Essentials of Social Psychology: An Indian Perspective

563 Pages·2022·4.93 MB·English

by  S. K. Mangal, Shubhra Mangal

ESSENTIALS OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Essentials of Social Psychology: An Indian Perspective offers a comprehensive introduction to social psychology
with a focus on the cultural and social fabric of Indian society. Split into five sections, the book covers the
nature, scope, history and methods of social psychology; individual level processes; interpersonal level
processes; social processes; group processes; and social issues.
The authors, S.K. Mangal and Shubhra Mangal, address the latest research trends, and offer a varied
insight into a range of topics including social influence, social exchange processes, group dynamics, aggression,
prejudice and attitudes. The book also examines topical themes and includes two chapters on social issues
facing contemporary Indian society. While highlighting significant Indian research contributions and
including examples and case studies from an Indian context, this book goes on to examine the discipline in the
context of the socio-psychological background of this subcontinent. Complex concepts are clearly explained
and the book aids student learning through useful pedagogical features such as assessment questions, case
studies, chapter summaries and boxed key points.
Covering all the core topics within social psychology, this is an essential textbook for graduate or
undergraduate courses in social psychology, social work, social neuroscience, community medicine or public
health. In addition, it’s also a useful introduction for those taking the Psychology option for the Indian and
Provincial Civil Services and other competitive examinations.
S.K. Mangal, PhD (Education), is the former principal, professor and the head of the Department of Post
Graduate Studies at C. R. College of Education, Rohtak, Haryana. He has authored several books associated
with pure and applied aspects of psychology, including Advanced Educational Psychology, Abnormal Psychology,
Child Psychology and Development, Psychology of Learning and Development, and Sports Psychology. With
emotional intelligence and teacher adjustment as his areas of interest, he has also devised various educational
and psychological tests including the Emotional Intelligence Inventory and Teacher Adjustment Inventory.
Shubhra Mangal, PhD (Education), is the former principal, professor and the head of the Department of
Post Graduate Studies, C. R. S. College of Education, Noida. She has authored a number of books related to
pure and applied aspects of the subject of psychology which include Introductory Psychology, Our Life and
Psychology, Emotional Intelligence: Managing Emotions to Win in Life, Research Methodology in Behavioural
Sciences and Psychology of Learning and Development. She has also contributed to the field with her Emotional
Intelligence Inventory for the measurement of emotional intelligence of school teachers. The areas of her
research interests include emotional intelligence and teacher education.

E S S E N T I A L S
O F S O C I A L
P S Y C H O L O G Y
A N I N D I A N P E R S P E C T I V E
S.K. MANGAL & SHUBHRA MANGAL
Cover image: © Getty Images
First published 2023
by Routledge
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© 2023 S.K. Mangal & Shubhra Mangal
The right of S.K. Mangal & Shubhra Mangal to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
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Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification
and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-032-29280-9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-29278-6 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-30082-3 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003300823
Typeset in Minion
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
CONTENTS
Preface xv
About the Authors xix
UNIT I
NATURE, SCOPE, HISTORY AND METHODS OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
1. Social Psychology: Meaning, Nature and Scope 3
Social Psychology – Meaning and Definition 3
Nature of Social Psychology 5
The Scope of Social Psychology 6
What Is Included in the Study of the Subject Social Psychology? 6
Uses and Applications of Social Psychology in Our Day-to-Day Social Life 9
Review Questions 10
References 11
2. Origin and History of Social Psychology 12
Origin and Birth of Social Psychology 12
Development and Progress in Social Psychology 14
Development in the Early Years During the Period 1895–1945 14
Development Carried Out During the Period 1946–1970 15
Development Carried Out During the Period 1971 Onwards 17
Development of Social Psychology in India 19
The Development of Social Psychology in Ancient India 19
Development of Social Psychology in British India 21
Development of Social Psychology After Getting Independence 23
Social Psychology Electronic Journals 31
Social Psychology Associations 31
Review Questions 31
References 31
3. Relationship of Social Psychology With Other Social Sciences and Related Branches of Psychology 34
Introduction 34
Relationship of Social Psychology With General Psychology 34
vi Contents
Relationship of Social Psychology With Personality Psychology 36
Relationship of Social Psychology With Environmental Psychology 37
Relationship of Social Psychology With Cultural Psychology 38
Relationship of Social Psychology With Evolutionary Psychology 39
Relationship of Social Psychology With Sociology 40
Relationship of Social Psychology With Anthropology 42
Relationship of Social Psychology With Economics 44
Relationship of Social Psychology With Social Neuroscience 45
Review Questions 47
References 48
4. Methods of Research or Investigation in Social Psychology 49
What Is Research or Investigation? 49
Goals of Social Psychology Research or Investigation 51
Methods Used in Social Psychology Research or Investigation 52
Experimental Method 53
Systematic or Naturalistic Observation Method 58
Styles and Ways of Carrying Out Observation 58
How to Make Use of the Observation Method 58
Survey Method 60
How to Make Use of the Survey Method 60
Correlation Method 62
Case Study Method 64
Ethnography 65
Documentary or Archival Analysis Method 67
Review Questions 72
References 73
UNIT II
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL PROCESSES
5. Social Cognition 77
Introduction 77
Social Cognition – Meaning and Concept 77
What Happens in the Process of Our Social Cognition? 79
Major Cognitive Strategies Involved in Our Social Cognition 80
The Role of Schemas in Our Social Cognition 80
The Role of Heuristics (Mental Shortcuts) in Our Social Cognition 85
The Potential Sources of Errors in Our Social Cognition 89
Relationship Between Affect and Cognition 93
How Cognition Is Influenced Through Affect 93
How Affect Is Influenced Through Cognition 95
Review Questions 97
References 98
6. Social Perception 99
Introduction 99
Social Perception – Meaning and Definitions 100
Contents vii
The Role of Non-Verbal Communication 101
Role of Attribution: Understanding Why People Behave in the Way They Do 106
Theories of Attribution 107
Heider’s Naïve Psychology Attribution Theory 107
Jones and Davis’s Correspondent Inference Theory 108
Kelley’s Theory of Causal Attribution 109
Single-Instance Observation and Use of Causal Schemata Model 110
Multiple-Instance Observation and Use of Covariation Model 110
Shaver’s Attribution Theory 113
Weiner’s Attribution Theory 114
Attribution Biases 116
1. Fundamental Attribution Bias or Corresponding Attribution Bias 116
2. Actor-Observer Bias 117
3. The Self-Serving Attribution Bias 117
Applications of Attribution Theory in Our Social Life 119
Impression Formation and Management 122
Impression Formation – Meaning 122
How the Task of Impression Formation Is Carried Out 122
Implicit Personality Theories for Explaining the Process of Impression Formation 124
Cognitive Approach for Explaining the Process of Impression Formation 124
Models of Impression Formation 126
Impression Management 128
Methods and Techniques Used for Impression Management 129
Review Questions 131
References 131
7. Self-Perception 133
Introduction 133
What Is Self? – Its Meaning and Concept 134
Self-Awareness – Meaning and Development 134
Development of Self-Awareness 135
Self-Concept and Its Development 136
Meaning of the Term Self-Concept 136
Development of Self-Concept Among Individuals 136
Factors Affecting Development of Self-Concept 138
Theories of Self-Concept Management and Maintenance 141
Control Theory of Self-Regulation 142
Self-Discrepancy Theory 143
Social Comparison Theory 144
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Theory 144
Social Identity Theory 146
Self-Categorization Theory 146
Self-Esteem and Its Development 148
What Is Self-Esteem? 148
The Characteristics of Persons Having High Self-Esteem 149
The Characteristics of Persons Having Low Self-Esteem 150
Self-Efficacy and Its Development 157
viii Contents
What Is Self-Efficacy? 157
Nature and Characteristics of Self-Efficacy 158
Role of Self-Efficacy in the Progress and Well-Being of Persons 158
The Ways and Means for the Development of Self-Efficacy 160
Self-Regulation and Its Development 161
What Is Self-Regulation? 161
The Characteristics of Self-Regulated Individuals 161
Development of Self-Regulation and Self-Regulated Behavior Among Individuals 163
Review Questions 164
References 165
8. Attitudes – Concept, Formation and Measurement 166
Introduction 166
What Are Attitudes? 167
Characteristic Features of Attitudes 168
The Components of Attitudes 169
The Cognitive Component of Attitudes 170
The Affective Component of Attitude 170
The Behavioral Component of Attitudes 171
Functions of Attitudes 172
Formation of Attitudes – How Attitudes Get Developed and Maintained 174
How Do We Learn or Acquire Attitudes? 174
The Role of Social Comparison in Attitude Formation 175
Factors Influencing the Formation or Development of Attitudes 176
Factors Within the Individual 176
Factors Within the Individual’s Environment 177
The Link Between Attitudes and Behavior 178
Persuasion: Changing of Attitudes 181
Dealing With Cognitive Dissonance Associated With Our Attitudes 184
Heider’s Balance Theory 184
Festinger’s Cognitive Dissonance Theory 187
What Creates Dissonance? 188
Means and Ways of Dealing With the State of Dissonance 189
Resistance to Persuasion 192
The Measurement of Attitudes 194
Direct Method for the Measurement of Attitude 194
Review Questions 197
References 197
9. Stereotyping, Prejudice and Discrimination 199
Introduction 199
Stereotyping 200
Meaning and Concept 200
Types or Forms of Stereotyping Behavior 201
Relationship of Stereotypes With Prejudices and Discrimination 202
From Where Do Stereotypes Emerge? 202
Impact of Stereotyping on the Progress and Well-Being of Individuals and Societies 205
Contents ix
Prejudices 207
Meaning and Nature of Prejudices 207
Sources of Prejudices 209
The Evil Impact of Prejudices on Interpersonal Relationships 210
Discrimination 211
Meaning and Nature of Discrimination 211
The Consequences or Impacts of Discrimination 212
Techniques for Countering the Ill Effects of Stereotyping, Prejudices and Discrimination 213
Review Questions 217
References and Suggested Readings 217
UNIT III
INTERPERSONAL AND SOCIAL  PROCESSES
10. Social Influence 221
What Is Social Influence? 221
The Forms and Ways of Social Influence 222
Conformity 223
Concept and Meaning 223
Types or Forms of Conformity 223
Sherif ’s Classical Experiments on Private Conformity 224
Sources for Conformity – Why and When Do We Choose to Conform? 226
Factors Affecting Conformity 228
Compliance 231
Concept and Meaning 231
Principles or Factors Governing One’s Compliance 232
Techniques of Compliance – Making People Comply 233
Obedience 239
Concept and Meaning 239
Forms of Obedience 239
Milgram’s Study on Obedience 240
Factors Affecting Obedience 241
Exercising Restraint or Control Over the Destructive Obedience 243
Review Questions 245
References 245
11. Social Exchange Process 247
Introduction 247
What Is Social Exchange? 248
The Social Exchange Theory 248
Social Exchange Processes and Their Significance in Our Social Life 250
Social Exchange Processes – Meaning and Concept 250
Forms or Types of Social Exchange or Social Processes 252
Cooperation 252
Concept and Meaning 252
Forms or Types of Cooperation 253
Needs and Significance of Cooperation 255