Social Psychology: Key Concepts, Assumptions & Applications

Posted on Feb 16, 2025 in Psychology and Sociology

Social Psychology Summary

Key FeaturesMethodology
Basic AssumptionsAreas of Application
  • All behavior occurs in a social context, even when nobody else is physically present
  • A major influence on people’s behavior, thought processes and emotions are other people and the society they have created
StrengthsLimitations
  • Scientific
  • Emphasizes objective measurement
  • Many experiments to support theories
  • Ignores biology (e.g. testosterone)
  • Underestimates individual differences
  • Provides only ‘superficial snapshots of social processes’ (Hayes, 1995)

In psychology and cognitive science, a schema (plural schemata or schemas) describes an organized pattern of thought or behavior that organizes categories of information and the relationships among them.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are mental disorders defined by abnormal eating habits that negatively affect a person’s physical or mental health. They include binge eating disorder where people eat a large amount in a short period of time, anorexia nervosa where people eat very little and thus have a low body weight, bulimia nervosa where people eat a lot and then try to rid themselves of the food, pica where people eat non-food items, rumination disorder where people regurgitate food, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder where people have a lack of interest in food, and a group of other specified feeding or eating disorders. Anxiety disorders, depression, and substance abuse are common among people with eating disorders.[1] These disorders do not include obesity.[2]

The cause of eating disorders is not clear.[3] Both biological and environmental factors appear to play a role.[3][1] Cultural idealization of thinness is believed to contribute.[3] Eating disorders affect about 12 percent of dancers.[4] Those who have experienced sexual abuse are also more likely to develop eating disorders.[5] Some disorders such as pica and rumination disorder occur more often in people with intellectual disabilities. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time.[

Poverty and Social Psychology

Poverty: Perceptions of those in poverty are extremely negative; they are stereotyped as lacking warmth and competence. The response to this stereotype is often contempt, harmful behaviours towards this group and belief that poverty results from personal failings. This presents an impediment to policy- makers seeking to tackle poverty. Social contact with negatively regarded groups can help to combat these views and improve attitudes and relations. Negative perceptions affect how people see themselves. Those experiencing poverty show significantly lower levels of confidence in their own ability to succeed. This has negative physical and psychological health consequences, along with reduced educational and professional attainment. Poverty increases the risk of mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and substance addiction. Poverty can act as both a causal factor (e.g. stress resulting from poverty triggering depression) and a consequence of mental illness (e.g. schizophrenic symptoms leading to decreased socio-economic status and prospects). Poverty during early childhood is associated with genetic adaptation, producing a short-term strategy to cope with the stressful developmental environment. This comes at the expense of long-term health, with increased susceptibility to cardiac disease and certain cancers. Children raised in environments of low socio-economic status show consistent reductions in cognitive performance across many areas, particularly language function and cognitive control (attention, planning, decision-making). Resource scarcity induces a ‘scarcity mindset’, characterised by increased focus on immediate goals at the expense of peripheral tasks and long-term planning. This may contribute to perpetuating the cycle of poverty.