Social Psychology

Book excerpt: Social psychology students across Canada come from every conceivable background and possess a wide array of interests, experiences and personal and vocational ambitions. As our increasingly interconnected world continues to lessen cultural and national boundaries, today's students need to understand human social behaviour within a truly global context. Thoroughly updated and revised, Social Psychology, Second Canadian Edition helps students develop their critical thinking skills, recognise the intersections of social psychology in daily life and gain a better understanding of both themselves and those around them. Providing a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the discipline, this stimulating textbook examines classic and contemporary research while discussing the links between cultural, cross-cultural and social psychology. Engaging, clearly-written chapters are organised around five central topics which are carefully designed to encourage active participation and strengthen comprehension. Throughout the text, a wide range of topics within social psychology are explored through lenses of culture, diversity, gender and neuroscience. Students follow a logical progression of topics — exploring social perception and cognition, persuasion and social influence, group processes and intergroup relations, aggression, prejudice, discrimination, altruism and much more.