SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology is a branch of social sciences. Social psychology is a sub specialty of psychology. Three approaches are important in defining social psychology. 

• Provide a formal definition of social psychology.
• Detailing the topics investigated in social psychology.
• A consideration of social psychology and its contrasts with psychology and sociology.

Social psychology can be defined as the scientific and systematic study of nature and human social behavior. Here the mental process of the person and How the person interacts with others, It refers to how the individual interacts with society and interacts with the group to which they belong. Social psychology studies not only the study of social behavior but also the scientific study of its causes.  

  

          Examples:  

• Criminal behavior
• Violence
• Friendliness
• Generosity
• Jealousy
• Hate

By studying human behavior scientifically, the negative behavior of the individual can be controlled and the reasons for developing positive behavior.

Man is always a social animal. But a special interest in social psychology popped up in the 18th century. Formal research and writing about social psychology didn't appear until the 1930s.

The earliest social psychology experiments on group behavior were conducted before 1900 (Triplett, 1898), and the first social psychology textbooks were published in 1908 (McDougall, 1908/2003; Ross, 1908/1974) 

The importance of studying social psychology is,

Human being born as a natural being is a social being and that person cannot live alone. Therefore, interactions with other people in the society have to take place. There, they should have an understanding about themselves as well as the behavior of other people in the society. That understanding can be achieved scientifically and systematically through the development of social psychology.

References

• සුභසිංහ, විජේකෝන්. ඒ., 2016. සමාජ මනෝවිද්‍යාව. පිළියන්දල: විජේකෝන් ඒ සුභසිංහ.