Summary – Applying Social Psychology – From Theory to Intervention
Chapter 1 Applying Social Psychology
Social Psychology: scientific study of processes in social relationships, and how people’s
thoughts, feelings and behaviors are influenced by other people: the actual, imagined, or
implied presence of others.
builds knowledge mainly through experiments and surveys
PATHS methodology:
Problem – from a problem to a problem definition: identifying and defining the
problem.
Analysis – from a problem definition to analysis and explanation: formulating
appropriate concepts and developing theory-based explanations.
Test – from explanations to a process model: developing and testing an explanatory
process model.
Help – from a process model to interventions: developing and implementing a
program of interventions.
Success – from implementing the intervention to evaluating its success.
Step 1 – Problem: From a Problem to a Problem Definition
General feeling within a team or organization that there is a problem, and something
must be done without much further thought involved.
Important to describe exactly what the problem is.
o Needs to be concrete and specific, identify main causes and specify target
population.
The key aspects of the problem need to be considered.
Must be a feeling that problem is solvable and have social psychological aspects.
o Social psychological variables: behavior, attitudes, cognition, and affective
responses. If not, not suitable for PATHS method.
Step 2 – Analysis: From a Problem Definition to Analysis and Explanation
Before coming up with explanations, one has to decide the outcome variable: which
variable needs changing.
After defining variable, in the divergent stage, one starts looking for explanations
through techniques such as ‘free association’ and through applying theories.
To determine validity of theories, important to assess to what extent theory
represents the real world: external validity.
Step 3 – Test: From Explanations to a Process Model
A process model can be formulated contains outcome variables that must be
influenced and describe relationships between variables.
Process model should have limited number of variables (about 10) and specify just a
few relationships. Any variable should not affect more than 2/3 other variables.
Model is only complete if there is sufficient evidence for the relationships
o If specific research is not available, generic behavior may be used.
Step 4 – Help: From a Process Model to Intervention
, Process model should primarily contain variables that can be influenced through
intervention.
o Most psychological variables can be targeted: social norms, attitudes.
o Some cannot be influenced: gender, traits, values, personality
Practitioner must first come up with as many interventions as possible aimed at most
promising causal variables in the model.
o Behavioral training, education program, information, rules.
Program will be shaped so that it can be implemented.
After design of intervention, it must be pre-tested and eventually implemented.
Practitioner has to actively monitor the implementation process to ensure members
are motivated to fulfil their expected role and to solve appearing problems.
Step 5 – Success: From Implementation to Evaluation
Parts of evaluation have to be executed before or during implementation.
Process evaluation (evaluate the implementation process) starts as soon as the
implementation of the intervention beings.
Evaluation plan needs to be developed at the same time as the intervention plan in
the Help phase is developed.
Problems with Applying Theories
Oversimplification
Situation in experiments is a reduction and simplification of reality. Laboratory
experiments cannot examine the interplay of variables that affect human social
behavior.
To enable more accurate comparison between causal variables is to look at effect
sizes: statistical measurements of the magnitude of the relationships between
variables that can help researchers to assess the real-world significance of laboratory
findings.
Example: research on bystander effects only looks at how many people are present
and not at personality, mood, or family background
External Validity
Factors in real life may obscure the impact of variables that are manipulated in
experiments.
Never uncritically trust a single study but consider the quality of the evidence
underlying it.
o Example: study on unconscious priming: clean smells increase trust and
willingness to donate to charity. In real life, these successes of interventions
may be weak or have ethical concerns.
Contradictory Evidence
Psychological research often produce contradictory findings.
o Experiment: one study found that participants waiting in a room with
uncomfortable conditions (high temperature) liked the person with whom
they were waiting with less that participants in a comfortable room. Another
study could not find is. Explanation: studies used different methods.
, Individuals who interacted with someone, this increased liking then when
they did not interact.
Chapter 2: The Problem Phase
Towards a problem definition
Problem definition:
a clear and precise description of what the problem is, and why and for whom it is
believed to be a problem.
We should identify the target group for intervention.
Give insight in causes and key aspects of the problem (applied, concrete, solvable)
Problem definition demarcates the problem in terms of behavior, emotions, and
cognitions.
Reformulating the Problem
1. Problems should be rephrased and reformulated in order to reach a more formalized
problem definition. It cannot use generic terms.
2. A more detailed problem analysis could reveal that the real problem is different from
the one that is stated.
3. Even if it is clear what the problem is, there is an array of solutions. Some of them
may have nothing to do with psychology.
4. If there is a clear social psychological dimension to the problem, it is a challenge to
find an appropriate theory or paradigm from a toolbox of different theories to
investigate this further.
Reasons why it is important to develop a sound problem definition:
1. It will delineate what needs to be explained and will offer suggestions for finding
appropriate literature.
2. From the basis of a good problem definition, it is easier to move on to next stages
3. Without a good problem orientation, it is impossible to map out a program of
interventions.
Questions to be asked to form a problem definition:
What is the problem?
Why is it a problem?
For whom is it a problem?
What are the possible causes of the problem?
What is the target group?
What are the key aspects of the problem?
o Is it an applied problem?
o Is it a concrete problem?
o Is it a social psychological problem?
o Can the problem be solved or relieved?
What is the problem?
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