The History of Social Psychology, Essay Example

Social psychology devotes scientific knowledge and research to explaining how individuals’ behaviors, thinking as well as feelings respond to other people’s presence in the environment in which they live. The origin of social psychology as a distinct discipline traces back in the early 1920s when experimental research made tremendous contribution to meeting academic threshold for the discipline. Major contributions came from social psychologists such as Allport Floyd Henry and his brother Allport Gordon Willard, Asch Solomon, Brown Roger William among many other scientists (Plous, 2012). The role of the studies that these scientists pioneered to build the discipline facilitated the theme of social analysis that an individual’s psychology acquires from other people. Understanding personality and the dynamics of social setting in molding the individual set the ground for the advanced discipline that social psychology is today.

Some of the research milestones that facilitated the shaping up of social psychology include discovery of intrapersonal and interpersonal phenomena, Asch conformity studies, Muzafer Sherif’s robber cave experiment, Leon Festinger’s cognitive dissonance experiment, Milgram experiment, Albert Bandura Bobo doll experiment, and Stanford prison study among many others. Critical findings in the psychological responses made by individuals with respect to the presence and action of others supported social nature of psychology, which differentiate the study from other psychological perspectives.

In conducting social psychology studies and experiments, an ethical approach from psychologists carrying them must prevail since they involve human life that requires dignity. Individuals must have informed consent to participate in such studies through writing or parental consent in cases of minors. Confidentiality of information on the studies requires a keen protection. As an illustration, the lack of consent from Elizabeth Loftus and her parents in a study conducted by Jane Doe contravened informed consent contained in ethical code of social psychology studies (Brick, 2011). The methodology issue at hand was correlational and appropriate communication would solve the standoff observed in the case.

References

Brick, N. (2011). “The Alleged Ethical Violations of Elizabeth Loftus in the Case of Jane Doe,” Retrieved from: http://neilbrick.com/the-alleged-ethical-violations-of-elizabeth-loftus-in-the-case-of-jane-doe/

Plous, S. (2012). “Historical Figures in Social Psychology,” Retrieved from: http://www.socialpsychology.org/social-figures.htm