SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Abstract

Abstract: Psychology as a field of scientific exploration remains relatively new; the first formal psychology course in the United States was initiated at Harvard University by William James in 1875. Yet its importance as a discipline is clear from the well-known names and concepts of early 20th century research into human behavior: Pavlov and his salivating dog, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Jung’s archetypes of the unconscious.         These and other researchers wanted to uncover how human perceptions — of themselves, of others, and of the world at large — influence behavior. As the field of psychology matured, researchers began to focus on specialized aspects of the mind and behavior. This gave rise to subcategories of psychology, including social psychology.

Today, researchers and academics examine nearly every aspect of human existence through a psychological lens. The American Psychological Association (APA) lists 15 subfields of psychology, including clinical psychology, brain and cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, quantitative psychology, and more. Social psychology is one of the broadest and most complex subcategories because it is concerned with self-perception and the behavioral interplay among the individuals who make up society. What follows is an overview of social psychology as a science, including a definition, its origins, and topics related to the field.