DEFINITIONS 1: Social Psychology: The Science of the Social Side of Life

Question 1

What is Social Psychology

Answer 1

• Social psychology is the scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual behavior and thought in social situations.
• This can involve the behavior and appearance of others, social cognition, environmental factors, cultural values, and even biological and genetic factors.
• Social psychology seeks to establish basic principles of social life that are accurate across huge cultural differences and despite rapid and major changes in social life.

Question 2

What are major growing interests in the field of social psychology?

Answer 2

There is growing interest among social psychologists in the role of emotion in social thought and social behavior. The formation and development of relationships is another major trend in the field. Yet another major trend involves growing interest in social neuroscience—efforts to relate activity in the brain to key aspects of social thought and behavior.

Question 3

correlational method

Answer 3

When the correlational method of research is employed, two or more variables are measured to determine how they might be related to one another. The existence of even strong cor- relations between variables does not indicate that they are causally related to each other.

Question 4

debriefing

Answer 4

Procedures at the conclusion of a research session in which participants are given full information about
the nature of the research and the hypothesis or hypotheses under investigation.

Question 5

deception

Answer 5

involves efforts by social psychologists to withhold or conceal information about the purposes of a study from participants. Most social psychologists believe that temporary deception is often necessary in order to obtain valid research results. However, they view deception as acceptable only when important safeguards are employed: informed consent and thorough debriefing.

Question 6

dependent variable

Answer 6

dependent variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment.

Question 7

evolutionary psychology

Answer 7

evolutionary psychology
A new branch of psychology that seeks to investigate the potential role of genetic factors in various aspects of human behavior.

Question 8

multicultural perspective

Answer 8

This perspective recognizes the impor- tance of cultural factors in social behavior and social thought, and notes that research findings obtained in one culture do not necessarily generalize to other cultures.

Question 9

hypothesis

Answer 9

hypothesis

An as yet unverified prediction concerning some aspect of social behavior or social thought.

Question 10

independent variable

Answer 10

independent variable

The variable that is systematically changed (i.e., varied) in an experiment.

Question 11

What are the core values that all fields must adopt to be considered scientific in nature.

Answer 11

Accuracy: A commitment to gathering and evaluating information about the world (including social behavior and thought) in as careful, precise, and error-free a manner as possible.
Objectivity: A commitment to obtaining and evaluating such information in a manner that is as free from bias as humanly possible.
Skepticism: A commitment to accepting findings as accurate only to the extent they have been verified over and over again.
Open-mindedness: A commitment to changing one’s views—even views that are strongly held—if existing evi- dence suggests that these views are inaccurate.

Question 12

mediating variable

Answer 12

mediating variable
A variable that is affected by an independent variable and then influences a dependent variable. Mediating variables help explain why or how specific variables influence social behavior or thought in certain ways.

Question 13

What is Objectivity?

Answer 13

A commitment to obtaining and evaluating such information in a manner that is as free from bias as humanly possible.

Question 14

random assignment of participants to experimental conditions

Answer 14

random assignment of participants to experimental conditions
A basic requirement for conducting valid experiments. According to this principle, research participants must have an equal chance of being exposed to each level of the independent variable.

Question 15

relationships

Answer 15

relationships
Our social ties with other persons, ranging from casual acquaintance or passing friendships, to intense, long- term relationships such as marriage or lifetime friendships.

Question 16

survey method

Answer 16

Survey methods often involve large numbers of people who are asked to respond to questions about their attitudes or behavior.