Social Psychology
Core Concepts and Emerging Trends

First Edition

Daniel W. Barrett - Western Connecticut State University, USA

Other Titles in:
Social Psychology (General)

March 2016 | 696 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

Employing a lively and accessible writing style, author Daniel W. Barrett integrates up-to-date coverage of social psychology’s core theories, concepts, and research with a discussion of emerging developments in the field—including social neuroscience and the social psychology of happiness, religion, and sustainability. Engaging examples, Applying Social Psychology sections, and a wealth of pedagogical features help readers cultivate a deep understanding of the causes of social behavior.

Part I: Foundations of Social Psychology

Chapter 1: Introducing Social Psychology

The Mystery of Romantic Attraction

Social Psychology Matters: Defining the Field

Social Psychology and the Quest for Human Nature

The Evolving Nature of Social Psychology: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Principle Matters: Social Psychology's Guiding Principles

Science Matters: Social Psychology is a Science

Doing Research: An Introduction to Research Methods

Final Thoughts: Social Psychology and Human Nature Revisited

Chapter 2: The Social Brain

The Case of Phineas Gage

What Is the Brain

Origins of the Social Brain

Anatomy of the Brain

Chromosome, Genes, and DNA

Doing Research: Methods of Social Neuroscience

Social Neuroscience and the Fundamental Questions

Final Thoughts: Evolution, Brain Plasticity, and Culture

Part II: Thinking About the Self and Others

Chapter 3: Social Cognition

Believing is Seeing

The Psychology of Social Thinking

The Nature of Social Cognition

The Dual Mind: Automatic and Controlled Processing

Heuristics: Mental Shortcuts

Doing Research: Reliability and Validity

Motivated Reasoning

Culture and Cognition

Final Thoughts: Free Will and Rationality Revisited

Chapter 4: What Is the Self?

The Many "Me's" of the Self

What Is the Self: The Self as Thinker and the Thought

Knowing Who We Are: Introspection and Self-Perception

Doing Research: Questioning Self-Reports and Surveys

Evaluating How We Are Doing

Self-Presentation: Displaying Oneself

Self-Regulation: Controlling Oneself

Final Thoughts: The Paradox of the Self

Chapter 5: Social Perception

"Nice to Meet You. You're Hired!" Job Interviews in Seconds

Impression Formation

Biases in Social Perception

Nonverbal Communication and Emotional Expressions

Doing Research: The Challenges of Cross-Cultural Studies

Detecting Deception

How Observations Can Fail Us: Four Cognitive Illusions: Control, Gambling, Shooting Streaks, and Imagined Associations

Attributions: Determining the Causes of Behavior

Final Thoughts: Sex Categorization and Free Will

Part III: Interpersonal Influence

Chapter 6: Social Influence

Good People Turning Bad

Types of Social Influence

Six Principles of Interpersonal Influence

The Principle of Reciprocity

Conformity and the Social Validation Principle

Obedience and the Authority Principle

Doing Research: Deception and Ethics in Research

Obedience in the 21st Century: Milgram Revisited

Final Thoughts: The Upsides of Compliance, Obedience, and Conformity

Chapter 7: Attitudes and Persuasion

When Prophecies Fail

The Nature of Attitudes

The Origins of Attitudes

Two Routes to Persuasion

Elements of Persuasion

The Effects of Attitudes on Behavior

Doing Research: Measuring Attitudes

Cognitive Consistency and the Effects of Behavior on Attitudes

Final Thoughts: Resisting Persuasion

Part IV: Moral Behavior

Chapter 8: Helping

The Nature of Helping Behavior

Why We Help

Origins of Helping Behavior

When Do We Help?

Doing Research: Safeguarding Research Participants

The Empathy-Altruism Relationship

Person Factors Affecting Helping

Who Gets Helped?

Final Thoughts: A Broader View of Helping

Chapter 9: Aggression

Mass Shootings

The Nature of Aggression

The Origins of Aggression

When Do We Aggress?

The General Aggression Model

Doing Research: Archival Studies of Historical Aggression

Person Factors Affecting Aggression

The Route to Aggression: From Inputs to Outputs

Reducing Aggression

Final Thoughts: The Multiple Causes of Aggression

Part V: Affiliative Behavior

Chapter 10: Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination

Anti-Immigrant Attitudes Around the Globe

The Nature of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination

The Three Waves of Research on Racism

The Origins of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination

Social Identity Theory

Contextual Factors

Doing Research: Measuring Implicit Attitudes

Person Factors

Specific Types of Intergroup Bias

The Effects of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination

Overcoming Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination

Final Thoughts: The Changing Landscape of Prejudice

Chapter 11: Affiliation and Love

Friends with Benefits

The Nature of Affiliation and Love

Contextual Factors

Who is Attractive?

Evolutionary Perspective on Mate Selection

What is Love?

Doing Research: Examining Interpersonal Relationships

Relationship Satisfaction

Dating in the Virtual World

Final Thoughts: Does Facebook Make You Lonely?

Chapter 12: Group Processes

Sports-Related Riots

The Nature of Groups

Key Features of Groups

Groups and Behavior

Losing Onself in the Group: Deindividuation

Group Decision Making

Doing Research: Case Studies

Minority Influence

Leadership

Final Thoughts: Crowd Wisdom and Smart Mobs

Part VI: Emerging Topics in Social Psychology

Chapter 13: Three Emerging Trends: The Social Psychology of Happiness, Religion, and Sustainability

The Intersection of Happiness, Religion, and Sustainability

The Social Psychology of Happiness

The Nature of Happiness

The Antecedents and Benefits of Happiness

Doing Research: Generalizing to the Real World

The Social Psychology of Religion

The Nature of Religious Belief

Origins and Benefits of Religious Belief

The Social Psychology of Sustainability

Final Thoughts: Subjective Well-Being and Sustainability

Glossary

References

Author Index

Subject Index

Supplements

Student Study Site

SAGE edge for Students provides a personalized approach to help students accomplish their coursework goals in an easy-to-use learning environment.

Mobile-friendly eFlashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts
Mobile-friendly practice quizzes allow for independent assessment by students of their mastery of course material
A customized online action plan includes tips and feedback on progress through the course and materials, which allows students to individualize their learning experience
Chapter summaries with learning objectives reinforce the most important material
Web exercises and meaningful links make it easy to mine internet resources, further explore topics, and answer critical thinking questions
Multimedia content includes videos that appeal to students with different learning styles
EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter

Instructor Teaching Site

SAGE edge for Instructors supports teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students.

An author-created test bank with 125 questions per chapter, including both multiple choice and essay questions, provides a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity to edit any question and/or insert personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding
Editable, chapter-specific and author-created PowerPoint^® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for the course
Sample course syllabi for semester and quarter courses provide suggested models for structuring one’s course
An Instructor’s Manual provides chapter-by-chapter lecture notes, discussion questions, class activities and more to ease preparation for lectures and class discussions
A robust set of Web Exercises hones in on three key areas (Applications, Social Media and Technology, and In the News), connecting chapter coverage with current web resources and related, carefully crafted follow-up exercises to help students master key concepts.
EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter to encourage students to think critically
Multimedia content includes videos that appeal to students with different learning styles
A course cartridge is provided for easy LMS integration.

An interesting text providing insight into the core theories and concepts. Accessible and relevant.

Ms Sarah Jane Cleak

Community Studies, Truro & Penwith College

July 6, 2016

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I think it is a hugely accessible book that undergraduates will find very helpful in applying psychological theories to practice situations. Of particular value to my students is the application of social psychology to matters of health Also an invaluable glossary is included.

Mr Michael John Grant

Faculty of Health & Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University

February 25, 2016

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This text allows the students to understand the basic fundamentals of social behaviour. Also giving them insight into topics such as human existence which helps develop their critical analysis skills.

Miss Ella Rachael Malton

Department of Health & Social Studies, Grimsby Institute of HE & FE

April 26, 2016

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