Lesson 6. Social psychology

Social psychology is a necessary scientific direction in psychology. The state of any socio-economic formation is interested in maintaining and developing such science. The information obtained with its help provides a general picture not only of the alignment of political forces in society, but also of the social position of communities and individual citizens.

Social Psychology

Concept of social psychology

Social psychology is a branch of psychology that is devoted to the study of human behavior in society and various groups, his perception of other people, communication with them and influence on them. Knowledge of the basics of social psychology seems to be very important for the psychologically correct education of a person and the organization of interaction between the individual and the team.

Social psychology is a science that is at the intersection of psychology and sociology, and therefore social psychology studies aspects characteristic of both sciences. To be more specific, we can say that social psychology studies:

Social psychology of personality
Social psychology of groups of people and communication
Social relations
Forms of spiritual activity

Social psychology also has its own sections:

Political psychology
Organizational psychology
Psychology of perception
Ethnopsychology
Historical psychology
Gender psychology

According to Galina Andreeva, the person whose name is associated with the development of social psychology in the USSR, this science is divided into three main sections:

Social psychology of groups
Social psychology of communication
Social psychology of personality

Based on this, we can describe the range of problems of social psychology.

Short description

Social psychology received its name because it specializes in the study of society, and at the same time ways to change it, manage it, and help people function successfully within its framework. A social psychologist is well versed in all branches of psychology, but primarily specializes in working with groups, on the algorithms of processes that arise and occur in them, on the rules and principles of their life.

Problems, subject and object of social psychology

Social psychology, considering mainly the individual in society, sets as its task to determine under what conditions the individual assimilates social influences and under what conditions he realizes his social essence. It reveals how social-typical traits are formed, why in some cases they appear, and in others some new ones have appeared. When studying, the system of interpersonal relationships, behavioral and emotional regulation is taken into account. In addition, the behavior and activities of the individual are considered in specific social groups, the contribution of an individual to the activities of the entire group and the reasons influencing the magnitude and value of this contribution are studied. The main guideline in the study of personality for social psychology is the relationship between the individual and the group.

The subject of social psychology is the patterns of emergence, functioning and manifestation of socio-psychological phenomena at the micro, average and macro levels, as well as in different areas and conditions. But this relates more to the theoretical side of science. If we talk about the practical side of social psychology, then its subject will be a set of laws of psychodiagnostics, counseling and the use of psychotechnologies in the field of socio-psychological phenomena.

The objects of social psychology include the carriers of socio-psychological phenomena themselves:

Personality in a group and system of relationships
Human-to-human interaction (relatives, colleagues, partners, etc.)
Small group (family, class, group of friends, work shift, etc.)
Interaction between a person and a group (leaders and followers, superiors and subordinates, teachers and students, etc.)
Interaction of groups of people (competitions, debates, conflicts, etc.)
Large social group (ethnicity, social class, political party, religious denomination, etc.)

To better understand what social psychology does and what it studies, you might ask questions like why, for example, do some students in a classroom behave in one way and others in another? How does the development of a person’s personality, for example, affect whether he was raised by alcoholic parents or sports parents? Or why do some people tend to give instructions while others tend to follow them? If you are interested in learning the psychological details of people’s communication or the interaction of groups of people with each other, then social psychology will best satisfy your needs in this matter.

And, of course, in order for the study of the subject and object of social psychology to be most effective, and for research to produce maximum results, social psychology, like any other science, must have a certain set of methods in its arsenal. We will talk about them below.

Subject specifics

Social anxiety - what is it?

SP, as an independent discipline, emerged in 1908. At the same time, two scientists published their works: sociologist E.A. Ross published the book “Social Psychology” in America, and in Europe they became familiar with the work of psychologist W. McDougall “Introduction to Social Psychology.”

By the way! Doctor of Philosophy, Russian psychologist G.M. Andreeva, noted that the separation of SP into a separate branch of psychology was due to theoretical and social reasons.

Two books behind the birth of SP

G.M. Andreeva in her textbook “Social Psychology” (2001) notes the specifics of research in social networks. Obtaining data for study in other areas is built on the logical laws of physics and other exact sciences; this does not work in SP. Researchers face the following obstacles:

problem of empirical data (type and volume);
combining the obtained data into a single system with principles and put forward theories or hypotheses.

Until now, debates among sociologists continue about what types of data and to what extent should be allowed into the research process.

If we consider the data for studying in the field of joint ventures, they may look like this:

information about the behavior of individuals in groups;
information characterizing the parameters of consciousness of these people;
data on psychological assessments of groups into which individuals are placed.

As for the amount of information to be processed, scientists have mixed opinions on which type to follow. Work in social and psychological study can be carried out using two types of volume:

correlational - a large array of information is used, where all kinds of correlations are established;
experimental - the amount of data is limited, but new variables are added to it and monitored.

For your information! Correlation is a dependence (relationship) between two or more random variables. Moreover, changes occurring in one (several) are followed by changes in another with a certain systematicity.

The integration of the obtained data into the joint venture is presented in a specific form. It is not possible to put forward a theory and work with it in a joint venture. Theories of a socio-psychological plan are completely different from those in the exact sciences. They lack deduction. Therefore, a hypothesis is initially put forward as a theoretical type of knowledge, and research is conducted on it. Further, as a result of the processed hypotheses, theoretical generalizations are made.

In SP, theories are developed that cover only narrow areas - certain aspects of people's lives.

A distinctive specific feature is the mandatory testing of formulated hypotheses and, as a result, the construction of predictions.

Methods of social psychology

In general, it cannot be said about specific methods of social psychology that they are independent of the general methods of psychology. Therefore, the use of any method must be determined by the specifics of the science presented, i.e. any method must be applied in a certain “methodological key”.

The methods of social psychology themselves have their own classification and are divided into four groups:

Methods of empirical research (observation, experiment, instrumental methods, sociometry, document analysis, tests, survey, group personality assessment);
Modeling method;
Methods of managerial and educational influence;
Methods of socio-psychological influence.

Let's look at each group of methods briefly.

Methods of empirical research

Observation method. Observation in social psychology means the collection of information, which is carried out through direct, targeted and systematic perception and recording of socio-psychological phenomena in laboratory or natural conditions. The main material on the issue of observation is contained in our second lesson, from which you can learn about what types of observation exist and how they are characterized.

You can learn how the observation method works by testing it through your own personal experience. For example, you would like to know what arouses the greatest interest in your growing child in the course of everyday life. To find out, you just need to observe him, his behavior, mood, emotions, reactions. Most of all, attention should be paid to speech acts, their direction and content, physical actions and their expressiveness. Observation will help you identify some individual interesting traits in your child or, conversely, see that any trends are becoming consolidated. The main task when organizing observation is to accurately determine what you want to see and record, as well as the ability to identify factors that influence this. If necessary, observation can be carried out systematically, certain schemes can be used for it, and the results can be evaluated using any systems.

The document analysis method is one of the types of methods for analyzing the products of human activity. A document is any information recorded on any medium (paper, photographic film, hard drive, etc.). Analysis of documents allows us to create a fairly accurate psychological description of a person’s personality. This method is very popular among psychologists and ordinary people. For example, many parents, noticing some deviations in the development of their children and trying to find out their cause, turn to psychologists for help. And they, in turn, ask parents to bring drawings that their children drew. Based on the analysis of these drawings, psychologists come to an opinion and give parents appropriate recommendations. There is another example: as you know, many people keep diaries. Based on the study of these diaries, experienced specialists can create a psychological portrait of their owners and even determine what factors influenced the fact that a person’s personality was formed in a particular way.

The survey method , and in particular interviews and questionnaires, are widespread in modern society. Moreover, not only in psychological circles. Interviews are taken from people from completely different social strata in order to obtain various types of information. Questionnaires are conducted in the same way. If you, for example, are the head of a department in an organization and are trying to find an opportunity to improve the performance of your department or make the team environment more friendly, you can conduct a survey among your subordinates, having previously compiled a list of questions. A subtype of interview can be safely called an interview for employment. As an employer, you can create a list of questions, the answers to which will give you an objective “picture” of the applicant, which will help you make the right decision. If you are an applicant applying for a serious (and not only) position, then this is a reason to prepare for an interview, for which today there is a lot of useful information on the Internet.

The sociometry method refers to methods of socio-psychological research into the structure of small groups and a person as a member of a group. This method is used to study relationships between people and within a group. Sociometric studies can be individual or group, and their results are usually presented in the form of sociometric matrices or sociograms.

The method of group personality assessment (GPA) is to obtain characteristics of a person in a certain group, based on a survey of members of this group relative to each other. Using this method, experts assess the level of expression of a person’s psychological qualities, which are manifested in his appearance, activity and interaction with others.

Test method. Like some other methods of psychology, tests have already been discussed by us in one of the first lessons, and you can get acquainted in detail with the concept of “tests” there. Therefore, we will touch only on general issues. Tests are short, standardized and, in most cases, time-limited. Social psychology tests are used to determine differences between people and groups of people. During tests, the subject (or a group of them) performs certain tasks or selects answers to questions from a list. Data processing and analysis are performed in relation to a certain “key”. The results are expressed in test indicators.

Scales that measure social attitudes are among the tests that still receive special attention. Social attitude scales are used for a variety of purposes, but most often they are used to characterize the following areas: public opinion, the consumer market, the choice of effective advertising, people’s attitudes to work, problems, other people, etc.

Experiment. Another method of psychology that we touched on in the lesson “Methods of Psychology”. An experiment involves the researcher creating certain conditions of interaction between a subject (or a group of them) and certain situations in order to restore the patterns of this interaction. An experiment is good because it allows you to simulate phenomena and conditions for research and influence them, measure the reactions of subjects and reproduce the results.

Modeling

In the previous lesson we already touched on the modeling method in psychology and you can familiarize yourself with it by following the link. One has only to note that in social psychology modeling develops in two directions.

First

– is a technical imitation of processes, mechanisms and results of mental activity, i.e. mental modeling.

Second

– is the organization and reproduction of any activity, through the artificial creation of an environment for this activity, i.e. psychological modeling.

The modeling method allows you to obtain a wide variety of reliable socio-psychological information about a person or group of people. For example, in order to find out how employees of your organization will act in an extreme situation, will be under the influence of a state of panic, or will act together, simulate a fire situation: turn on the alarm, notify employees about the fire and observe what is happening. The data obtained will allow you to determine whether it is worth paying attention to working with employees on behavior in the workplace in emergency situations, to understand who is the leader and who is the follower, and also to learn about those qualities and character traits of your subordinates that you may be aware of. , did not know.

Methods of managerial and educational influence

Management and educational methods mean a set of actions (mental or practical) and techniques, the implementation of which can achieve the desired results. This is a kind of system of principles that provides guidance for organizing productive activities.

The influence of educational methods is manifested through the direct influence of one person on another (persuasion, demand, threat, encouragement, punishment, example, authority, etc.), the creation of special conditions and situations that force a person to express himself (express an opinion, do something action). Influence is also exerted through public opinion and joint activities, transmission of information, training, education, and upbringing.

Among the methods of managerial and educational influence there are:

Beliefs that form certain mental manifestations (views, concepts, ideas);
Exercises that organize activities and stimulate positive motives;
Assessment and self-esteem that determine actions, stimulate activity and assist in regulating behavior

An excellent example of managerial and educational influence is the upbringing of a child by his parents. It is through education that the basic traits and properties of his personality are born and formed in a person. It is not difficult to guess that if you want your child to grow up to be an independent, self-confident and successful person with a set of positive qualities (responsibility, determination, resistance to stress, positive thinking, etc.), then he should be raised properly. In the process of upbringing, it is important to conduct confidential conversations, be able to direct the child’s activities and behavior, reward him for success and make it clear when any offense has been committed. It is necessary to provide compelling arguments, arguments, and examples. Set examples of authoritative people and outstanding personalities. It is also important to always try to give the correct assessment of your child’s behavior, actions, actions and results, and to form adequate self-esteem in him. These are, of course, just a few examples. But it is important to understand that only in case of correct managerial and educational influence on a person’s personality it becomes possible to have a positive and constructive influence on him.

And the last group of methods of social psychology are methods of socio-psychological influence.

Methods of socio-psychological influence

Methods of socio-psychological influence are a set of techniques that influence the needs, interests, inclinations of a person, his attitudes, self-esteem, emotional state, as well as the socio-psychological attitudes of groups of people.

Using methods of socio-psychological influence, you can influence people’s needs and their motivation, change their desires, aspirations, emotions, mood, and behavior. By skillfully using these methods, you can change people's views, opinions and attitudes, as well as create new ones. By exerting the correct socio-psychological influence on a person, it is possible to ensure the most favorable position of a person in society, make his personality more resistant to the influence of various factors, and form a healthy worldview and attitude towards people, the world, and life. Sometimes methods of socio-psychological influence are used with the aim of destroying existing personality traits, stopping any activity, motivating the search for new goals, etc.

As we can see, the methods of social psychology are one of the most complex topics in psychological science. To understand these methods in detail, you need to spend more than one month studying them. But, despite this, one precise conclusion can be made: taking into account all the methodological difficulties, any socio-psychological study must have the ability to clearly identify and delimit the tasks to be solved, select an object, formulate the problem under study, clarify the concepts used and systematize the entire range of used for research methods. This is the only way to make socio-psychological research as accurate and effective as possible.

History of the development of Western social psychology of the twentieth century. and its main theoretical approaches

In Western social and psychological science in the twentieth century. The following theoretical approaches have been developed:

1) sociocultural approach
of E. Ross
- the sources of people’s social behavior are inherent not in an individual, but in a social group, social behavior is explained by the influence of large social groups. The group was considered as a kind of integrity possessing consciousness. In accordance with the modern sociocultural approach, it is believed that a person’s beliefs, values and prejudices are determined primarily by group-level factors (nation, social class, cultural norms);

2)
W. McDougall’s
evolutionary approach is aimed at finding the causes of social behavior in physical and mental tendencies that helped our ancestors survive and produce offspring. It is assumed that animals that are best adapted to environmental conditions have a greater chance of surviving and producing viable offspring, passing on the appropriate properties to them. These properties are replaced over time by new properties of living organisms, more suitable for a certain environment;

3) Social learning theory
(A. Bandura and R. Walters) -
social behavior is considered as a product of an individual’s past experience and his learning in the process of receiving rewards and punishments. A special role in the development of certain behavioral forms is assigned to imitation. For example, children can learn aggression by observing various forms of aggressive behavior in adults. Beliefs, expectations, choice and self-reinforcement also play an important role in the development of individual behavior;

4) phenomenological approach
–
a person’s social behavior is guided by his subjective interpretation of the events of the social world. The main thing in Lewin’s system of views on human social behavior is the concept of “life space,” which includes the entire sum of possible events that influence the individual from the past, present and future, as it seems to him. In this case, a person’s behavior is considered as his movement through sections of a given living space, some of which are attractive and others are not. A person’s interpretation of a particular situation, according to Lewin, is related to his goals at the moment. So, for example, if a fan of a football team wants to get into a fight with fans of the “foreign” team, he may interpret a random push as an aggressive attack from the other side;

5) social-cognitive approach –

focuses on the mental processes involved in how an individual pays attention to social events, interprets them, and stores them in memory. Proponents of this approach believe that the mental processes associated with what events attract a person's attention, how he interprets these events, and stores them in their memory, in a special way they are able to influence a person’s social behavior, directing his attention to one or another aspect of the situation. They can also influence the understanding of this situation on the basis of the associations that the event has arisen with a similar past experience preserved in memory.

The considered approaches to understanding socio-psychological phenomena do not contradict each other, but represent only one of the facets of socio-psychological analysis that complement each other... The combination of these approaches and their integrated use provide a comprehensive study of a particular phenomenon of social psychology.

Some laws of social psychology

But in order for you to now begin to implement the acquired knowledge into your life, without engaging in in-depth study of specialized materials, you should know several important laws and patterns of social psychology that influence a person’s life in society and his interaction with this society and others. people.

People always perceive those around them in one way or another.

We usually attribute certain properties to the people we come into contact with, which relate to social stereotypes. Stereotypes can be attributed to people on anthropological grounds, that is, based on the characteristics of the race to which the person belongs. There are also social stereotypes - these are images attributed to people occupying certain positions, having different statuses, etc. Stereotypes can also be emotional, i.e. associated with the physiological properties of people.

Therefore, when communicating with different people, you must understand that your perception of them may be subconsciously based on stereotypes. So, for example, a beautiful person may turn out to be someone with whom it is better not to mess with, while an unattractive person in appearance may amaze you with the beauty and depth of his soul. If you are prejudiced against people of a certain race, this does not mean that they are what you think they are. After all, people of any skin color, gender, religion, worldview can be both good and bad. It is important to learn to perceive people not based on stereotypes, but only on personal experience. As they say, don’t judge by your clothes, but judge by your mind.

People easily assume social roles imposed on them.

A person who is in constant interaction with society builds his behavior according to the social role assigned to him by this society. This can be easily seen in the example of a person who has suddenly been promoted: he becomes very important, serious, communicates with people from above, those who yesterday were on an equal footing with him are no longer a match for him today, etc. Social roles imposed by society can make a person weak-willed and powerless to change anything. People who are affected by this influence can “sink” to the most vile actions (even murder) or raise themselves to heights.

We must always remember that social roles imposed by society have a strong influence on a person. In order to be able not to “bend” under the pressure of a social role and remain yourself, you need to be a strong personality, have an inner core, have beliefs, values and principles.

The best communicator is the one who knows how to listen.

Conversation is an integral part of human communication. When we meet other people, we start a conversation: about how someone is doing, about news, about changes, interesting events. The conversation can be friendly, business, intimate, formal or non-binding. But many people, if you pay attention to this, like to talk much more than listen. In almost every company there is a person who constantly interrupts, wants to speak out, insert his word, but does not listen to anyone. Agree, this is not very pleasant. But this is a pronounced need for conversation. In other people it may be less pronounced, but, in any case, it always exists.

If a person is given the opportunity to talk incessantly, then after saying goodbye to you, he will experience only the most pleasant emotions from communication. If you constantly talk, then he will most likely become bored, he will nod his head, yawn, and communicating with you will become an unbearable burden for him. A strong personality is a person who is able to control his emotions and desires. And the best interlocutor is the one who knows how to listen and not say a word, even if he really wants to. Take this into account and practice - you will see how pleasant it will be for people to communicate with you. In addition, it will train your self-control, self-discipline and attentiveness.

People's attitudes influence their perception of reality and those around them.

If a person has a predisposition to react to something in a certain way, then he will do it in accordance with it. For example, you must meet some person and you were told something very bad about him in advance. When you meet, you will experience acute hostility towards this person, reluctance to communicate, negativity and rejection, even if this person is actually very good. Anyone, even the same person, can appear before you in a completely different light if you are given a certain attitude towards their perception beforehand.

You shouldn’t take on faith everything you hear, see, or learn from someone else. The main thing is always to trust only personal experience and check everything yourself, taking into account, of course, everything that you have learned, but not based on it. Only personal experience will allow you to find out reliable information and make objective judgments about other people, events, situations, things, etc. In this case, the saying “Trust, but verify!” is ideal.

People's behavior is often influenced by how others perceive them.

In psychology this is called reflection. This is not common to everyone, of course, but to many. There are people who are entirely dependent on how others perceive them. An exaggerated sense of the importance of someone else’s opinion leads to the fact that a person begins to feel constant discomfort, emotional stress, dependence on another person, the inability to defend his position, express his opinion and many other rather unpleasant sensations. Moreover, these sensations can manifest themselves in different ways: from small mood swings during the day to prolonged and deep depression.

To avoid such situations, you need to understand that someone else’s opinion is just someone else’s opinion. It’s not for nothing that successful people say that someone else’s opinion will never feed you and your loved ones, buy you clothes, or bring you success and happiness. Quite the contrary, almost always someone else’s opinion makes people give up, stop striving for something, developing and growing. How others perceive you is their own business. You don't have to adapt to anyone and should always remain yourself.

People tend to judge others and justify themselves.

Situations in life are different, as are the people who find themselves in them. But the reactions evoked in people who find themselves in these situations can be perceived by us in completely different ways. For example, if you are standing in line to make a purchase and there is a person in front of you who has been buying something for a very long time, this causes negative emotions in you, you may begin to express dissatisfaction, rush the person in front, etc. At the same time, if for some reason you are delayed at the checkout, and the person standing behind you begins to reprimand you for something, you will begin to give completely reasonable arguments as to why you are standing for so long. And you'll be right. People find themselves in situations like this almost every day.

A significant advantage for you in terms of your development will be mastering the skill of critically assessing the situation and the people who find themselves in it (others and yourself). Whenever you feel that you are beginning to experience negative emotions, irritation, or a desire to express dissatisfaction towards another person due to some circumstances, abstract yourself for a while. Take a look at the situation from the outside, critically evaluate yourself and others, think about whether the other is to blame for the current situation and how you would behave and feel in his place. Most likely, you will notice that your reaction is not entirely correct and you should behave calmer, more tactfully, more consciously. If you do this practice systematically, life will become much more enjoyable, you will be less irritated, you will begin to experience more positive emotions, you will become more positive, etc.

People often identify with other people.

In social psychology this is called identification. Very often our identification with others occurs during our communication with someone: a person tells us some story or describes a situation in which he was a participant, but we subconsciously put ourselves in his place in order to feel what he felt. Identification can also occur while watching a movie, reading a book, etc. We identify with the main character or other participants. In this way, we dive deeper into the information we study (watch, read), understand the motives of people’s actions, and evaluate ourselves with them.

Identification can be done consciously. This helps a lot both in non-standard, difficult life situations, and in the process of ordinary life. For example, if in some situation you find it difficult to make the right decision, you don’t know what to do best, remember the hero of your favorite book, movie, person who is an authority for you, and think about what he would do in your place, what he said or did. A corresponding image will immediately appear in your imagination, which will lead you to the right decision.

People form their first impression of a person within the first five minutes.

This fact has long been proven by psychologists. We make our first impression of another person within the first 3-5 minutes of communication with him. Although first impressions can be deceiving, this point should be given special attention. When meeting a person for the first time, we look at his appearance, posture, behavior, speech, and emotional state. Also, the first impression is influenced by whether we feel that a person is superior to us in some respects, how attractive his appearance is, what attitude the person shows towards us. Other people form impressions of us using the same criteria.

You need to be able to make a first impression. And for this it is necessary to take into account all the above factors of its formation. Therefore, whenever you know that you are planning a first meeting with a person (an interview, a meeting in a friendly company, a date, etc.), you must prepare for this: look neat, behave confidently, be able to find something to say, observe manners decency and etiquette rules, speaking clearly, etc. Remember that the first impression is the foundation for building all future relationships.

A person attracts into his life what corresponds to his thoughts.

This is called variously: the law of attraction, “like attracts like” or “we are what we think.” The meaning is this: throughout a person’s life, he meets people and events happen that resonate with him: correspond to his thoughts, expectations, and beliefs. If a person radiates negativity, then more troubles happen in his life, he experiences failures, and meets bad people. If positive vibrations emanate from a person, then his life will be filled, for the most part, with good news, good events, and pleasant people.

Many successful people and spiritual personalities say that everything in life depends on how we think. Therefore, if you want your life to change for the better, more positive events to happen, good people to meet, etc., then, first of all, you must pay attention to your way of thinking. Rebuild it in the right way: from negative to positive, from the position of a victim to the position of a winner, from a feeling of failure to a feeling of success. Don't expect immediate changes, but try to be positive; after a while you will notice changes.

In a person's life, what he expects often happens.

You've probably noticed this pattern more than once: what you fear most happens with enviable regularity. But the point here is not at all that this is something bad, but how strong an emotional coloring you attach to it. If you constantly think about something, worry about it, expect something, then there is a high probability that it will happen. Any expectations you have can have an impact on the people around you. But negative emotions (fear, apprehension, apprehension), as is known, take hold of people’s consciousness to a much greater extent than positive ones. That's why what we don't want happens more often than what we want.

Reorganize yourself, stop thinking about what you fear and expecting it, start expecting only the best from life and those around you! But the main thing here is not to overdo it, so as not to feel disappointed. Create a habit for yourself to expect only good things, but do not idealize your expectations. Move away from negativity and tune into a positive mood, but always remain realistic and look at the world soberly.

***

There are a lot of patterns that operate in communication between people, because psychology is a science that has a huge number of features. To make your life better, and to make communication with other people and interaction with society more pleasant and effective, you need to develop attentiveness to everything that happens around you: people’s behavior, their reactions, the reasons for certain situations and events. No theory will change you and your life on its own. Only the practical application of new knowledge, honing your communication skills and training your personal qualities can influence you and change what you want to change.

As for the person himself in social psychology, we can say with confidence that the person, as a mature personality, plays the main role here. It is social and psychological characteristics that allow such a science as social psychology to exist at all. And the knowledge about it that we now have, we want to deepen and strive to apply in practice, gives us the opportunity to identify, realize and understand the factors influencing the development of personality, the specifics of the interaction of people among themselves and in groups (as well as these groups). And this already allows us to make our lives, both as individuals and as parts of society, more comfortable and conscious, and the results of our actions and actions are better and more effective. It is for these reasons that we must master the basics of social (and not only) psychology and make their use part of our daily life.

Advantages and disadvantages

pros

An interesting, socially useful profession.
An actively developing branch of psychological science, which is of particular importance in the context of globalization.
The opportunity to help people.
The opportunity to use professional knowledge in your own life.

Minuses

Rapid professional burnout when constantly working with socially vulnerable categories of the population.
Low wages.
High responsibility for the condition of the wards.

Literature

For those who have a desire to dive deeper into the study of the topic of social psychology, below we present a small but very good list of literature that makes sense to consult.

Ageev BC Intergroup interaction: socio-psychological problems. M., 1990
Andreeva G.M. Social psychology M., 2003
Bityanova M.R. Social psychology M., 2002
Bodalev A.A. Perception and understanding of man by man M. Moscow State University, 1982
Bodalev A.A. Personality and communication M., 1995
Dontsov A.I. Psychology of the collective M., 1984
Leontyev A.A. Psychology of communication M., 1998
Kolomensky Ya.L. “Differentiation of social psychology and some problems of developmental psychology” St. Petersburg: Peter, 2000
Myasishchev V.N. Psychology of relations Moscow-Voronezh, 1995
Fundamentals of socio-psychological theory / Ed. A.A.Bodaleva, A.N. Sukhova M., 1995
Parygin B.D. Social psychology M., 1999
Personality psychology and lifestyle / Rep. ed. E.V. Shorokhova M. Science, 1987
Rean A.A., Kolomensky Ya.L. Social educational psychology St. Petersburg, 1998
Robert M., Tilman F. Psychology of the individual and group M., 1988
Sekun V.I. Psychology of activity. Minsk, 1996
Semenov V.E. Method of studying documents in socio-psychological research L., 1983
Modern foreign social psychology Texts / Ed. G.M.Andreeva et al. M., 1984
Social psychology / Ed. A.N. Sukhova, A.A. Derkach M., 2001
Social psychology and social practice / Ed. E.V. Shorokhova, V.P. Levkovich. M., 1985
Social psychology of classes / Ed. G.G.Diligensky M., 1985
Spivak D.L. Altered states of mass consciousness St. Petersburg, 1996
Stankin M.I. Psychology of communication Course of lectures M., 1996
Stefanenko T.G., Shlyagina E.I., Enikolopov S.N. Methods of ethnopsychological research. M., 1993
Stefanenko T.G. Ethnopsychology. Vol. 1. M., 1998
Sukharev V., Sukharev M. Psychology of peoples and nations. M., 1997
Freud 3. Group psychology and analysis of “EGO” M., 1991
Shevandrin N.I. Social psychology in education M., 1996
Shikhirev P.N. Modern social psychology in Western Europe M, 1985

Features of the profession

The profession of a social psychologist can be aimed both at research activities and at the development of practical, applied solutions for specific groups. Both options are important in their own way: the first improves the theoretical basis of social psychology, the second helps to create a healthy atmosphere in any group. The main job responsibilities of specialists in this field are as follows:

Study of the state of the team and all its participants, including through the use of psychodiagnostic techniques.
Monitoring the psychological safety of group members.
Providing psychological assistance to group members or the entire team as a whole (social psychologists can conduct activities aimed at team unity).
Creation and implementation of programs aimed at psychological education, psychocorrectional work, preventive influence, and improving the psychological health of the population.
Psychological support for people belonging to socially vulnerable segments of the population, psychological assistance for employees of social organizations, psychological support for the education and life of foster families.
Development and implementation of training programs aimed at improving the psychological climate in the team, conducting therapeutic and other groups.
Conducting psychological research, developing theoretical concepts, and preparing relevant documentation.
Psychological assistance during rehabilitation as a result of serious injuries and injuries, the return of a person to society.

A social psychologist can engage in quite a variety of activities, specialize in different problems, but its essence - working with a team and the person in it - remains unchanged.

Training to become a social psychologist

To become a social psychologist, you need to obtain a higher education in the general profile “Psychology”, its code is 03/37/01 . To enter, you need to pass the Unified State Exam in Russian, biology and a foreign language or mathematics (at the discretion of the university). Some higher educational institutions choose social studies as a third subject. The form of education can be full-time, part-time, part-time, part-time. In the first case, students receive a bachelor's degree in 4 years, in the others - in 5 years.

Courses

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