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The History Of Social Psychology

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The history of social psychology goes far back in time. “Aristotle believed that humans were naturally sociable, a necessity which allows us to live together.” (McLeod) Plato was also another influencer in social psychology by saying that “the state controlled by the individual and encouraged social responsibility through social context. (McLeod) Social psychology is the section of psychology that studies individuals in a social environment. It studies how people think and how they feel, and why they do the things they do. This field of psychology studies aggression, attitudes, group dynamics, discrimination, and perception. Being able to understand why social psychology is important and useful for many reasons. “First, we can better understand how groups impact our choices and actions.” (Cherry) Social psychology depends on scientific research to find theories of behavior. Through understanding this field of psychology, “we can better understand how groups impact our choices and actions.” (Cherry) In many cases, people behave and react differently based on the type of situation. A major factor of the reaction outcome are the “environmental and situational variables.” (Cherry) Some outside variables may include aggression, attraction, love, or altruism. Social psychology can be defined as connecting mental states alongside of human behavior in their social surroundings. Unlike a few fields of psychology, social theories are specific and centered on one topic rather than

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