science as a set of outcomes and static “facts.” Science, however, is more appropriately characterized as a self-correcting process of asking questions, developing hypotheses, and designing research in an attempt to answer these questions.
This misunderstanding of science seems to be partially the result of the relegation of the scientific method to a free standing, often ponderously boring chapter, as if methodology were not integral to the science of social psychology. Chapters and large sections devoted to research methods are probably the most poorly received and misunderstood parts of social psychology textbooks. The impression that students are left with is that research methods are just one more set of “facts” to be memorized for an exam and then forgotten.
In contrast, Core Concepts offers a more dynamic depiction of the scientific method and distributes discussion of research methods across all of the chapters. My text incorporates methods in situ and, by doing so, both increases their perceived relevance to a thorough understanding of the field and enhances their interest value. After reading Core Concepts, students should be able to demonstrate meaningful advances in their overall scientific literacy, a skill that is becoming increasingly critical in college and in the life beyond.
Thematic Highlights
Grounding in Life’s Fundamental Questions.
Core Concepts casts social psychology in terms of fundamental questions about human existence that both perplex and fascinate college students. In my experience, undergraduates are intrigued by deep questions—such as whether or not they have free will or how independent or conforming they are—and enjoy thinking about and discussing them. These expansive questions will be tied to specific bodies of research and particular outcomes that will provide arguments and empirical evidence to further student thinking on these topics—even if social psychology is unable to definitively answer them.
These fundamental issues cut across the major topics and are the following:
Free will. Are we free to make our own decisions and choices? Are we in conscious control of our actions?
Independence. Are we conformists or individuals following our own paths? How and when do others influence us?
Rationality. Are we capable of truly objective or unbiased thinking? Can we separate our emotional and cognitive processes?
Sociality. Do we need other people and, if so, why?
The Self. Who am I? What is the nature of the self?
Morality. Are humans intrinsically prone to and/or capable of truly prosocial/selfless behavior or are we naturally aggressive/selfish?
Basic Principles of Social Psychology.
Core Concepts articulates four fundamental principles of social psychology that are critical for understanding the field’s approach to the explanation of social behavior. The principles are that social behavior is purposive, stems from both dispositional and situational influences, is affected by how people construe the social world, and is cultural. The principles are useful because they serve as general guides to our thinking and as starting points for our empirical investigations into the causes of social behavior.
Social Neuroscience and the Social Brain.
Core Concepts is the only social psychology textbook that devotes a chapter to the origin and nature of the social brain and the methods of social neuroscience. The role of the brain in social behavior is increasingly studied, and understanding how the brain works is becoming essential to understanding social psychology. This chapter provides an accessible overview of brain biology and the primary tools of social neuroscience.
Emerging Trends.
Core Concepts is the only textbook that provides significant coverage to the relatively new fields of the social psychology of happiness, religion, and sustainability. Research on the first trend—happiness—has grown tremendously over the last decade and has yet to reach its apex. After decades under the radar, religion has caught the interest of social psychologists and is slowly emerging as a topic worthy of theoretical and empirical work and publishable in our major journals. I expect that we will see the study of religion moving closer to the mainstream of social psychology in the coming decade. The importance of understanding the social psychology of sustainability—our third trend—needs little explanation. We should—indeed we must—adopt more sustainable lifestyles if we are to prevent or at least slow catastrophic climate change. Social psychology has demonstrated its ability to tackle other difficult problems, and I am confident that it can help us here too. My hope is that students use what they learn in this section to begin changing the world.
Pedagogical Highlights
As a professor genuinely interested in meaningful learning and as the former director of Western’s Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, I have delved deeply into the scholarship of learning and teaching. My overall approach to this course—focusing on depth rather than breadth—and my inclusion of the pedagogical components described below—are in large part a result of what I have learned about the science of learning. Getting students to think about what they will read, are reading, and have read are crucial, as is learning how to apply material so that it becomes both meaningful and memorable.
Each chapter includes the following:
An introductory story, topic, or question relevant to the chapter content
Think Ahead! questions designed to spur thinking at the beginning of the chapter
Think Again! questions peppered throughout the text that are intended to provoke critical thinking, review key ideas, and encourage students to transfer knowledge to new applications. These questions could easily be deployed to stimulate small group, full class, or online discussion, and could serve as written assignments to be handed in or posted to a discussion board.
Applying Social Psychology sections highlighting applications of social psychology to health, work, and the law
Self-reflection exercises that allow students to respond to pertinent questions and then turn the page to learn more
Presentation of research methods relevant to the chapter content
Research boxes that illustrate hypotheses, methods, results, and conclusions of relevant studies
Listing of Core Concepts at the end of each chapter
Think Further! questions and applications at the end of each chapter to stimulate deeper thinking
Suggested classic and recent readings at the end of each chapter
Online student resourcesDirect links and access to relevant articles published by the Association for Psychological Science and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology provided at no cost to the student as well as links to scholarly videos, such as TED Talks and YouTube clipsRecent linked articles focused on key issues from the chaptersFlashcards for each glossary term15 practice questions for each chapter
Online instructor manual with complete PowerPoint slides, lecture outlines, learning objectives, suggestions
