College...

[JjPhoenix]

im nearly done, hopefully i can get a good grade, but to be honest ive given up caring about ICT.

at least your nearly done... Im still 1200 words short on mine! anyone know anything on the history of social psychology?

 

[jug]

anyone know anything on the history of social psychology?

Social psychology: once overlooked, now a staple

Though psychologists had little to do with early thought in social psychology, the subfield is now mainstream.

A century ago, the burgeoning field of psychology was little interested in interpersonal relationships and processes. In fact, fields that became sociology and social anthropology were much more fertile for social considerations than the psychological theories of the day.

It was the French writers in particular who influenced thought in the domain, among them Gabriel Tarde, with his imitation concept, Gustave LeBon and his thoughts on suggestion and Emile Durkheim and his theory on society's influence on the individual.

Perhaps the most influential turn-of-the-century force for social psychological thought was Herbert Spencer, who in 1874 extended Darwin's notions from the biological realm into the social. It was Spencer--not Darwin--who coined the phrase "survival of the fittest." In fact, Social Darwinism became quite influential in the thought of many early American psychologists, including William James.

Early 20th century sociologists Edward Ross, Lester F. Ward and William G. Sumner introduced social psychology within sociology. Meanwhile, a handful of psychologists began to explore the field. Among them were J. Mark Baldwin, who in 1897 used the concept of social psychology in a treatise on children, and William McDougall, who published his popular "Social Psychology" in 1908. In 1897, Norman Triplett carried out what is usually described as the first experimental study of social psychology, a study of competition and how groups set the pace for individual performance.

It wasn't until the mid-1920s that social psychology would take a firm hold in psychology. A watershed event was the 1924 publication of Floyd Allport's "Social Psychology," a book that became widely used in social psychology classes at American universities. Whether Allport's book was part of a spontaneous combustion of research in social psychology--or produced it--research exploded in the 1920s.

In the 1930s, two works became mainstays in the field: "Experimental Social Psychology," by Gardner Murphy and Lois Barclay Murphy, later with Theodore Newcomb, and "Handbook of Social Psychology," by Carl Murchison. Both defined social psychology as an experimental discipline separate from the more naturalistic observational techniques used in sociology.

Soon after, social psychology began to further define itself, collecting specific subject matters under its rubric. Psychologists, for example, continued to emphasize the individual in society rather than the structure of society itself, which was largely left to sociologists. This approach fit well with American individualism and the increasingly behaviorist definition and interpretation of psychological phenomenon.

Other subject matters adopted by social psychology included:


Attitudes. Social psychologists saw attitudes as an individual's collection of views on people, behaviors, events and even on attitudes themselves. The study of attitudes and attitude change would emerge as a fundamental subfield. During the Depression and later World War II, social psychologists researched such changes in attitudes as persuading Americans to eat underused meat products (sweetmeats and the like) and reducing bigotry. That attitudes could be scaled and measured was demonstrated by Thurstone and Likert.

Group processes. The work of Kurt Lewin and Gestalt psychology on democratic and autocratic groups, as well as on frustration and its resulting aggressive behavior in children, became classics. Also, Lewin's work on group dynamics and conflict resolution would establish his field from the 1940s through the 1970s. The research on small group dynamics in summer camps by Muzafer and Carolyn Sherif in the 1940s and 50s remains classic in the field

Social learning. The period after World War II was one of searching for problems for social psychologists. John Dollard and Neal Miller's 1941 work "Social Learning and Imitation" brought social psychology to learning and into the rat lab. In 1950, their "Personality and Psychotherapy" turned the tables on Freud by explaining aspects of psychoanalytical theory in terms of social learning.

Social cognition. The postwar period also saw the study of motivations and internal cognitive states. In 1946, Fritz Heider helped spark what would become in Leon Festinger's hands Cognitive Dissonance Theory. This approach posited that there is a perceived imbalance when our perceptions of a relationship do not match reality and thus an attempt to change perceptions or reality to bring them into balance.
In the early 1960s, a major reappraisal of social psychology occurred in reaction to Stanley Milgram's controversial research on obedience. Milgram set up a situation where subjects believed they were shocking an unknown individual for incorrect responses. The use of deception in social psychological experiments and allied methodological problems led universities to create committees to examine ethical concerns about such experiments.


Self-perception. Issues of self-identity, self-esteem and self-image have been much in the forefront of the field as the century grows to a close. While psychology continues to splinter and form new alliances in this last decade of the century, social psychology is very much part of the psychological mainstream.

Further reading:

Hilgard, E.R. (1989). Psychology in America: A historical survey. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Sahakian, W. Systems of social psychology. New York: Chandler.

 

[JjPhoenix]

... amazing, thanks!

EDIT:

Look what I just got....

'Tue, May 01, 2007 -- 31111.06: IMPORTANT - Essay Hand-in Change
The Office has changed the hand-in day for Year 1. Pioneers essays are now due to be handed-in on Tuesday 8th May (and NOT the 2nd as posted on the Blackboard site). Apologies for the last minute alteration - however it means you do have a bit more time!'

:slayer: :slayer: :slayer: :slayer: :slayer: :slayer: :slayer: :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot:

 

[M111CYY]

if you ever need a good slap, just ask

Why a slap???

 

[jug]

The Office has changed the hand-in day for Year 1.

lucky!

Why a slap???

well tbh mostly because i enjoy it, but also to teach you a lesson for losing focus. keep your eye on the ball and all that.

 

[M111CYY]

well tbh mostly because i enjoy it, but also to teach you a lesson for losing focus. keep your eye on the ball and all that.

deadline has been changed agaun, now have until tomorrow

 

[M111CYY]

well i found out yesterday that two people failed their courseork, guess who was one of them :bang:

I hope my design tech coursework is good as the examiner has requested to look at my folder and my product

 

[jug]

d'oh!

get the coursework back, complete with marker's comments, and use it to see where you went wrong. if you dont you'll make the same mistakes again and you'll have learnt nothing.

there's nothing wrong with making mistakes, but not learning from your mistakes is inexcusable. yes i had a difficult childhood.

 

[M111CYY]

im not allowed it back, the marks havent been sent off yet, and the teacher doesnt like lads, never got any help from him at all.

 

[SkinzCinqSporting]

Should just do what I do, do an all nighter, still dont finish it but hand it in anyway! On second thoughts probably best not to do it my way

 

[M111CYY]

well marks have been sent off now, ill have to try really really hard in the exam

 

[SkinzCinqSporting]

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter, plenty of other ways to get qualifications

 

[smifton]

I have two vehicle related science assignments to finish, two electrical assignments, one ICT assignment, and 8, yes 8 exams to do, within the next month.

Oh, and its all for ONE level 3 qualification in Motorsport Engineering...better be worth it when I leave

 

[Jamie]

I have two vehicle related science assignments to finish, two electrical assignments, one ICT assignment, and 8, yes 8 exams to do, within the next month.

Oh, and its all for ONE level 3 qualification in Motorsport Engineering...better be worth it when I leave

im doing my A's at the minute. already done two exams. seven to go. i have 6 hours of exams on tuesday. two for computing and the other two for political film and advertising studies.

chore

 

[Luke]

im doing my A's at the minute. already done two exams. seven to go. i have 6 hours of exams on tuesday. two for computing and the other two for political film and advertising studies.

chore

Good job you're not taking maths, thats 4 hours

Im doing my Finals (Level 3 degree in computer science) at the moment, had 2 exams - just the 1 left. Only problem is the next exam on Tuesay is a real arse (they're making it a masters course from next year as its so full on) and im yet unable to answer an exam question fully Got my work cut out and really dont want to mess this one up as im well on course for a first so far. So yes, i can relate - im stressed too

 

[smifton]

Good job you're not taking maths, thats 4 hours

Im doing my Finals (Level 3 degree in computer science) at the moment, had 2 exams - just the 1 left. Only problem is the next exam on Tuesay is a real arse (they're making it a masters course from next year as its so full on) and im yet unable to answer an exam question fully Got my work cut out and really dont want to mess this one up as im well on course for a first so far. So yes, i can relate - im stressed too

My vehicle maths and science work is just all equations, to work out torque from brake power, brake power from torque, working it out with niether of those two blah blah blah. compression ratios n all tha shizzle. just goes on forever

 

[M111CYY]

Good job you're not taking maths, thats 4 hours

my product design a-levle is 3 hours, and its all written

and my ict exams are 2 hours each

 

[smifton]

aha I found out yesterday afternoon that even thought I have all of the above to do, Also I have to write up 18 Level 2 practical assignments to show progression...I'm supposed to finish in two weeks, bulls***

 

[Jamie]

my product design a-levle is 3 hours, and its all written

and my ict exams are 2 hours each

graphics here i did product design for GCSE

same for the IT lol

 

[SkinzCinqSporting]

Micky, I'm doing the same design paper, it's a ball ache isn't it, especialy after a year of coursework.