”) or negative (e.g., “I dislike taxes”). Various factors contribute to the development of attitudes, including upbringing and experiences, although genetics also appears to play a role in shaping them.

Researchers have identified three core components of attitude: an affective component, a behavioral component, and a cognitive component. Often referred to as the “ABCs of attitude,” these elements describe how we feel, behave, and understand.

Some other characteristics of attitudes that researchers may be interested in include:

RecapAttitudes are an important research topic in social psychology because they impact how people view and interact with others.

Attitudes are an important research topic in social psychology because they impact how people view and interact with others.

What causes violence andaggression? While many different factors play a role, social psychologists are interested in understanding the social influences that shape violent behavior.

Research in this area looks at numerous social factors that may cause aggression, including:

Research into theepidemic of gun violenceis an example of how social psychologists are trying to understand the variables that contribute to a problem, and then utilize that knowledge to come up with actionable solutions.

The Link Between Alcohol and Aggression

Prosocial behavioris another major research area in social psychology. Prosocial behaviors are those that involve helping and cooperating.

Later reviews of the case indicate that few (if any) of the neighbors had a clear view of the scene and were unaware of what was happening. Nevertheless, the case became mythologized in psychology textbooks and prompted a surge of interest in prosocial behaviors.

Prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes exist in any social group. Social psychologists are interested in the origins, causes, and effects of these attitudes and social categorizations.

Some questions that social psychologists explore include:

For example, researchers have found that several factors contribute to the development of prejudice, including stereotypes, social categorization, and social influences.Another factor that plays a part is the outgroup homogeneity bias, or the tendency to view people outside of our social group as being more homogenous than members of our own group.

RecapBy learning more about the psychology of prejudice and discrimination, researchers can look for solutions to help help prevent it from happening.

By learning more about the psychology of prejudice and discrimination, researchers can look for solutions to help help prevent it from happening.

How People’s Prejudices Develop

Our perceptions of social identities and ourselves are another important research area in social psychology. Some of the questions that researchers explore include:

Social psychologists are interested in learning more about how this inner life influences our outer lives and social world. Self-awareness, self-esteem,self-concept, and self-expression are only a few factors that influence our social experience.

For example, social comparison is a process that can impact how people view themselves. Upward social comparison involves comparing the self to others who are perceived as higher in status and ability, while downward social comparison focuses on making comparisons to those who are lower in status or ability.

Upward comparisons can leave people feeling like they don’t measure up, damaging self-esteem. Downward comparisons, on the other hand, can help enhance self-esteem.

RecapBy learning more about how social identities and self-perceptions interact, social psychologists are better able to understand how social factors can influence how individuals feel about themselves and their identities.

By learning more about how social identities and self-perceptions interact, social psychologists are better able to understand how social factors can influence how individuals feel about themselves and their identities.

Group behavior is defined as the actions, feelings, or thoughts of a collective of people. Such groups involve two or more people who share something in common such as identity, purpose, and belief.

The behavior of groups is one of the largest research areas in social psychology. Most people realize that groups tend to behave differently than individuals. These group behaviors are sometimes beneficial but can also be detrimental.

Social psychologists often look at topics such as:

Norms are an example of an aspect of group behavior that can guide how group members think, behave, or act. Norms are standards that emerge and guide how another member judge one another.

Social psychologists are also interested in the role of social influence on behavior and decision-making. Topics such as the psychology ofpersuasion, peer pressure,conformity, and obedience are only a few of those studied in this area of social psychology.

RecapResearch has helped reveal the power of social influence and has uncovered ways to help people resist influence.

Research has helped reveal the power of social influence and has uncovered ways to help people resist influence.

Some research questions that social psychologists might explore include:

Close relationships are relationships in which we feel a strong sense of connection and intimacy with another person. Studies on close relationships have shown that they are associated with many benefits, such as increasedhappinessand satisfaction with life.

Subjective Well-Being—A Way to Measure Your Own Happiness

A Word From Verywell

Social psychology is a rich subject that explores how social perception, social interaction, and social influence affect both groups and individuals. Researchers in this field are interested in various topics, including attitudes, attraction, close relationships, and helping behavior. By learning more about these subjects, social psychologists can add to our understanding of social behavior and its effect on individual well-being.

How Do Cross-Sectional Studies Work?

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Venta A, Hatkevich C, Mellick W, Vanwoerden S, Sharp C.Social cognition mediates the relation between attachment schemas and posttraumatic stress disorder.PsycholTrauma.2017;9(1):88-95. doi:10.1037/tra0000165Stolier RM, Hehman E, Keller MD, Walker M, Freeman JB.The conceptual structure of face impressions.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018;115(37):9210-9215. doi:10.1073/pnas.1807222115Markovitch N, Netzer L, Tamir M.Will you touch a dirty diaper? Attitudes towards disgust and behaviour[published correction appears inCogn Emot. 2016;30(3):i].Cogn Emot. 2016;30(3):592–602. doi:10.1080/02699931.2015.1020049Olson JM, Vernon PA, Harris JA, Jang KL.The heritability of attitudes: A study of twins.J Pers Soc Psychol. 2001;80(6):845-60. PMID: 11414369.Van Ryzin MJ, Dishion TJ.From antisocial behavior to violence: a model for the amplifying role of coercive joining in adolescent friendships.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013;54(6):661–669. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12017Kassin SM.The killing of Kitty Genovese: What else does this case tell us?Perspect Psychol Sci. 2017;12(3):374–381. doi:10.1177/1745691616679465Rhodes M, Mandalaywala TM.The development and developmental consequences of social essentialism.Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci. 2017;8(4):10.1002/wcs.1437. doi:10.1002/wcs.1437Hjerm M, Eger M, Danell R.Peer attitudes and the development of prejudice in adolescence.Socius Sociolog Res Dynamic World. 2018;4:1-11. doi:10.1177/2378023118763187American Psychological Association.Outgroup homogeneity bias.Drury J, Carter H, Cocking C, Ntontis E, Tekin Guven S, Amlôt R.Facilitating collective psychosocial resilience in the public in emergencies: Twelve recommendations based on the social identity approach[published correction appears inFront Public Health. 2019 Jun 27;7:181].Front Public Health. 2019;7:141. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2019.00141Rahman T.Extreme Overvalued Beliefs: How Violent Extremist Beliefs Become “Normalized”.Behav Sci (Basel). 2018;8(1):10. doi:10.3390/bs8010010Russell NJC.Milgram’s obedience to authority experiments: Origins and early evolution.Br J Soc Psychol. 2011;50:140-162. doi:10.1348/014466610X492205

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Venta A, Hatkevich C, Mellick W, Vanwoerden S, Sharp C.Social cognition mediates the relation between attachment schemas and posttraumatic stress disorder.PsycholTrauma.2017;9(1):88-95. doi:10.1037/tra0000165Stolier RM, Hehman E, Keller MD, Walker M, Freeman JB.The conceptual structure of face impressions.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018;115(37):9210-9215. doi:10.1073/pnas.1807222115Markovitch N, Netzer L, Tamir M.Will you touch a dirty diaper? Attitudes towards disgust and behaviour[published correction appears inCogn Emot. 2016;30(3):i].Cogn Emot. 2016;30(3):592–602. doi:10.1080/02699931.2015.1020049Olson JM, Vernon PA, Harris JA, Jang KL.The heritability of attitudes: A study of twins.J Pers Soc Psychol. 2001;80(6):845-60. PMID: 11414369.Van Ryzin MJ, Dishion TJ.From antisocial behavior to violence: a model for the amplifying role of coercive joining in adolescent friendships.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013;54(6):661–669. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12017Kassin SM.The killing of Kitty Genovese: What else does this case tell us?Perspect Psychol Sci. 2017;12(3):374–381. doi:10.1177/1745691616679465Rhodes M, Mandalaywala TM.The development and developmental consequences of social essentialism.Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci. 2017;8(4):10.1002/wcs.1437. doi:10.1002/wcs.1437Hjerm M, Eger M, Danell R.Peer attitudes and the development of prejudice in adolescence.Socius Sociolog Res Dynamic World. 2018;4:1-11. doi:10.1177/2378023118763187American Psychological Association.Outgroup homogeneity bias.Drury J, Carter H, Cocking C, Ntontis E, Tekin Guven S, Amlôt R.Facilitating collective psychosocial resilience in the public in emergencies: Twelve recommendations based on the social identity approach[published correction appears inFront Public Health. 2019 Jun 27;7:181].Front Public Health. 2019;7:141. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2019.00141Rahman T.Extreme Overvalued Beliefs: How Violent Extremist Beliefs Become “Normalized”.Behav Sci (Basel). 2018;8(1):10. doi:10.3390/bs8010010Russell NJC.Milgram’s obedience to authority experiments: Origins and early evolution.Br J Soc Psychol. 2011;50:140-162. doi:10.1348/014466610X492205

Venta A, Hatkevich C, Mellick W, Vanwoerden S, Sharp C.Social cognition mediates the relation between attachment schemas and posttraumatic stress disorder.PsycholTrauma.2017;9(1):88-95. doi:10.1037/tra0000165Stolier RM, Hehman E, Keller MD, Walker M, Freeman JB.The conceptual structure of face impressions.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018;115(37):9210-9215. doi:10.1073/pnas.1807222115Markovitch N, Netzer L, Tamir M.Will you touch a dirty diaper? Attitudes towards disgust and behaviour[published correction appears inCogn Emot. 2016;30(3):i].Cogn Emot. 2016;30(3):592–602. doi:10.1080/02699931.2015.1020049Olson JM, Vernon PA, Harris JA, Jang KL.The heritability of attitudes: A study of twins.J Pers Soc Psychol. 2001;80(6):845-60. PMID: 11414369.Van Ryzin MJ, Dishion TJ.From antisocial behavior to violence: a model for the amplifying role of coercive joining in adolescent friendships.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013;54(6):661–669. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12017Kassin SM.The killing of Kitty Genovese: What else does this case tell us?Perspect Psychol Sci. 2017;12(3):374–381. doi:10.1177/1745691616679465Rhodes M, Mandalaywala TM.The development and developmental consequences of social essentialism.Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci. 2017;8(4):10.1002/wcs.1437. doi:10.1002/wcs.1437Hjerm M, Eger M, Danell R.Peer attitudes and the development of prejudice in adolescence.Socius Sociolog Res Dynamic World. 2018;4:1-11. doi:10.1177/2378023118763187American Psychological Association.Outgroup homogeneity bias.Drury J, Carter H, Cocking C, Ntontis E, Tekin Guven S, Amlôt R.Facilitating collective psychosocial resilience in the public in emergencies: Twelve recommendations based on the social identity approach[published correction appears inFront Public Health. 2019 Jun 27;7:181].Front Public Health. 2019;7:141. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2019.00141Rahman T.Extreme Overvalued Beliefs: How Violent Extremist Beliefs Become “Normalized”.Behav Sci (Basel). 2018;8(1):10. doi:10.3390/bs8010010Russell NJC.Milgram’s obedience to authority experiments: Origins and early evolution.Br J Soc Psychol. 2011;50:140-162. doi:10.1348/014466610X492205

Stolier RM, Hehman E, Keller MD, Walker M, Freeman JB.The conceptual structure of face impressions.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018;115(37):9210-9215. doi:10.1073/pnas.1807222115

Markovitch N, Netzer L, Tamir M.Will you touch a dirty diaper? Attitudes towards disgust and behaviour[published correction appears inCogn Emot. 2016;30(3):i].Cogn Emot. 2016;30(3):592–602. doi:10.1080/02699931.2015.1020049

Olson JM, Vernon PA, Harris JA, Jang KL.The heritability of attitudes: A study of twins.J Pers Soc Psychol. 2001;80(6):845-60. PMID: 11414369.

Van Ryzin MJ, Dishion TJ.From antisocial behavior to violence: a model for the amplifying role of coercive joining in adolescent friendships.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013;54(6):661–669. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12017

Kassin SM.The killing of Kitty Genovese: What else does this case tell us?Perspect Psychol Sci. 2017;12(3):374–381. doi:10.1177/1745691616679465

Rhodes M, Mandalaywala TM.The development and developmental consequences of social essentialism.Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci. 2017;8(4):10.1002/wcs.1437. doi:10.1002/wcs.1437

Hjerm M, Eger M, Danell R.Peer attitudes and the development of prejudice in adolescence.Socius Sociolog Res Dynamic World. 2018;4:1-11. doi:10.1177/2378023118763187

American Psychological Association.Outgroup homogeneity bias.

Drury J, Carter H, Cocking C, Ntontis E, Tekin Guven S, Amlôt R.Facilitating collective psychosocial resilience in the public in emergencies: Twelve recommendations based on the social identity approach[published correction appears inFront Public Health. 2019 Jun 27;7:181].Front Public Health. 2019;7:141. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2019.00141

Rahman T.Extreme Overvalued Beliefs: How Violent Extremist Beliefs Become “Normalized”.Behav Sci (Basel). 2018;8(1):10. doi:10.3390/bs8010010

Russell NJC.Milgram’s obedience to authority experiments: Origins and early evolution.Br J Soc Psychol. 2011;50:140-162. doi:10.1348/014466610X492205

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Recap#

Attitudes and Attitude Change#

Self and Social Identity#

A Word From Verywell#

Recap

Attitudes and Attitude Change

Self and Social Identity

A Word From Verywell