Social Psychology Essay Research Paper Before answering

Social Psychology Essay, Research Paper

Before answering this question it is important to set out clear definitions of the key terms ‘social psychology´ and ‘scientific.´ According to the Collins English Dictionary for something to be scientific it has to: ‘…conform with the principles or methods used in science.´ In this essay we will determine whether social psychology is scientific by answering two questions. Firstly, we will need to ask whether social psychology has been able to use the principles or methods used in science in the study of social psychological phenomenon. However, it would be unreasonable to classify social psychology as scientific simply because it uses these methods, for social psychology to be classified as a science we will need to look at the way in which these methods are used. Based on this, the second question we will be asking is whether the goals science are appropriate to the study of social psychological phenomena.

Malim et al.(1992) state that there are four goals to any science: to describe events as objectively as possible, to use such descriptions to predict future events and propose hypotheses, to gain greater knowledge through hypothesis testing and finally, to give us a greater understanding of the world around us through understanding cause and effect.

Scientific method is the means by which a scientist develops theories and collects data. A scientist proposes a theory based upon a collection of facts. These facts are the result of objective observation. A scientific theory can lead to generalisations being made about a certain object/occurrence etc. These facts generate expectations or hypotheses about other related phenomena. A scientist tests his hypothesis by setting up a controlled experiment where he manipulates an independent variable(IV) and observes changes in the dependent variable(DV). Results from these experiments are used either to support or refine a theory. Key concepts in scientific experiments are: objectivity, control, manipulation, replication and falsification.

If social psychology is scientific then it must have similar goals to science and social psychologists must carry out investigations which incorporate the above methodology. Social psychology is a sub-discipline of the larger field of psychology. According to the Collins English Dictionary psychology is: ‘The scientific study of all forms of human and animal behaviour.´ Social psychology is a unique area within psychology because it is particularly concerned with behaviour in social situations. Brehm and Kassin(1996) define it as: ‘…the scientific study of the way individuals think, feel, desire, and act in social situations.´ It is interesting to remark that in their definition of social psychology Brehm and Kassin have chosen to describe it as scientific.

In order to answer the first of our questions we will proceed to give a brief history of the development of social psychology. By looking at its history we will be able to determine whether social psychology have been able to use the scientific methods to demonstrate social psychological phenomenon. Thinkers have been concerned with psychological issues for centuries. However, it was not until years later that psychology became recognised as a discipline in its own right and began using empiricism as a way of answering questions. Bernard Notcutt says: ‘The idea of applying scientific method to the study of human thought and behaviour was not seriously entertained until the nineteenth century.´ The years 1936-1945 have been described as the ‘infancy´(Brehm and Kassin) of social psychology. This period was marked by the ground-breaking work of people such as Sherif. He published a study of social influence in 1936 and was one the first social psychologists to use the laboratory experiment as a method of enquiry. Participants in his research observed a visual illusion – a dot of light that was actually stationary but appeared to move. Watching alone, participants differed considerably in their individual estimates of the light´s movement. When they watched together in groups, however, their estimates of the light´s movement converged. The light itself never budged, but opinions moved towards a common perception. Sherif´s research was crucial for the development of social psychology because it demonstrated that it was possible to apply the scientific method and conduct well-controlled, repeatable experiments.

The years 1946-60 have been described as the ‘classic age´(Brehm and Kassin) of social psychology. Many successful research programs using the scientific method were carried out during these years. These included Asch´s studies of conformity, Festinger´s work on cognitive dissonance and Allport´s important research on prejudice and stereotyping.

By the late sixties social psychology was well founded and a huge range of experiments were being carried out. For example, Latané and Darley had looked at bystander apathy, Moscovici had looked at group interactions and Milgram had carried out his classic studies of obedience. All these experiments incorporated Malim et al´s goals and the psychologists involved carried out the experiments with the aim of fulfilling all the rigours of scientific method.

We have answered our first question because we have sho