PSYC 241 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Clinical Psychology, Personality Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
WEEK 1
September 12, 2017
What is social psychology?
- The discipline that seeks to understand how the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of
individuals are influenced by the actual imagined or implied presence of others
- The scientific study of the way individuals think, feel, and behave in social settings
Characteristics of social psychology:
- The individual is the level of analysis (as opposed to groups of people)
- Takes into account the interaction between the person and the situation
- Examines internal psychological states as well as observable behaviours
- Uses scientific methods to investigate questions
Similarities and differences to other disciplines:
- Sociology:
o Some of the questions are similar
o Unit of analysis and methodology are different
▪ Sociologist—groups
▪ Social psychologists – individual
- Cognitive psychology
o Questions differ
o Unit of analysis and methodology are similar
▪ Both look at the person
- Personality psychology:
o Emphasis on person vs. situation.
- Clinical psychology:
o Social psych – focus on normative behaviour
Document Summary
The discipline that seeks to understand how the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of individuals are influenced by the actual imagined or implied presence of others. The scientific study of the way individuals think, feel, and behave in social settings. The individual is the level of analysis (as opposed to groups of people) Takes into account the interaction between the person and the situation. Examines internal psychological states as well as observable behaviours. Sociology: some of the questions are similar, unit of analysis and methodology are different, sociologist groups, social psychologists individual. Cognitive psychology: questions differ, unit of analysis and methodology are similar, both look at the person. Personality psychology: emphasis on person vs. situation. Clinical psychology: social psych focus on normative behaviour. Theory: an organized set of principles used to explain observed phenomena. Elements of a good theory: must be testable, must be replicable, should be parsimonious should be as simple as possible.