Our Purpose
We are a group of psychology students wanting to explore the different aspects of social psychology and personality. We will talk about what social psychology is and personality, and later describe a few of the studies done in both categories. We will also demonstrate our personal take on some of these studies and discuss some of the limitations and difficulties. We hope you enjoy.
Social Psychology
What is social psychology, and how does it differ from regular psychology? As psychology is the overarching study of the human mind, thought, and behavior, social psychology focuses on all of these things but in a social context. It is the examination of the way you act and the things you feel in certain situations as a result of other people. For example, social psychology may explain why the smell of chocolate chip cookies reminds you of your grandma or why you have certain prejudices and stereotypes against someone or something. Social psychology is a vast and very interesting field of psychology that we encourage you to further explore on our site; its findings may surprise you.
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While aspects of social psychology were studied much earlier, the first official texts on the topic emerged in the early 20th century. Aristotle, an early influence, believed in the naturally sociable qualities of humans, an essential characteristic that allowed them to live amongst each other. In 1860, philosophers Lazurus and Steinthal also introduced the interesting idea of a collective mind that links cultural and community influences with personality and social development in an individual. The first known published study was by Norman Triplett in 1898 and tested social facilitation, or the effect on performance when one is alone compared to when one is in the presence of other people. Since then, numerous books and experiments have been published on the science of social psychology. Some popular social psychology projects, like the Milgram Shock Experiment or the Stanford Prison Simulation, for example, you may have heard of. During World War II, social psychologists studied the effects of persuasion and propaganda for the U.S. military. The 1980s and 1990s, which are most representative of the subject today, saw an increased interest in not only theories but also regulations to ensure ethical research. One of the largest challenges social psychologists still face today is finding a means to objectively measure and define something so subjective, like personality or specific behaviors. What makes social psychology so fascinating is that it holds an undeniable relevance to who we are, why we do what we do, and the people that surround us every day.
Personality
According to the American Psychological Association, personality refers to "individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving” (APA). Personality often reveals people's motives; it can also help us understand their actions. Personality influences the way we move, behave, and interact. Psychologists that study personality focus on the motives and behaviors of individuals. The history of personality psychology originated in Ancient Greece. According to Motive Metrics Research, “In 370 BCE, Hippocrates proposed two pillars of temperament: hot/cold and moist/dry, resulting in four humors or combinations of these qualities” (Motive Metrics, 2013). These combinations were medicinal, showing manifestations of “yellow bile,” “black bile,” and “blood”; however, these combinations also showed how “humoral imbalances” in the body can influence someone’s behavior and personality (2013). That was the first investigation into the origins of personality. The next appearance of personality psychology occurred with Plato and his belief that there are four characters that an individual’s personality can be defined by: “artistic, sensible, intuitive, [and] reasoning” (2013). Aristotle saw a relationship between physical appearance and behavior. Franz Gall, a gentleman who studied the mental functions in the brain, saw a connection between the measurements of a skull and the inner thoughts and feelings of people. The case of Phineas Gage and the iron rod that went through his skull was an example of personality changes due to a physical brain injury. Gage transformed from a moral and peaceful individual to a disrespectful and unappreciative man. Researchers began to find a connection between actions and behavior. Sigmund Freud developed the Id, Ego, and Superego in the conscious and unconscious areas of the brain. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator was established to identify the personality and behavior of individuals. These are all landmark moments or eras in the evolution of personality psychology.