Patient talking with his therapist

Social Psychology

Ever notice how people behave differently in groups? Learn how social psychology studies the way people think, behave, and feel in social environments.
Friends can provide social support.
How Social Support Contributes to Psychological Health
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
Athlete self-handicapping
Self-Handicapping and Protecting the Ego at a Cost
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
young women all on cell phones
The Bandwagon Effect as a Cognitive Bias
Fact checked by Sean Blackburn
Woman getting ready for a run.
10 Motivation Myths That Keep You From Reaching Goals
Fact checked by Cara Lustik
Joyous woman in front of wall
Types of Nonverbal Communication
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
Young woman being kind
What Is Altruism?
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
two smiling women enjoying breakfast at kitchen table
5 Important Concepts in Social Psychology
Fact checked by Sean Blackburn
Two people talking over coffee
Social Exchange Theory in Psychology
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
collectivistic culture traits
Understanding Collectivist Cultures
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
Individualistic culture prizes independence
Individualistic Cultures and Behavior
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
Girls comparing height
Social Comparison Theory in Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
group of kids linking arms in a circle
How the Need to Belong Influences Human Behavior
Fact checked by Sean Blackburn
graphic of hands shaking
What Is Reciprocity?
Fact checked by Sean Blackburn
Young couple, outdoors, standing face to face, pensive expressions
How to Recognize the Signs That Someone Is Lying
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
blurry crowd of people
Social Psychology Experiments and Studies
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
People displaying the actor-observer bias
Actor-Observer Bias in Social Psychology
Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS
Smiling businesswoman in a meeting
Psychological Methods of Persuasion
Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS
Person perception involves how we form impressions of others.
Person Perception and Impressions of Others
Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS
man and woman hugging in a warehouse with a group of red balloons shaped like a heart
5 Ways That Theories of Psychology Explain Love
Medically reviewed by Carly Snyder, MD
Making a decision based upon representativeness
Representativeness Heuristic and Our Judgments
Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
children in school
Attitudes and Behavior in Psychology
Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
Crowd of people walking down a city sidewalk
The 9 Major Research Areas in Social Psychology
Reviewed by David Susman, PhD
Perspectives in social psychology
Explore the Major Perspectives in Social Psychology
By Kendra Cherry
Social psychology research methods
Social Psychology Research Methods
By Kendra Cherry
children at school
The 3 Factors of Reciprocal Determinism
By Kendra Cherry
Social Cognition
Social Cognition in Psychology
Reviewed by David Susman, PhD
Mother with her sons watching tablet in bed
Secure Attachment and Other Attachment Styles
Reviewed by David Susman, PhD
Photo of a man and woman talking in front of a computer
Attribution and Social Psychology
Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS
Social Psychology Facts
10 Quick Facts About Social Psychology
Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS
Businesswoman explaining to coworkers at meeting
10 Tips to Improve Your Nonverbal Communication
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
Girl friends hanging out together
The Psychology of Compliance
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
A figure of lady justice holding up scales
The Just-World Phenomenon Overview and Examples
Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS
Skyscrapers, billboards, and crowds with busy traffic and yellow cabs in Times Square
How Psychologists Define Persuasion
Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS
people comforting each other
What Is Empathy?
Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
two women and one men sitting at a table together not talking
How Social Loafing Is Studied in Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Putting their heads together Cropped shot of a group of business colleagues meeting in the boardroom
What Is Groupthink?
Fact checked by Emily Swaim