Social psychology
Social psychology is a name shared by two separate disciplines, both of which employ, as their units of analysis, the individual and the group, but differ significantly in their respective goals, perspectives, methods and terminology, in addition to favoring separate academic journals and societies:
- Social psychology (psychology), also known as sociopsychology or psychological social psychology
- This branch of psychology focuses on the individual, and thus attempts to explain how the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals are influenced by other people. Psychologically oriented researchers place a great deal of emphasis on the immediate social situation, and the interaction between person and situation variables. Their research tends to be highly empirical and is often centered around laboratory experiments.
- Social psychology (sociology), also known as group psychology or sociological social psychology
- This branch of sociology focuses on the behavior of the group, and thus examines such phenomena as interactions and exchanges at the micro-level, and phenomena such as group dynamics and crowds at macro-level. Sociologists are interested in the individual, but primarily within the context of social structures and processes, such as social roles, race and class, and socialization. They tend to use both qualitative and quantitative research designs.