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Social Psychology Essay

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Social psychology is a young science, barely a century old (Myers, 2010). Yet already its scientific explorations have shed light on love and hate, conformity and independence - social behaviors that we encounter each day (Myers, 2010). Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. (Myers, 2010). As we mature in life, our social world molds us as we interact in social thinking, social influences, and social relations. Social psychology had the potential to illuminate our lives, making it visible to the subtle influences that guide our thinking and acting. (Myers, 2010). Social psychology has open many avenues for psychologist of the present to understand how our …show more content…

Kurt Lewin pioneered the use of theory, using experimentation to test hypothesis, which left an everlasting significance on an entire discipline group dynamics and action research (Harvey, OJ., 1989). Lewin's group dynamics has been utilized in such areas as educational facilities, industrial settings, and communities (Harvey, OJ., 1989). With all the different aspects of Lewin's group dynamics, he has opened many avenues for social psychologist in the field today. Studying the behavior of groups is one of the largest research areas in social psychology (Cherry, 2005). Group dynamics expert Marvin Shaw states that all groups have one thing in common: their members interact (Myers, David G., 2010). Through interaction in group dynamics, social orders and social norms co-exist. Social orders exist only as a product of human activity (Berger, P., Luckmann, T., 1966).

Social Psychology 4
Nevertheless, just like in the physical world, in order to at in the social world, we need some order (Boeree, 1999). The social order is based on shared expectations (beliefs, rule, values) known as social norms
(Boeree, 1999). Social norms are used as standards with which we measure the appropriateness of

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