Summary applied social psychology (second edition; Steg, Keizer, Buunk, Rothengatter)
80 views 3 purchases
Course
Sociale Omgeving En Gedrag (PSABA2.04)
Institution
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RuG)
Book
Applied Social Psychology
Summary of the book Applied social psychology (second edition) by L. Steg, K. Keizer, A. P. Buunk and T. Rothengatter. This book is used at the University of Groningen in the second year of studying psychology.
Samenvatting Applied Social Psychology - Social environment and behaviour (PSBE2-04)
Summary Applied social psychology / Samenvatting Sociale omgeving en gedrag (boek) RUG
Social Environment & Behaviour - A Summary 2021/2022 [PSBE2-04]
All for this textbook (8)
Written for
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RuG)
Bachelor Psychology
Sociale Omgeving En Gedrag (PSABA2.04)
All documents for this subject (11)
Seller
Follow
isabelvdb
Reviews received
Content preview
Applied Social Psychology; understanding and
managing social problems
(second edition, Linda Steg, Kees Keizer, Abraham P. Buunk and
Talib Rothengatter)
Chapter 1: Introduction to applied social psychology
Social psychology The scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of
individual behavior and thought in social situations.
Applied social psychology The systematic application of social psychological constructs,
principles, theories, intervention techniques, research methods, and
research findings to understand and solve social problems.
Construct A clearly defined individual (psychological) characteristic that is
generally latent and not directly observable.
Principle A statement of how a psychological process works.
Theory An integrated set of principles that describes, explains, and predicts
observed events.
Deductive approach Starting with a particular theory, and examining to what extent the
theory is helpful in understanding various types of social behavior.
Inductive approach Starting with a specific social problem, and examining to what extent
various theories help to understand specific problems, and which
theories provide the best explanation of the particular behavior
causing the problems.
Scientific methods Methods that depend on empirical tests, that is, the use of systematic
observations to evaluate propositions and ideas.
Accuracy Gathering and evaluating information that is as precise and error free
as possible.
Objectivity Minimizing bias in obtaining and evaluating data.
Skepticism Accepting findings as accurate only to the extent that they have been
verified over and over again by the data.
Open-mindedness Accepting evidence as valid, even if the evidence is not consistent
with one’s initial, and perhaps strongly held, beliefs and theories.
Description Identifying and specifying the details and nature of a phenomenon.
Prediction Knowing what factors are systematically related to the phenomenon
of interests.
Causality Identifying causes of a phenomenon.
Explanation Establishing why a phenomenon or relationship occurs.
How may social psychologists may help resolve social problems;
- First, in order to design effective solutions for social problems, we have to understand which
behavior causes the given problem. Applied scientists can best focus on behavior that
significantly contributes to a social problem and where interventions would have the most
impact in resolving these problems.
- Second, it is important to examine which factors influence the particular behavior. Behavior-
change programs will be more effective when they target important antecedents of
behavior.
, - Third, it is important to understand which intervention techniques are available to change
behavior, taking into account which behavioral antecedents are typically targeted by various
intervention techniques.
- Applied social psychologists can also play an important role in evaluating the effects of
interventions, by examining to what extent interventions indeed change behavior and the
underlying determinants, and whether social problems are indeed resolved.
In short; The basic principle should be taken into account when deciding which problem to study,
which variables to concentrate on, and the decision on what kind of interventions to use in managing
the problem.
Examples of principles are: foot-in-the-door technique (making a small request, followed by a larger
related request), cognitive dissonance (uncomfortable tension that can result from having two
conflicting thoughts at the same time, or from engaging in behavior that conflicts with one’s values,
beliefs, or attitudes), availability heuristic (tendency to judge the likelihood or frequency of an event
by the ease with which relevant instances come to mind).
Basic and applied social psychology differ in two important respects;
Basic social psychologists Applied social psychologists
Are particularly interested in developing and Focus on understanding and resolving practical
testing theories. May conduct studies merely problems. Are specifically trying to contribute
out of scientific curiosity about some towards solving social problems. Focus their
phenomenon. efforts on the improvement of people’s quality
of life.
Tend to follow a deductive approach. They start Tend to follow an inductive approach. They
with a particular theory, and examine to what start from a specific social problem, and
extent the theory may be helpful in examine to what extent various theories may
understanding various types of social behavior. help to understand this specific problem, and
which theory provides the best explanation of
the particular behavior causing the problems.
By combining basic and applied studies, researchers learn how social problems may be solved while
at the same time contributing to theory building and testing.
Correspondence between basic and applied social psychology;
- Developing and testing theories
- Basic and applied social psychology as science; The term science refers to: (1) reliance on
scientific methods; and (2) guidance by the core values of science. Scientific methods are
those methods that depend on empirical tests, that is, the use of systematic observations to
evaluate propositions and ideas. A core set of values should be adopted to qualify a study as
scientific in nature;
Accuracy: gather and evaluate information that is as carefully examined, precise, and as
error free as possible
Objectivity: minimize bias in obtaining and evaluating data
Skepticism: accept findings as accurate only to the extent that they have been verified
over and again by the data.
Open-mindedness: accept evidence as valid, even if the evidence is not consistent with
one’s initial, and perhaps strongly held, beliefs and theories.
- Goals of science;
Description refers to identifying and specifying the details and nature of a phenomenon
, Prediction enhances understanding of phenomena. Prediction requires knowing what
factors are systematically related to the phenomenon of interest.
Causality; identifying causes of a phenomenon.
Explanation implies the need to establish why a phenomenon or relationship occurs.
- Causes of behavior and cognitions;
Individual factors refer to intrapersonal characteristics and processes. Individual
differences may exist in cognitive processes, emotions, and in the extent to which people
engage in behavior.
Social factors pertain to the effect of the opinions and actions of other people on our
behavior, thoughts, and feelings. We are often strongly affected by the actions and at a
thoughts of other people, and by social situations.
Situational factors reflect contextual factors that may affect our behavior and thoughts.
The physical world may strongly affect our behavior, thoughts, and feelings.
Cultural factors refer to cultural values or norms that affect cognitions, feelings, and
behavior. Culture may be defined as the system of shared meanings, perceptions and
beliefs held by people belonging to a particular. Our behavior and thoughts are strongly
affected by cultural norms, that is, social rules concerning how people should behave in
specific situations.
Biological factors pertain to the effect of biological processes and genetic factors on our
behavior, feelings, and thoughts. Evolutionary psychology suggests that we possess a
large number of evolved psychological mechanisms that help us survive and reproduce.
Features of applied social psychology;
1. The role of personal values; Applied social psychologists should be aware of their personal
values, and the ways their values may affect their work. Although values influence which
topics are being studied by applied social psychologists, they should not affect the methods
used to study them.
2. The use of multiple theories, intervention techniques, and research methods
3. Interdisciplinary research; Many societal problems are rooted in a wide range of factors,
which are not solely social-psychological by nature.
4. Field settings; applied social psychologists are more likely to conduct research in field
settings, than are basic social psychologists. This implies that applied social psychologists are
less inclined to conduct true experiments, and are more apt to use quasi-experimental or
correlational designs. Such studies are generally high in external validity, meaning that,
provided they are properly conducted, the results may be more easily generalized to larger
populations. However, it is less easy to infer causal relationships based on studies in applied
settings.
5. Social utility; applied social psychology aims to understand and solve social problems of
different kinds and to increase quality of life. It is assumed that social problems may be
reduced by changing people’s attitudes, norms, values, perceptions, behaviors, and lifestyles.
Roles of applied social psychologists;
- Researcher; conduct applied research. Applied social psychologists are not only interested in
theory development and testing. They are particularly interested in contributing towards
solving social problems. Applied social psychologists may do so in different ways. First, they
study the antecedents of behavior that causes social problems. Second, they may evaluate
the effects of interventions on cognitions and behavior. Third, applied social psychologists
can evaluate the effects of interventions on social problems and individual quality of life; that
, is, did changes in cognitions and or behavior indeed resolve social problems, and did overall
quality of life improve, as expected.
- Consultant; In the role of consultant, applied social psychologists assist individuals, groups,
organizations, or communities to resolve particular problems they are facing. Overall, as
consultants, applied social psychologists assist or advise clients to improve their
performance, appearance, or quality of life.
- Policy advisor; Applied social psychologists may be actively involved in policy making by
public and governmental agencies or business or civic organizations. They can advise policy
makers ways to change cognitions and behavior in order to improve or solve social problems
of different kinds.
Chapter 2: The use of theory in applied social psychology
Knowledge-deficit model A theoretical model of behavior change which posits that social
programs are underutilized because individuals lack knowledge
about the program or the behavior. Psychological research has
shown that this model is generally inadequate at explaining why
individuals do not make use of programs.
Action research An approach to solving social problems that draws on social-
psychological theory.
Theory An integrated set of principles that describe, explain, and predict
observed events.
Principles A statement of how a psychological process works.
Compatibility principle Prescription from the Theory of Planned Behavior that attitudes,
subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control should be
measured at the same level of specificity.
Hypothesis A testable prediction derived from a theory.
Model A frame work that integrates theory and principles. Models
typically describe multiple processes, each linked through some
type of causal sequence.
Construct A clearly defined individual (psychological) characteristic that is
generally latent and not directly observable.
Attitude An individual’s favorable or unfavorable evaluations of a person,
object, or idea.
Rational choice theory A broad social science theory for human behavior that assumes
that individuals are motivated to act in ways that promote their
self-interests and choose options with highest benefits against
lowest costs.
Schemas The cognitive organization of a person’s past experiences, beliefs,
and knowledge.
Social cognition The study of how we process, store, and use information about
other people.
Attribution theory The tendency to give causal explanations for the behavior of
ourselves and others.
Fundamental attribution Tendency to overestimate the influence of personality (i.e.
error dispositional) variables and underestimate the influence of the
situational variables when explaining other people’s behaviors
(and vice versa).
Cognitive dissonance theory Theory that emphasizes the importance of consistency in a
person’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller isabelvdb. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $6.96. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
