Social Psychology: Unraveling the Mystery

ANNOTATION

The book contains predominantly color illustrations, with some black-and-white illustrations.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Offering the first truly integrated presentation of social psychology, this innovative book uses two central themes to provide a big-picture view. To capture the excitement of discovery and mystery that surrounds the science of social behavior, the authors use the metaphor of social psychologist as detective. Each chapter opens with a mystery -- a real life example of human behavior - and lets the solution unfold throughout the chapter with the help of basic principles and findings of social psychological research. Compelling themes, cutting edge scholarship and lively writing combine to make this an appealing and distinguished introduction to the field. The two central themes of this book are (1) social behavior is goal directed; and 2) social behavior is the result of interactions between the person and the situation. The book begins by describing the field, then moves on to discuss the systems that affect social behavior; social cognition; self-presentation; persuasion; social influence; affiliation, love, and romantic relationships; prosocial and aggressive behavior; prejudice; groups; and global social dilemmas. For anyone who wants to understand social behavior and why people act the way they do.

FROM THE CRITICS

Booknews

This text offers students and instructors a cohesive framework that retains social psychology's ability to interest students but that adds the more intellectually stimulating feature of integration. The material is tied together by two themesthe goal-directed nature of social behavior, and the interaction of the person and the situation. Each of the 14 chapters begins with an account of a baffling pattern of human behavior and is followed by the goals underlying the behavior (the person, the situation, and the person-situation interaction) as well as topics such as gender, culture, application, method, and social dysfunction. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

ACCREDITATION