Psychoanalysis and Social Theory (original) (raw)
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This paper is going to discuss social psychology, some of the early history of the field. There will also be a discussion on three theorists that have made major contributions to the world of social psychology. These theorists are not as well-known as the ones that are normally mentioned in a textbook, but they should be noted for their contributions to the field of social psychology. Floyd Allport who wrote a book, which highlighted psychoanalysis an area of psychology that he did not agree with, and there is Kurt Lewin who made significant contributions to industrial psychology with his research and experiments about social psychology. There is also Solomon Asch who used Gestalt psychology to his advantage when researching social psychology; he also used the gestalt theories to explain his thoughts about perception and cognition in relation to social psychology. The research of social psychology will broaden the thoughts and ideas about where social psychology happens and allow people to become aware of the fact that they experience social psychology every day.
Historical Genesis of Social Psychology as a Source of Shaping Ideas about its Semantic Scope, Discipline Structure and Scientific Status // Наукові студії із соціальної та політичної психології. Спецвипуск. - К. : Міленіум, 2015.
The article is an attempt of a critical analysis of the current state of social psychology as a branch of science from the point of its past, in other words – based on the reconstruction of its historiogenesis. Having done this reconstruction, the author confutes a myth aboutemergence of social psychology within two sciences – sociology and psychology, which results in social psychology being viewed as a “hybrid” subdiscipline with a vague scientific status. The idea is presented consistently that social psychology is a psychological science and could not have been any other, for it is aimed at studying a special class of psychological (not some other) phenomena. Thus, all the precedents of incorporating social psychology into other sciences must be viewed as the special forms of interaction (connections) of psychology with these sciences. The author clarifies the place of social psychology in a psychological knowledge system showing that social psychology broadens themeta-subject field of psychology in general up to its actual ontological scope, and therefore, it is one of the most important fundamental psychological disciplines.
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The present paper attempts to reassess the "social psychology as science or history" debate instigated by Gergen (1973). It is argued that although Gergen is correct in asserting the transhistorical variability of social psychological phenomena, the implication is that social contextual variables should be incorporated into our theoretical framework, rather than that we should engage in an historical endeavor.
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Abstract The disciples of Psychology and Sociology and the social sciences more generally, are and have been for some time, in a state of flux, especially with regard to research methods. The tension, in the view if many, is between the approaches to research in terms of positivist verses naturalist [1,2]. This tension has to a considerable degree remains unsolved and has been exacerbated by the postmodernist’s discourse as exemplified in the works of Foucault [3] and Lyotard [4] (see Rosenberg, 2003 for an overview of this discourse). This short commentary cannot address all of these issues. Instead, it will [5] provide an introduction to the history of 19th century and early 20th century social sciences focusing on key differences and similarities in research methods and their philosophic underpinning [6]. This will be followed by a short statement regarding the nature of mid 20th century evolution of the social sciences, touching on both the philosophical and practical aspects of research [7]. This essay will end with an overview of some psychology research conducted within the parameters of the Human sciences. Keywords: Jerome Bruner; John Dewy; GH Mead; Shawn Rosenberg; Michael Westerman; Peter Wench; Cultural psychology; Social psychology; Psychological anthropology; Meaning; Narrative, Mind, Culture
An analysis of theory and research in social psychology reveals that while methods of research are scientific in character, theories of social behavior are primarily reflections of contemporary history. The dissemination of psychological knowledge modifies the patterns of behavior upon which the knowledge is based. It does so because of the prescriptive bias of psychological theorizing, the liberating effects of knowledge, and the resistance based on common values of freedom and individuality. In addition, theoretical premises are based primarily on acquired dispositions. As the culture changes, such dispositions are altered, and the premises are often invalidated. Several modifications in the scope and methods of social psychology are derived from this analysis.
Social Psychology is often defined as the scientific attempt to understand and explain how thoughts, feelings and behaviours of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of other human beings.