Social Psychology DB1 Name Class Date Professor Social Psychology DB1 Social psychology is a branch of psychology that looks at different aspects of society to better understand their impact on a person’s behavior. Social psychology seeks to understand how different social processes impact people. For example social psychology seeks to understand the behavior of the individual in a group to better understand group conformity or the development of social norms. Social psychologists are interested in social influences, perception, and social interaction. Other branches of psychology are focused on human behavior or the internal processes of the mind. In social psychology the focus is on the individual and how they are impacted by social processes. Social psychology involves the ways in which both social and mental processes determine action (Kearl, 2009). Social psychology applies a scientific method to understanding more about social situations. Other branches of psychology, such as behavioral psychology, look at human behavior in association with the environment. Social psychology looks at how people react to different social situations while behavioral psychology is focused on ways to change negative behavior into positive behavior. While it is important to understand why people react to certain social situation the behaviorist approach has been very beneficial to the education field. The behaviorist approach finds behavior becomes conditioned but can be measured and changed through reinforcement and punishment (McLeod, 2007). The strengths of the behaviorist approach are the behavior can be observed so it is easy to gather data and identify the troubling behavior. Another advantage of this approach is the development of effective techniques to change the troubling behavior. The behavioral approach has its disadvantages because it rejects the internal processes of the mind and does not account for other types of learning. While some behaviors can be changed there are behaviors that are the result of internal processes of the mind. Social psychology looks at the impact of a social situation on a social group. it does not look at the individual experience of the social situation. Some critics believe this can lead to bias or stereotypes for the group. Social psychologists look at situational variables that affect social behavior which can the results if any scientific study to generalized. While there are some challenges to social psychology this branch of psychology helps to better understand the attitudes of the group on important social topics, such as abortion or the death penalty and provides insight into other social situations. References Kearl, M. (2009). Social Psychology. Retrieved August 19, 2014 from http://lessons.pennfoster.com/ McLeod, S. (2007). Behaviorist Approach. Retrieved August 19, 2014 from http://www.simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.html Social Psychology Social .

1. Social Psychology DB1
Name
Class
Date
Professor
Social Psychology DB1
Social psychology is a branch of psychology that looks at
different aspects of society to better understand their impact on
a person’s behavior. Social psychology seeks to understand how
different social processes impact people. For example social
psychology seeks to understand the behavior of the individual in
a group to better understand group conformity or the
development of social norms. Social psychologists are
interested in social influences, perception, and social

2. interaction. Other branches of psychology are focused on human
behavior or the internal processes of the mind.
In social psychology the focus is on the individual and how they
are impacted by social processes. Social psychology involves
the ways in which both social and mental processes determine
action (Kearl, 2009). Social psychology applies a scientific
method to understanding more about social situations. Other
branches of psychology, such as behavioral psychology, look at
human behavior in association with the environment. Social
psychology looks at how people react to different social
situations while behavioral psychology is focused on ways to
change negative behavior into positive behavior. While it is
important to understand why people react to certain social
situation the behaviorist approach has been very beneficial to
the education field.
The behaviorist approach finds behavior becomes conditioned
but can be measured and changed through reinforcement and
punishment (McLeod, 2007). The strengths of the behaviorist
approach are the behavior can be observed so it is easy to gather
data and identify the troubling behavior. Another advantage of
this approach is the development of effective techniques to
change the troubling behavior. The behavioral approach has its
disadvantages because it rejects the internal processes of the
mind and does not account for other types of learning. While
some behaviors can be changed there are behaviors that are the
result of internal processes of the mind.
Social psychology looks at the impact of a social situation on a
social group. it does not look at the individual experience of the
social situation. Some critics believe this can lead to bias or
stereotypes for the group. Social psychologists look at
situational variables that affect social behavior which can the
results if any scientific study to generalized. While there are
some challenges to social psychology this branch of psychology
helps to better understand the attitudes of the group on
important social topics, such as abortion or the death penalty
and provides insight into other social situations.

3. References
Kearl, M. (2009). Social Psychology. Retrieved August 19,
2014 from
http://lessons.pennfoster.com/
McLeod, S. (2007). Behaviorist Approach. Retrieved August 19,
2014 from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.html
Social Psychology
Social Psychology IP1
Name
Class
Date
Professor

4. Social Psychology IP1
Human behavior is paired with many different emotions
and feelings. The three emotions selected are love, jealousy,
and guilt. With love one positive feeling that emerges is
compassion. When you love someone you feel pain when they
feel pain. This type of compassion is more intense when there is
love connected to it. When you love you risk being hurt by the
person you love with romantic love the person risks the other
person breaking up with them or breaking their heart through
other bad behavior. Love can also come from acts of kindness
by other people or from being a part of a family.
When you are a part of a family the love is expected and more
easily given. Love can have a positive long-term psychological
effect on the receiver. Love causes a chemical reaction in the
brain but it is also a feeling that is felt in every part of the body
especially the heart (Dean, 2014). It is a feeling expressed
through actions and is buried in the cells of the body. Love also
evokes other emotions that can guide a person behavior. Love
makes humans more protective and willing to compromise. It
creates feelings of affection and ensures you can trust the other
person.
The second emotion that was selected is jealousy. Jealousy is a
different emotion that can be paired with emotions such as
distrust. When someone is jealous of another person they will
not trust their actions or are envious of another person.
Jealously can lead to health competition for those jealous of
others success but in most cases jealously is associated with

5. something negative. A negative emotion associated with
jealously is suspicion. Suspicion can lead to misunderstandings
that lead to anger.
Jealously usually emerges when one lover believes anther lover
is being unfaithful. Whether or not this is true is not important
to this emotion as long as there is a belief of unfaithfulness.
Jealously also emerges when one person covets something of
another person. For example if a person gets a great job and
build a pool, a neighbor may get jealous because they cannot
afford to build a pool. The psychological impacts of jealousy
are it can create other negative emotions, such as anger, hate or
aggression.
The last emotion selected is guilt. Guilt can lead to positive
emotions, such as motivation. In other words if a person feels
guilt is can cause them to complete work or time or to make
deadlines. Guilt can motivate the behavior of a person (Erupting
Minds, 2013). Guilt can also result in negative emotions, such
as fear. When someone feels guilty they usually fear the
response by others. Guilt can make others do what they do not
want to do or it can drive them to accomplish goals. Guilt can
make people feel bad or depressed or it can result in positive
emotions when the goal is accomplished. Guilt can cause shame
or it can cause a person to become anxious or ill at ease.
The most powerful emotion selected is love. Love is a powerful
motivator. Love makes people want to do good things and help
care for the other person. It motivates others to support the
goals of others and to do things to make them feel good about
themselves. Love generates a physical and emotional response
in others. Love in a family is part of being from the same pace
and having similar background to loved ones. This love can be
romantic love for a partner or spouse or it can be love that has
developed over years of being part of the same family. Love for
friends is similar to love with family but this love can be
fleeting unlike family love.
When social psychologists study human behavior it creates an
understanding of human reactions to certain situations,

6. influences, and social perception based on individual or group
behavior. Social psychologists examine social interactions in
order to better understand group behavior. When social
psychologists employs an similar exercise they can learn the
type of feeling most important to the individual in order to
better understand their perception, attitude, and behaviors. In
this case the response by the class would be a small group
which is usually studied in social psychology.
The purpose of studying emotion and behavior is to understand
why people react a certain way in a certain situation. By
understanding why people act a certain way an adequate
response can be developed when needed. In the psychological
profession the understanding of emotions which lead to certain
behaviors can result in the development of effective
intervention. The more that is understood about human
behavior, the better the response to address mental health
issues.
References
Dean, D. (2014). Psychological Effects of love. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology,
8(4): 12-23
Erupting Minds. (2013). Understanding the psychology of guilt.
Retrieved August 24, 2014 from
http://www.eruptingmind.com/the-psychology-of-guilt-
overcoming-types-of-guilt/