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200 Social Psychology Topics (Updated for 2023)

Social Psychology Topics

Table of Contents

Choose our social psychology research topics, social psychology project topics, topics in social psychology research, easy topics on social psychology, psychology topic ideas about dreams, child psychology ideas, social psychology issues topics, good social psychology research topics, interesting social psychology topics, forensic psychology research topics, most popular ideas for psychology papers, applied social psychology topics, social psychology essay topics for high school, social psychology literature review topics, health psychology ideas, sports psychology topics, ib psychology extended topics, social psychology experiment topics, social psychology research topics for college students, social psychology term paper topics, abnormal psychology ideas, thesis topics in social psychology, major topics in social psychology, mental illness topics, social media psychology topics, cognitive psychology research topics, great social psychology topics to write about, developmental psychology ideas, excellent research topics in social psychology, controversial topics for social psychology research paper, difficult social psychology topics for research.

If you are reading our blog post, it means you are looking for social psychology topics. We can bet you want to get the best topics possible. The longer the list of ideas, the better. Today, you are in luck. We have 200 social psychology topics for you and each and every one of them is free to use. You can use our social psychology research topics as they are or reword them as you see fit. To help as many students as possible, our ENL writers and editors are constantly updating the list. Most of these social psychology topics for research papers are already updated for 2023.

Why use our social psychology paper topics? First, because it saves you a lot of time. Why spend hours or even days looking for the perfect social psychology research topic when you can just select one of ours? And second, our topics are original (unique). The list of social psychology research topics is updated frequently, so there is a good chance you can find an interesting idea that will impress your professor and earn you some bonus points. Without further ado, here’s the list of social psychology research paper topics from My Homework Done .

If you are looking for some awesome social psychology project topics, we’ve got a few that will surely thrill you. Take a look:

  • Come up with a project related to culture and psychology
  • Reproduce a case of social anxiety
  • Analyze a marital dispute
  • Research an introvert child
  • Children and violent movies: a case study
  • Ageing as a social psychology project

In case you are looking for some topics in social psychology research that you can use today, we have a list ready for you. Pick any of these and start writing:

  • Medication and its effects on mental health
  • Depression and its effects on social interactions
  • What causes a panic attack?
  • Research Autism and its social psychology implications
  • Research a speech disorder
  • Research Homophobia
  • Discuss gender roles in the US
  • Research the effect of violent cartoons on preschool children

But what if you don’t want to spend hours or even days writing the essay? No problem, we have a list of easy topics on social psychology for you right here:

  • Discuss eating disorders
  • Analyze the seasonal affective disorder
  • What is Schizophrenia?
  • Talk about the Antisocial Personality disorder
  • What are dreams?
  • Discuss various parenting styles
  • What is the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
  • What causes social anxiety?

Let’s face it: dreams can be very fascinating to talk about. Why don’t you talk about the psychology behind dreams? Just pick one of these psychology topic ideas about dreams:

  • What do dreams tell about you?
  • Do we need to dream?
  • Dreams and their psychological effects.
  • The symbolism of specific dreams
  • Men’s vs. women’s dreams
  • Translating dreams to reality

Child psychology is a very complex subject, but we managed to think of some child psychology ideas that won’t take you days to write about:

  • Parental neglect and child depression
  • Growing up in a single parent family
  • Psychological effects of death on children
  • Research children’s psychological development
  • Childhood trauma and its long term effects
  • Effects of violent music on a child’s social integration

Social psychology is not without its problems, of course. If you would like to talk about these problems, pick one of our social psychology issues topics:

  • Controlling mental health issues effectively
  • Autistic children can’t fit in our society
  • The psychology of dreams
  • Diagnosing depression early on
  • Parental neglect in the United States
  • Social problems faced by people suffering from AIDS

We’ve gone through dozens of topic ideas over the past few weeks, and we compiled the ones that we thing are the best. Good social psychology research topics include:

  • Describe the introvert personality
  • Behavioral therapy treatment for convicts
  • The stalker personality disorder
  • Controlling anxiety in public
  • The role of an abusive parent on child development
  • Discuss the psychological effects of discrimination

To impress your professor, we suggest you find something interesting to talk about. Take a look at these interesting social psychology topics and pick one:

  • Child obesity and parental negligence
  • Link between obesity and TV
  • The psychological reasons of depression
  • The causes of stress
  • Gender effects on memory
  • The stages of human development
  • Link between physical illness and stress levels

Are you interested in writing about forensic psychology? We have some forensic psychology research topics we are certain you’ll love:

  • Are serial killers mentally impaired?
  • Terrorists and their social psychology.
  • Policing the Internet better nowadays.
  • Family effect on serial killers.
  • Teenagers and the effect of mass suicide.
  • Differences between clinical and forensic psychology.
  • Social psychology explains the rise in murders.

We’ve read feedback from hundreds of students and carefully analyzed the topics they chose. Here are the most popular ideas for psychology papers:

  • The role of the environment on personality development
  • Short term vs. long term memory
  • Define social interaction
  • Can morality be forced by law?
  • Mental health effects of abortion
  • The mental development of children with special needs
  • Aging effects on mental health
  • Counseling effects on divorce
  • Birth order and its effects on personality

Are you looking for the best applied social psychology topics on the Internet? Check out these ideas and pick one today:

  • Using hypnosis in a real life scenario
  • Medication effects on mental health
  • The real life effects of depression
  • Define social depression
  • Is asexuality a mental condition?
  • The causes of multiple personality disorder

High school students are having a difficult time finding great topics, we know. Here are some social psychology essay topics for high school for free:

  • Define schizophrenia
  • Antisocial behaviors explained
  • Drugs’ effects on the emotional development of teens
  • Bullying effects on your mental health
  • Describe gender roles in the UK
  • What causes anorexia?
  • PTSD at the workplace

We have some of the best original social psychology literature review topics on the Internet, all updated for 2023:

  • News and violence literature review
  • Child abuse in developing countries
  • Violence in pre-school children
  • Discuss the inability to fix in a society
  • Prison rehabilitation literature review
  • Mass killing in the U.S.
  • The link between memories and social success

Interested in writing about health topics? We have some very interesting health psychology ideas that you can use right now, free of charge:

  • Effects of drugs on children’s mental health
  • Mental health problems affecting physical health
  • What causes panic attacks?
  • Define social anxiety
  • What are phobias?
  • How does paranoia develop?

Sports psychology topics are not easy to come by, especially in 2023. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of unique sports psychology topics:

  • Psychological tests for violence
  • Psychological tests for steroid use
  • What is team chemistry?
  • Advances in sports psychology
  • Interesting sports psychology trends in 2023
  • Methods an athlete can use to control emotion

The extended essay is not easy to write. Not even finding a topic is easy. Pick one of these IB psychology extended topics and give it a try:

  • Discuss the seasonal affective disorder
  • Analyze the Antisocial Personality Disorder
  • Teenage children’s apathy towards food
  • What causes depression?
  • Describe false memories
  • Analyze and discuss language acquisition
  • Violence in video games and its effects on children

If you want to conduct an experiment or write about an experiment, we have just the ideas you need. Here are some great social psychology experiment topics:

  • Children with learning disabilities in public schools.
  • Effects of relocation of children’s mental health.
  • Immigration effects on families.
  • Grief and its effects on families.
  • Analyze the illusion of self.
  • Eating disorders and their psychological effects.

Writing a research paper is already difficult, so you really don’t have time to search for the best topics. Pick one of our social psychology research topics for college students for free:

  • Link between depression on social cognition
  • Research social influences on youth
  • Research the effects of violence from a social perspective
  • Effects of the death of a child.
  • Research the bystander effect.
  • How are our behaviors shaped?
  • Miscarriage and social psychology

If you need to write a term paper and don’t know what to write about, we have some excellent social psychology term paper topics for students of all ages:

  • The psychological effects of torture
  • Genetics and the level of human intelligence
  • The theories behind motivation
  • Why does teenager suicide happen?
  • Discuss the effects of work environment on worker motivation
  • Attractive people receiving special treatment
  • How is hypnosis used and why?

You probably want to write about something out of the ordinary. It’s a sure way to impress your professor, obviously. Pick any of these awesome abnormal psychology ideas:

  • How to study Anomie
  • Anorexia in the United Kingdom
  • Preventing death-related anxiety
  • Analyze borderline personality disorders
  • Discuss asexuality
  • Are phobias real or a mental problem?
  • Researching the Oedipus complex effectively

If you are about to start working on your thesis, you need some of our thesis topics in social psychology. Use them as they are or reword them as you see fit:

  • The role of violence in our society
  • How do people expose a lie?
  • Factors that affect a person’s religious perspective
  • Discuss Freud’s theories
  • An in-depth analysis of Gestalt Psychology
  • Explain and analyze Socionics

Are you looking to get a major in psychology? We have some major topics in social psychology that you will surely find interesting:

  • Techniques used to research psychological topics
  • Explain Mood Freezing and how it works
  • The design of modern physiological studies
  • Effects of sleep deprivation on memory
  • An in-depth look at environmental psychology
  • Domestic abuse and its psychological effects

Discussing various mental illnesses is not easy, we know. So, we did our best to come up with relatively easy mental illness topics:

  • Is depression a mental illness?
  • Violence can be classified as a mental illness
  • Describe the seasonal affective disorder

We have just the social media psychology topics you have been looking for (all updated for 2023):

  • Effects of social media on children’s psychology
  • Facebook effects on self-esteem
  • Nonverbal communication on social media
  • Prosocial behavior on social media

Cognitive psychology is a hot subject these days, so our ENL writers did their best to come up with the most interesting (and original) cognitive psychology research topics:

  • Effects of autism on young children.
  • ADHD effects on social growth.
  • Can we recover from memory loss?
  • How are memories created?
  • Cognitive psychology and the effects of colors.
  • Measuring the level of critical thinking.
  • Social judgement and its impact on the individual.

Want to pick a topic that you know will perform great in 2023? Take a look at our great social psychology topics to write about:

  • Discuss social cognition
  • Discuss a personality disorder
  • Discuss romance from a psychological standpoint
  • Discuss leadership in relation to social psychology
  • Discuss the various human attitudes
  • Discuss social control types
  • Effects of prejudice on human psychology

If you want to surprise your professor and get some bonus points, all you have to do is pick one of these developmental psychology ideas:

  • Social development and its effects on bullying
  • Effects of music on learning
  • The apparition of violence in school children
  • Does eating breakfast influence learning capabilities?
  • Discuss youth psychopathic tendencies
  • Age negative affects learning
  • Discuss how our media encourages child violence
  • Psychological development and its health effects

Out of hundreds of different research topics, we managed to gather the ones that are the most interesting. Our list of excellent research topics in social psychology:

  • The psychology behind a long-lasting marriage
  • The psychology of a homophobe
  • Formed habits and ways to change them
  • Adult shyness and its effects on social interaction
  • Hate crimes and their psychological effects
  • Analyze the rise in divorces in 2023 in the US
  • The effects of wearing a school uniform

You are not prohibited from writing about controversial topics, of course. Why not pick one of these controversial topics for social psychology research paper?

  • Overcrowding effects on our mental health
  • Climate change effects on human psychology
  • Is PTSD treatable?
  • Eating disorders caused by fast food chains
  • Psychological methods to control pain
  • The dangers of taking antidepressants
  • The dangers of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on convicts

Do you want to challenge yourself? No problem, we have some pretty difficult social psychology topics for research that you can choose from:

  • A terrorist’s psychological profile
  • Caring for hyperactive children
  • 3 phobias and their effect on a woman’s personality
  • Psychological effect of solitary confinement
  • Colors and their effect on mental states
  • The psychological profile of a sex worker
  • Psychological problems of the homeless
  • Sports psychology at the workplace

We realize you may need more research topic in social psychology. Perhaps you need some topics on a very specific subject. Or perhaps you want a list of topics that you can be 100% sure are original and never before used. The good news is that our experienced editorial team can write a whole list of topics in social psychology right now – just for you. You can just take your pick from all the awesome social psychology topics for your project or check out social work research topics . Get in touch with us and tell us what you need!

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35 Best Social Psychology Dissertation Topics

Published by Carmen Troy at January 2nd, 2023 , Revised On August 11, 2023

A dissertation or a thesis paper is the fundamental prerequisite to the degree programme, irrespective of your academic discipline. The field of social psychology is not different.

When working on the dissertation, the students must demonstrate what they wish to accomplish with their study. They must be authentic with their ideas and solutions to achieve the highest possible academic grade.

A dissertation in social psychology should examine the influence others have on people’s behaviour. This is because the interaction of people in different groups is the main focus of the discipline. Social connections in person are the main focus of social psychology and therefore your chosen social psychology topic should be based on a real-life social experience or phenomenon.

Also read: Sociology dissertation topics

We have compiled a list of the top social psychology dissertation topics to help you get started.

List of Social Psychology Dissertation Topics

  • What impact do priming’s automatic effects have on complex behaviour in everyday life?
  • The social intuitionist model examines the role that emotion and reason play in moral decision-making.
  • Examine the lasting effects of cognitive dissonance.
  • What psychological consequences does spanking have on kids?
  • Describe the consequences and root causes of childhood attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  • Explain the causes of antisocial behaviour in young people.
  • Discuss infants’ early warning symptoms of mental disease.
  • List the main factors that young adults most commonly experience; increased stress and depression.
  • Describe several forms of torture in detail, emphasising how they affect children’s minds and adult lives.
  • Describe the impact of violent video games and music on a child’s development.
  • Talk about how the family influences early non-verbal communication in infants.
  • Examine the scope and persistence of the variables influencing the impact of automatic priming on social behaviour.
  • What does this mean for upholding one’s integrity and comprehending interpersonal relationships?
  • Examine the connection between loneliness and enduring health issues.
  • Identify several approaches to measuring older people’s social networks.
  • Compare and contrast the types of social networks, housing, and elderly people’s health across time.
  • The primary causes of young people’s moral decline are social influences. Discuss.
  • Discuss what has improved our understanding of social psychology using examples from social psychology theories.
  • What are the socio-psychological reasons and consequences of drinking alcohol?
  • What makes some persons more attractive in social situations?
  • Discuss how culture affects a society’s ability to be cohesive and united.
  • Discuss how a person’s career affects their social standing in society.
  • What psychological effects might long-term caregiving have?
  • How ddoesa leader’s relationship and followers change under charismatic leadership?
  • Discuss the tactics that support and thwart interpersonal harmony using the group identity theory as your foundation.
  • Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of intimate cross-cultural relationships.
  • Examine and clarify the socio-psychological components of cults using examples.
  • Discuss how sociocultural perceptions have an impact on socio-psychology.
  • How has technology affected communication and interpersonal relationships?
  • What part does religion play in bringing people together?
  • Describe the socio-psychological impacts of dense population and crowded living.
  • What are the effects of a child’s introverted personality on others?
  • Explain how carelessness on the part of parents and childhood obesity are related.
  • Study the psychological, moral, and legal ramifications of adoption.
  • What are the corrective and preventative steps that can stop child abuse?

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Choosing social psychology dissertation topics can be frustrating. We have provided you with original dissertation topic suggestions to aid you in developing a thought-provoking and worthwhile dissertation for your degree.

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To discover social psychology dissertation topics:

  • Explore recent research in journals.
  • Investigate real-world social issues.
  • Examine psychological theories.
  • Consider cultural influences.
  • Brainstorm topics aligned with your passion.
  • Aim for novelty and significance in your chosen area.

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The 9 Major Research Areas in Social Psychology

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

topics for research paper in social psychology

Mitchell Funk / Getty Images

Social Cognition

Violence and aggression, prosocial behavior, prejudice and discrimination.

  • Social Identity

Group Behavior

Social influence, interpersonal relationships.

Social psychology is a branch of psychology that studies a wide range of subjects related to social behavior. This includes studying how people interact, factors that affect social perceptions, the formation of attitudes, and how groups influence individuals.

Research in social psychology is often focused on subjects that fall within three broad areas:

  • Social influence : Social influence refers to the ways in which our opinions and behavior are affected by the presence of others. This includes studies on topics such as conformity, obedience, and social pressure.
  • Social perception : Social perception refers to the ways in which we form impressions of other people. This includes research on topics including first impressions, stereotyping, and prejudice.
  • Social interaction : Social interaction refers to the ways in which we interact with other people. This includes research on topics such as communication, aggression, and altruism.

This article discusses some of the major areas of research in social psychology. It also explores some examples of the types of research that social psychologists might conduct within these subject areas.

Social cognition is concerned with the processing, storage, and application of social information. For example, research in this area of social psychology may focus on the development and use of social schemas. 

Schemas are our general ideas about the world, how things are, and how things work. In the case of social schemas, these ideas relate to how we expect people to behave in different situations.

These mental categories allow us to function without constantly stopping to interpret everything around us. We also develop associations between related schemas, which play an important role in the thought process and social behavior.

One area of social cognition research concerns person perception , which is how people form impressions of others. 

First impressions are the judgments we form about someone based on limited information. Studies have shown that first impressions happen within mere milliseconds and are based on several cues, such as facial expressions, body language, voice, and the beliefs held by the observer.  

Understanding how people acquire and process social information allows researchers to better explain how it can affect social interactions and individual behavior.

Attitudes and Attitude Change

Another major research area in social psychology involves the study of attitudes . Social psychologists are interested in the components of attitudes, how attitudes develop, and how attitudes change.

Attitudes are evaluations of people, objects, or issues. They can be positive (e.g., "I like chocolate") or negative (e.g., "I dislike taxes"). Various factors contribute to the development of attitudes, including upbringing and experiences, although genetics also appears to play a role in shaping them.

Researchers have identified three core components of attitude: an affective component, a behavioral component, and a cognitive component. Often referred to as the "ABCs of attitude," these elements describe how we feel, behave, and understand.

Some other characteristics of attitudes that researchers may be interested in include:

  • How they are best measured : Some attitudes can be measured through self-report questionnaires, but others might be better measured using tools like facial expression or arousal levels.
  • Factors that affect their strength : Attitudes can vary considerably in terms of their intensity. The strength of these attitudes directly impacts the degree to which they will guide their actions. Direct experiences and frequent exposure to the attitude can impact its strength.
  • How attitudes affect behavior : Researchers are also interested in understanding how and when these attitudes influence people's actions. For example, social psychologists might explore how attitudes develop through exposure to social media sources and how those attitudes relate to real-world actions.

Attitudes are an important research topic in social psychology because they impact how people view and interact with others.

What causes violence and aggression ? While many different factors play a role, social psychologists are interested in understanding the social influences that shape violent behavior.

Research in this area looks at numerous social factors that may cause aggression, including:

  • Situational variables that might contribute to aggression
  • Non-physical types of aggression such as name-calling or gossiping
  • How aggression is learned via modeling, such as witnessing adults or children engage in aggressive or violent behaviors
  • How violence in the media affects behavior in the real world
  • Strategies that can be effective in the reduction of aggression and violence
  • The role social learning plays in producing aggressive behaviors and actions
  • How public policy can be used to curb violent behavior

Research into the epidemic of gun violence is an example of how social psychologists are trying to understand the variables that contribute to a problem, and then utilize that knowledge to come up with actionable solutions.

Prosocial behavior is another major research area in social psychology. Prosocial behaviors are those that involve helping and cooperating.

Researchers often look at why people help others, as well as why they sometimes refuse to help or cooperate. The bystander effect is an example of a social phenomenon in the subject area of prosocial behavior.

Much of the research in the area of bystander effect was prompted by the murder of a young woman named Kitty Genovese. This case captured national attention when reports suggested that neighbors had witnessed her attack and murder but failed to call the police for help.

Later reviews of the case indicate that few (if any) of the neighbors had a clear view of the scene and were unaware of what was happening. Nevertheless, the case became mythologized in psychology textbooks and prompted a surge of interest in prosocial behaviors.

Research inspired by the Genovese case produced a great deal of information on prosocial behavior and how and why people choose—or sometimes refuse—to help others.

Prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes exist in any social group. Social psychologists are interested in the origins, causes, and effects of these attitudes and social categorizations.

Some questions that social psychologists explore include:

  • How does prejudice develop?
  • Why are stereotypes maintained in the face of contrary evidence?
  • How can prejudice be measured?
  • What factors contribute to the formation of prejudice and discrimination?
  • Are there effective ways to reduce prejudice and discrimination?

For example, researchers have found that several factors contribute to the development of prejudice, including stereotypes, social categorization, and social influences. Another factor that plays a part is the outgroup homogeneity bias, or the tendency to view people outside of our social group as being more homogenous than members of our own group.

By learning more about the psychology of prejudice and discrimination, researchers can look for solutions to help help prevent it from happening.

Self and Social Identity

Our perceptions of social identities and ourselves are another important research area in social psychology. Some of the questions that researchers explore include:

  • How do people come to know and understand themselves?
  • How do these self-perceptions affect our social interactions?
  • How does belonging to different social groups shape individual identity?
  • How do intersecting group members influence self-perception and self-identity?

Social psychologists are interested in learning more about how this inner life influences our outer lives and social world. Self-awareness, self-esteem, self-concept , and self-expression are only a few factors that influence our social experience.

For example, social comparison is a process that can impact how people view themselves. Upward social comparison involves comparing the self to others who are perceived as higher in status and ability, while downward social comparison focuses on making comparisons to those who are lower in status or ability.

Upward comparisons can leave people feeling like they don't measure up, damaging self-esteem. Downward comparisons, on the other hand, can help enhance self-esteem.

By learning more about how social identities and self-perceptions interact, social psychologists are better able to understand how social factors can influence how individuals feel about themselves and their identities.

Group behavior is defined as the actions, feelings, or thoughts of a collective of people. Such groups involve two or more people who share something in common such as identity, purpose, and belief.

The behavior of groups is one of the largest research areas in social psychology. Most people realize that groups tend to behave differently than individuals. These group behaviors are sometimes beneficial but can also be detrimental.

Social psychologists often look at topics such as:

  • Group dynamics
  • Group decision making
  • Cooperation
  • Group influence

Norms are an example of an aspect of group behavior that can guide how group members think, behave, or act. Norms are standards that emerge and guide how another member judge one another.

Social psychologists are also interested in the role of social influence on behavior and decision-making. Topics such as the psychology of persuasion , peer pressure, conformity , and obedience are only a few of those studied in this area of social psychology.

One example of research in this area of social psychology was Milgram's obedience studies conducted during the 1960s. The experiments found that when ordered by an authority figure, participants were willing to deliver what they believed were dangerous and painful electrical shocks to another person. While the shocks were staged, the research suggested that many people were willing to go to great lengths to obey authority.

Research has helped reveal the power of social influence and has uncovered ways to help people resist influence.

Social relationships play a major role in shaping behavior, attitudes, feelings, and thoughts. Social psychologists study how these interpersonal relationships affect people by looking at attachment , liking , love , and attraction.

Some research questions that social psychologists might explore include:

  • How important are interpersonal relationships to individual well-being?
  • What factors play a role in attraction?
  • How do interpersonal relationships influence helping behaviors in groups?
  • How do close relationships affect individuals?

Close relationships are relationships in which we feel a strong sense of connection and intimacy with another person. Studies on close relationships have shown that they are associated with many benefits, such as increased happiness and satisfaction with life.

A Word From Verywell

Social psychology is a rich subject that explores how social perception, social interaction, and social influence affect both groups and individuals. Researchers in this field are interested in various topics, including attitudes, attraction, close relationships, and helping behavior. By learning more about these subjects, social psychologists can add to our understanding of social behavior and its effect on individual well-being.

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Stolier RM, Hehman E, Keller MD, Walker M, Freeman JB. The conceptual structure of face impressions . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A . 2018;115(37):9210-9215. doi:10.1073/pnas.1807222115

Markovitch N, Netzer L, Tamir M. Will you touch a dirty diaper? Attitudes towards disgust and behaviour [published correction appears in Cogn Emot . 2016;30(3):i].  Cogn Emot . 2016;30(3):592–602. doi:10.1080/02699931.2015.1020049

Olson JM, Vernon PA, Harris JA, Jang KL. The heritability of attitudes: A study of twins . J Pers Soc Psychol . 2001;80(6):845-60. PMID: 11414369.

Van Ryzin MJ, Dishion TJ. From antisocial behavior to violence: a model for the amplifying role of coercive joining in adolescent friendships .  J Child Psychol Psychiatry . 2013;54(6):661–669. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12017

Kassin SM. The killing of Kitty Genovese: What else does this case tell us?   Perspect Psychol Sci . 2017;12(3):374–381. doi:10.1177/1745691616679465

Rhodes M, Mandalaywala TM. The development and developmental consequences of social essentialism .  Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci . 2017;8(4):10.1002/wcs.1437. doi:10.1002/wcs.1437

Hjerm M, Eger M, Danell R.  Peer attitudes and the development of prejudice in adolescence .  Socius Sociolog Res Dynamic World . 2018;4:1-11. doi:10.1177/2378023118763187

American Psychological Association.  Outgroup homogeneity bias .

Drury J, Carter H, Cocking C, Ntontis E, Tekin Guven S, Amlôt R. Facilitating collective psychosocial resilience in the public in emergencies: Twelve recommendations based on the social identity approach [published correction appears in Front Public Health . 2019 Jun 27;7:181].  Front Public Health . 2019;7:141. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2019.00141

Rahman T. Extreme Overvalued Beliefs: How Violent Extremist Beliefs Become "Normalized" .  Behav Sci (Basel) . 2018;8(1):10. doi:10.3390/bs8010010

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Psychology Unlocked

The free online psychology textbook, social psychology research topics.

January 24, 2017 Daniel Edward Blog , Social Psychology 0

social psychology research topics

Whether you’re looking for social psychology research topics for your A-Level or AP Psychology class, or considering a research question to explore for your Psychology PhD, the Psychology Unlocked list of social psychology research topics provides you with a strong list of possible avenues to explore.

Where possible we include links to university departments seeking PhD applications for certain projects. Even if you are not yet considering PhD options, these links may prove useful to you in developing your undergraduate or masters dissertation.

Lots of university psychology departments provide contact details on their websites.

If you read a psychologist’s paper and have questions that you would like to learn more about, drop them an email.

Lots of psychologists are very happy to receive emails from genuinely interested students and are often generous with their time and expertise… and those who aren’t will just overlook the email, so no harm done either way!

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What social factors are involved with the development of aggressive thoughts and behaviours? Is aggression socially-defined? Do different societies have differing definitions of aggression?

There has recently been a significant amount of research conducted on the influence of video games and television on aggression and violent behaviour.

Some research has been based on high-profile case studies, such as the aggressive murder of Jamie Bulger in 1993 by two children (Robert Thompson and Jon Venables). There is also a significant body  of experimental research.

Attachment and Relationships

This is a huge area of research with lots of crossover into developmental psychology. What draws people together? How do people connect emotionally? What is love? What is friendship? What happens if someone doesn’t form an attachment with a parental figure?

This area includes research on attachment styles (at various stages of life), theories of love, friendship and attraction.

Attitudes and Attitude Change

Attitudes are a relatively enduring and general evaluation of something. Individuals hold attitudes on everything in life, from other people to inanimate objects, groups to ideologies.

Attitudes are thought to involve three components: (1) affective (to do with emotions), (2) behavioural, and (3) cognitive (to do with thoughts).

Research on attitudes can be closely linked to Prejudice (see below).

Authority and Leadership

Perhaps the most famous study of authority is Milgram’s (1961) Obedience to Authority . This research area has grown into a far-reaching and influential topic.

Research considers both positive and negative elements of authority, and applied psychology studies consider the role of authority in a particular social setting, such as advertising, in the workplace, or in a classroom.

The Psychology of Crowds (Le Bon, 1895) paved a path for a fascinating area of social psychology that considers the social group as an active player.

Groups tend to act differently from individuals, and specific individuals will act differently depending on the group they are in.

Social psychology research topics about groups consider group dynamics, leadership (see above), group-think and decision-making, intra-group and inter-group conflict, identities (see below) and prejudices (see below).

Gordon Allport’s (1979) ‘The Nature of Prejudice’ is a seminal piece on group stereotyping and discrimination.

Social psychologists consider what leads to the formation of stereotypes and prejudices. How and why are prejudices used? Why do we maintain inaccurate stereotypes? What are the benefits and costs of prejudice?

This interesting blog post on the BPS Digest Blog may provide some inspiration for research into prejudice and political uncertainty.

Pro- and Anti-Social Behaviour

Behaviours are only pro- or anti-social because of social norms that suggest so. Social Psychologists therefore investigate the roots of these behaviours as well as considering what happens when social norms are ignored.

Within this area of social psychology, researchers may consider why people help others (strangers as well as well as known others). Another interesting question regards the factors that might deter an individual from acting pro-socially, even if they are aware that a behaviour is ‘the right thing to do’.

The bystander effect is one such example of social inaction.

Self and Social Identity

Tajfel and Turner (1979) proposed Social Identity Theory and a large body of research has developed out of the concepts of self and social identity (or identities).

Questions in this area include: what is identity? What is the self? Does a social identity remain the same across time and space? What are the contributory factors to an individual’s social identity?

Zimbardo’s (1972)  Stanford Prison Experiment famously considered the role of social identities.

Research in this area also links with work on groups (see above), social cognition (see below), and prejudices (see above).

Social Cognition

Social cognition regards the way we think and use information. It is the cross-over point between the fields of social and cognitive psychology.

Perhaps the most famous concept in this area is that of schemas – general ideas about the world, which allow us to make sense of new (and old) information quickly.

Social cognition also includes those considering heuristics (mental shortcuts) and some cognitive biases.

Social Influence

This is one of the first areas of social psychology that most students learn. Remember the social conformity work by Asch (1951) on the length of lines?

Other social psychology research topics within this area include persuasion and peer-pressure.

Social Representations

Social Representations (Moscovici, 1961) ‘make something unfamiliar, or unfamiliarity itself, familiar’ (Moscovici, 1984). This is a theory with its academic roots in Durkheim’s theory of collective representations.

Researchers working within this framework consider the social role of knowledge. How does information translate from the scientific realm of expert knowledge to the socially accessible realm of the layperson? How do we make sense of new information? How do we organise separate and distinct facts in a way that make sense to our needs?

One of the most famous studies using Social Representations Theory is Jodelet’s (1991) study of madness.

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80 fascinating psychology research questions for your next project

Last updated

15 February 2024

Reviewed by

Jean Kaluza

Psychology research is essential for furthering our understanding of human behavior and improving the diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions.

When psychologists know more about how different social and cultural factors influence how humans act, think, and feel, they can recommend improvements to practices in areas such as education, sport, healthcare, and law enforcement.

Below, you will find 80 research question examples across 16 branches of psychology. First, though, let’s look at some tips to help you select a suitable research topic.

  • How to choose a good psychology research topic

Psychology has many branches that break down further into topics. Choosing a topic for your psychology research paper can be daunting because there are so many to choose from. It’s an important choice, as the topic you select will open up a range of questions to explore.

The tips below can help you find a psychology research topic that suits your skills and interests.

Tip #1: Select a topic that interests you

Passion and interest should fuel every research project. A topic that fascinates you will most likely interest others as well. Think about the questions you and others might have and decide on the issues that matter most. Draw on your own interests, but also keep your research topical and relevant to others.

Don’t limit yourself to a topic that you already know about. Instead, choose one that will make you want to know more and dig deeper. This will keep you motivated and excited about your research.

Tip #2: Choose a topic with a manageable scope

If your topic is too broad, you can get overwhelmed by the amount of information available and have trouble maintaining focus. On the other hand, you may find it difficult to find enough information if you choose a topic that is too narrow.

To determine if the topic is too broad or too narrow, start researching as early as possible. If you find there’s an overwhelming amount of research material, you’ll probably need to narrow the topic down. For example, instead of researching the general population, it might be easier to focus on a specific age group. Ask yourself what area of the general topic interests you most and focus on that.

If your scope is too narrow, try to generalize or focus on a larger related topic. Expand your search criteria or select additional databases for information. Consider if the topic is too new to have much information published on it as well.

Tip #3: Select a topic that will produce useful and relevant insights

Doing some preliminary research will reveal any existing research on the topic. If there is existing research, will you be able to produce new insights? You might need to focus on a different area or see if the existing research has limitations that you can overcome.

Bear in mind that finding new information from which to draw fresh insights may be impossible if your topic has been over-researched.

You’ll also need to consider whether your topic is relevant to current trends and needs. For example, researching psychology topics related to social media use may be highly relevant today.

  • 80 psychology research topics and questions

Psychology is a broad subject with many branches and potential areas of study. Here are some of them:

Developmental

Personality

Experimental

Organizational

Educational

Neuropsychology

Controversial topics

Below we offer some suggestions on research topics and questions that can get you started. Keep in mind that these are not all-inclusive but should be personalized to fit the theme of your paper.

Social psychology research topics and questions

Social psychology has roots as far back as the 18th century. In simple terms, it’s the study of how behavior is influenced by the presence and behavior of others. It is the science of finding out who we are, who we think we are, and how our perceptions affect ourselves and others. It looks at personalities, relationships, and group behavior.

Here are some potential research questions and paper titles for this topic:

How does social media use impact perceptions of body image in male adolescents?

2. Is childhood bullying a risk factor for social anxiety in adults?

Is homophobia in individuals caused by genetic or environmental factors?

What is the most important psychological predictor of a person’s willingness to donate to charity?

Does a person’s height impact how other people perceive them? If so, how?

Cognitive psychology research questions

Cognitive psychology is the branch that focuses on the interactions of thinking, emotion, creativity, and problem-solving. It also explores the reasons humans think the way they do.

This topic involves exploring how people think by measuring intelligence, thoughts, and cognition. 

Here are some research question ideas:

6. Is there a link between chronic stress and memory function?

7. Can certain kinds of music trigger memories in people with memory loss?

8. Do remote meetings impact the efficacy of team decision-making?

9. Do word games and puzzles slow cognitive decline in adults over the age of 80?

10. Does watching television impact a child’s reading ability?

Developmental psychology research questions

Developmental psychology is the study of how humans grow and change over their lifespan. It usually focuses on the social, emotional, and physical development of babies and children, though it can apply to people of all ages. Developmental psychology is important for understanding how we learn, mature, and adapt to changes.

Here are some questions that might inspire your research:

11. Does grief accelerate the aging process?

12. How do parent–child attachment patterns influence the development of emotion regulation in teenagers?

13. Does bilingualism affect cognitive decline in adults over the age of 70?

14. How does the transition to adulthood impact decision-making abilities

15. How does early exposure to music impact mental health and well-being in school-aged children?

Personality psychology research questions

Personality psychology studies personalities, how they develop, their structures, and the processes that define them. It looks at intelligence, disposition, moral beliefs, thoughts, and reactions.

The goal of this branch of psychology is to scientifically interpret the way personality patterns manifest into an individual’s behaviors. Here are some example research questions:

16. Nature vs. nurture: Which impacts personality development the most?

17. The role of genetics on personality: Does an adopted child take on their biological parents’ personality traits?

18. How do personality traits influence leadership styles and effectiveness in organizational settings?

19. Is there a relationship between an individual’s personality and mental health?

20. Can a chronic illness affect your personality?

Abnormal psychology research questions

As the name suggests, abnormal psychology is a branch that focuses on abnormal behavior and psychopathology (the scientific study of mental illness or disorders).

Abnormal behavior can be challenging to define. Who decides what is “normal”? As such, psychologists in this area focus on the level of distress that certain behaviors may cause, although this typically involves studying mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and phobias.

Here are some questions to consider:

21. How does technology impact the development of social anxiety disorder?

22. What are the factors behind the rising incidence of eating disorders in adolescents?

23. Are mindfulness-based interventions effective in the treatment of PTSD?

24. Is there a connection between depression and gambling addiction?

25. Can physical trauma cause psychopathy?

Clinical psychology research questions

Clinical psychology deals with assessing and treating mental illness or abnormal or psychiatric behaviors. It differs from abnormal psychology in that it focuses more on treatments and clinical aspects, while abnormal psychology is more behavioral focused.

This is a specialty area that provides care and treatment for complex mental health conditions. This can include treatment, not only for individuals but for couples, families, and other groups. Clinical psychology also supports communities, conducts research, and offers training to promote mental health. This category is very broad, so there are lots of topics to explore.

Below are some example research questions to consider:

26. Do criminals require more specific therapies or interventions?

27. How effective are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in treating mental health disorders?

28. Are there any disadvantages to humanistic therapy?

29. Can group therapy be more beneficial than one-on-one therapy sessions?

30. What are the factors to consider when selecting the right treatment plan for patients with anxiety?

Experimental psychology research questions

Experimental psychology deals with studies that can prove or disprove a hypothesis. Psychologists in this field use scientific methods to collect data on basic psychological processes such as memory, cognition, and learning. They use this data to test the whys and hows of behavior and how outside factors influence its creation.

Areas of interest in this branch relate to perception, memory, emotion, and sensation. The below are example questions that could inspire your own research:

31. Do male or female parents/carers have a more calming influence on children?

32. Will your preference for a genre of music increase the more you listen to it?

33. What are the psychological effects of posting on social media vs. not posting?

34. How is productivity affected by social connection?

35. Is cheating contagious?

Organizational psychology research questions

Organizational psychology studies human behavior in the workplace. It is most frequently used to evaluate an employee, group, or a company’s organizational dynamics. Researchers aim to isolate issues and identify solutions.

This area of study can be beneficial to both employees and employers since the goal is to improve the overall work environment and experience. Researchers apply psychological principles and findings to recommend improvements in performance, communication, job satisfaction, and safety. 

Some potential research questions include the following:

36. How do different leadership styles affect employee morale?

37. Do longer lunch breaks boost employee productivity?

3 8. Is gender an antecedent to workplace stress?

39. What is the most effective way to promote work–life balance among employees?

40. How do different organizational structures impact the effectiveness of communication, decision-making, and productivity?

Forensic psychology research questions

Forensic psychology research aims to provide professional psychological expertise within the legal and judicial systems. Forensic psychologists apply clinical developmental, cognitive, and social psychology to legal situations,using theories, principles, and research methods to better understand legal issues and functions.

Some questions to consider exploring in this branch of psychology are:

41. How does incarceration affect mental health?

42. Is childhood trauma a driver for criminal behavior during adulthood?

43. Are people with mental health conditions more likely to be victims of crimes?

44. What are the drivers of false memories, and how do they impact the justice system?

45. Is the media responsible for copycat crimes?

Educational psychology research questions

Educational psychology studies children in an educational setting. It covers topics like teaching methods, aptitude assessment, self-motivation, technology, and parental involvement.

Research in this field of psychology is vital for understanding and optimizing learning processes. It informs educators about cognitive development, learning styles, and effective teaching strategies.

Here are some example research questions:

46. Are different teaching styles more beneficial for children at different times of the day?

47. Can listening to classical music regularly increase a student’s test scores?

48. Is there a connection between sugar consumption and knowledge retention in students?

49. Does sleep duration and quality impact academic performance?

50. Does daily meditation at school influence students’ academic performance and mental health?

Sports psychology research question examples

Sport psychology aims to optimize physical performance and well-being in athletes by using cognitive and behavioral practices and interventions. Some methods include counseling, training, and clinical interventions.

Research in this area is important because it can improve team and individual performance, resilience, motivation, confidence, and overall well-being

Here are some research question ideas for you to consider:

51. How can a famous coach affect a team’s performance?

52. How can athletes control negative emotions in violent or high-contact sports?

53. How does using social media impact an athlete’s performance and well-being?

54. Can psychological interventions help with injury rehabilitation?

55. How can mindfulness practices boost sports performance?

Cultural psychology research question examples

The premise of this branch of psychology is that mind and culture are inseparable. In other words, people are shaped by their cultures, and their cultures are shaped by them. This can be a complex interaction.

Cultural psychology is vital as it explores how cultural context shapes individuals’ thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions. It provides insights into diverse perspectives, promoting cross-cultural understanding and reducing biases.

Here are some ideas that you might consider researching:

56. Are there cultural differences in how people perceive and deal with pain?

57. Are different cultures at increased risk of developing mental health conditions?

58. Are there cultural differences in coping strategies for stress?

59. Do our different cultures shape our personalities?

60. How does multi-generational culture influence family values and structure?

Health psychology research question examples

Health psychology is a crucial field of study. Understanding how psychological factors influence health behaviors, adherence to medical treatments, and overall wellness enables health experts to develop effective interventions and preventive measures, ultimately improving health outcomes.

Health psychology also aids in managing stress, promoting healthy behaviors, and optimizing mental health, fostering a holistic approach to well-being.

Here are five ideas to inspire research in this field:

61. How can health psychology interventions improve lifestyle behaviors to prevent cardiovascular diseases?

62. What role do social norms play in vaping among adolescents?

63. What role do personality traits play in the development and management of chronic pain conditions?

64. How do cultural beliefs and attitudes influence health-seeking behaviors in diverse populations?

65. What are the psychological factors influencing the adherence to preventive health behaviors, such as vaccination and regular screenings?

Neuropsychology research paper question examples

Neuropsychology research explores how a person’s cognition and behavior are related to their brain and nervous system. Researchers aim to advance the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and cognitive effects of neurological disorders.

Researchers may work with children facing learning or developmental challenges, or with adults with declining cognitive abilities. They may also focus on injuries or illnesses of the brain, such as traumatic brain injuries, to determine the effect on cognitive and behavioral functions.

Neuropsychology informs diagnosis and treatment strategies for conditions such as dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and psychiatric disorders. Understanding the neural basis of behavior enhances our ability to optimize cognitive functioning, rehabilitate people with brain injuries, and improve patient care.

Here are some example research questions to consider:

66. How do neurotransmitter imbalances in specific brain regions contribute to mood disorders such as depression?

67. How can a traumatic brain injury affect memory?

68. What neural processes underlie attention deficits in people with ADHD?

69. Do medications affect the brain differently after a traumatic brain injury?

70. What are the behavioral effects of prolonged brain swelling?

Psychology of religion research question examples

The psychology of religion is a field that studies the interplay between belief systems, spirituality, and mental well-being. It explores the application of the psychological methods and interpretive frameworks of religious traditions and how they relate to both religious and non-religious people.

Psychology of religion research contributes to a holistic understanding of human experiences. It fosters cultural competence and guides therapeutic approaches that respect diverse spiritual beliefs.

Here are some example research questions in this field:

71. What impact does a religious upbringing have on a child’s self-esteem?

72. How do religious beliefs shape decision-making and perceptions of morality?

73. What is the impact of religious indoctrination?

74. Is there correlation between religious and mindfulness practices?

75. How does religious affiliation impact attitudes towards mental health treatment and help-seeking behaviors?

Controversial topics in psychology research question examples

Some psychology topics don’t fit into any of the subcategories above, but they may still be worthwhile topics to consider. These topics are the ones that spark interest, conversation, debate, and disagreement. They are often inspired by current issues and assess the validity of older research.

Consider some of these research question examples:

76. How does the rise in on-screen violence impact behavior in adolescents.

77. Should access to social media platforms be restricted in children under the age of 12 to improve mental health?

78. Are prescription mental health medications over-prescribed in older adults? If so, what are the effects of this?

79. Cognitive biases in AI: what are the implications for decision-making?

80. What are the psychological and ethical implications of using virtual reality in exposure therapy for treating trauma-related conditions?

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Current Research in Social Psychology

Editors: michael lovaglia, university of iowa; shane soboroff, st. ambrose university.

Current Research in Social Psychology  ( CRISP ) is a peer reviewed, electronic journal publishing theoretically driven, empirical research in major areas of social psychology. Publication is sponsored by the  Center for the Study of Group Processes  at the  University of Iowa,  which provides free access to its contents. Authors retain copyright for their work. CRISP is permanently archived at the Library of the University of Iowa and at the Library of Congress. Beginning in April, 2000,  Sociological Abstracts  publishes the abstracts of CRISP articles.

Citation Format:  Lastname ,  Firstname . 1996. "Title of Article."  Current Research in Social Psychology  2:15-22 https://crisp.org.uiowa.edu

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Research Topics & Ideas: Psychology

100+ Psychology Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Research

Research topics and ideas in psychology

If you’re starting out on the dissertation or thesis journey for your psychology degree, the very first challenge you’ll face is finding a solid research topic . In this post, we’ll help get the topic ideation process started by providing a meaty list of research ideas, spanning a range of psychology sub-disciplines. We’ll also look at some examples from actual theses and dissertations to give you an idea of what these look like in the real world.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps (which we’ll explain a little later). Therefore, it’s important to recognise that this post is only the first step in finding a high-quality psychology-centred research topic. To develop a research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this all sounds a bit intimidating, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course , which covers the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from A-Z. You can also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, have a look at our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Psychology-Related Topics

  • How to find a research topic (video)
  • Behavioural psychology
  • Clinical psychology
  • Cognitive psychology
  • Developmental psychology
  • Educational psychology
  • Forensic psychology
  • Social psychology
  • Sports psychology
  • Examples of actual dissertation topics
  • Free Webinar : Topic Ideation 101
  • Where to get extra help

How To Find A Research Topic

In the video below, we explain how to find suitable research ideas (in psychology or any field), and how to then refine those into well-articulated potential topics for your dissertation or thesis. We also discuss a few important evaluation criteria to help you make the right choice for your project.

Below you’ll find a list of research ideas to get your thinking started. Please note that these research topic ideas are intentionally broad and generic, so you will need to refine them a fair deal using the techniques we discussed in the video above.

We’ve grouped the topic ideas based on a few popular areas of psychology to make it a little easier for you to find something in your particular field of interest. That said, there is naturally some overlap between topics, so keep this in mind.

Research Ideas: Behavioural Psychology

  • Cultural variation in behaviour and mental health of adolescents during a disaster: a case study
  • The impact of parental drug use and risky behaviour on early child development
  • The effects of video game violence on aggressive behaviour among teenage boys in school
  • The relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adult risk-seeking behaviour
  • The impact of physical exercise on anxiety and health-harming behaviour
  • The relationship between personality traits and addiction behaviour
  • The effects of reinforcement schedules on decision-making and associative learning
  • The effects of daily mindfulness practice on stress and anxiety in middle-aged women
  • The use of behavioural interventions in the treatment of eating disorders in poorer communities
  • Understanding implicit cognitive processes involved in the over-consumption of fast food
  • The use of cognitive behavioural therapy for alcohol addiction treatment
  • The impact of extensive technology use in children on long-term attention and focus
  • The impact of social media on self-destructive behaviour and poor mental health outcomes
  • Exploring the role of sleep and sleep deprivation on healthy behaviours

Research topic idea mega list

Research Ideas: Clinical Psychology

  • The use of mindfulness-based approaches in the treatment of anxiety disorders among college students
  • The use of technology in the delivery of psychological services in war-torn countries
  • The effectiveness of dialectical behaviour therapy for borderline personality disorder
  • The use of virtual reality technology in the treatment of phobias and PTSD among war veterans
  • The role of childhood adversity on adult mental health in immigrant populations in the USA
  • The role of genetics and epigenetics in the development of bipolar disorder in Pakistani women: an integrative review
  • The effectiveness of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of social anxiety among hikikomori in Japan
  • The perception of healthcare workers and patients on the use of teletherapy for the delivery of psychological services
  • The impact of social support on mental health outcomes among single parents.
  • The effectiveness of integrative therapeutic approaches in the treatment of schizophrenia
  • The effectiveness of trauma-focused therapies on post-traumatic growth in domestic abuse survivors
  • The role and use of cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression among first-generation students
  • The effectiveness of family therapy in addressing childhood trauma and depression
  • The impact of cultural mistrust on the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in culturally-diverse populations
  • The effectiveness of group therapy on post-traumatic stress symptoms among survivors of sexual assault

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Research Ideas: Cognitive Psychology

  • The impact of lifelong aerobic exercise on cognitive function in old age
  • The effects of evening screen use on cognitive development in preschool children
  • The impact of sleep deprivation on decision-making among graduate students
  • The use of neuroimaging to understand the neural basis of memory retrieval
  • The effect of conservative religious homes on social functioning in LGBT+ adolescents
  • The role of positive emotions in working memory among high school learners
  • The neural basis of decision-making and problem-solving during undergraduate statistic assessments
  • The neural basis of language processing among adults learning English as a second language
  • The role of technological tools in improving working memory in older adults
  • The role of attention in emotional face processing among adult males
  • The impact of depression on cognitive function during ageing The impact of daily meditation and mindfulness practice on cognitive function
  • The relationship between increased protein intake and improved cognitive function
  • The effects of stress on cognitive function among final-year learners

Research topic evaluator

Research Ideas: Developmental Psychology

  • The impact of maternal affection on cognitive, social, and emotional development
  • The effects of parenting styles on children’s executive function
  • The impact of late-night screen use on child development
  • The role of digital play on child development outcomes
  • Exploring the impact of poverty on early child development in Brazil
  • The trauma-informed care as moderating the impact of trauma on child development
  • Evaluating the relationship between peer relationship quality and child social development
  • The impact of child-targeted media and advertising on child behavioural development
  • The role of parental attachment in child resilience
  • The moderating impact of culture on bullying and child social development
  • The impact of single-parenting on child development in India
  • The impact of early educational interventions on child socio-emotional development
  • The impact of digital technology use on adolescent development and mental health
  • The impact of socioeconomic status on child executive function
  • The role of genetics and epigenetics on child neurodevelopmental outcomes linked to depression

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topics for research paper in social psychology

Research Ideas: Educational Psychology

  • The relationship between self-regulated learning and academic performance in asynchronous versus synchronous learning environments
  • Exploring effective parental involvement strategies and their impact on student achievement
  • The role of intrinsic motivation in formative assessment in the classroom
  • The impact of classroom management and practice on student learning and behaviour
  • University students’ preference regarding online learning environments
  • The effects of gentrification on student achievement in traditionally poor neighbourhoods
  • The impact of teacher expectations and academic self-concept on K12 student mathematics performance
  • The use and effectiveness of game-based learning in a high school biology classroom
  • The impact of prejudice on the relationship between student motivation and academic performance among Black university students
  • The impact of culture on second language English student learning preferences
  • The effects of student self-efficacy and engagement on academic performance in secondary school mathematics
  • The role of metacognition in learning musicality in hip hop
  • The role of small group instruction on teacher efficacy and stress in early childhood education
  • The perception and use of multimedia among high school biology teachers in France
  • The use of augmented reality applications and its impact on student learning, motivation and attitude

Research Ideas: Forensic Psychology

  • The impact of trauma on the psychological functioning of police officers and first responders
  • Understanding cultural considerations during forensic psychological assessment and treatment of trauma
  • Ethical considerations of the use of AI in forensic psychology in the legal system
  • The psychological factors related to recidivism among white collar female offenders in the USA
  • The psychological factors related to false confessions among juveniles
  • Understanding the use of psychological assessment in the evaluation of eyewitness testimony in criminal courts in England
  • The impact of trauma on the reflective functioning of adult female sexual assault victims
  • The use and effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing recidivism among non-violent criminals
  • The impact of domestic violence on the mental health and forensic evaluation of men
  • Exploring the ethical considerations and use of behavioural analysis in the study of criminal behaviour
  • The use and limitations of neuropsychological assessment in forensic evaluations
  • The use of social media forensics in evaluating criminal behaviour in violent crimes
  • The racialised use of psychological assessment in the evaluation of competency to stand trial in Canada
  • Exploring the use and availability of virtual reality technologies in forensic psychology in Spain
  • The impact of motivational interviewing-based interventions among criminalized drug users

Research Ideas: Social Psychology

  • The impact of prejudice and discrimination on social behaviour among African immigrants in South Africa
  • The impact of social networks on behaviour and well-being among young adult females
  • The effects of social identity on non-conformity in University students
  • The effects of group dynamics on risk-seeking behaviour in adult men
  • The impact of social media on the quality of interpersonal relationships among high school learners
  • The impact of parental emotional intelligence on pro-social behaviour in children and adolescents
  • The effects of conformity and deviance on social attitudes and behaviour during a global recession
  • The effects of Tik Tok on social comparison and self-esteem among teenage girls
  • Understanding gendered differences in social influence and algorithms on impulsive decision-making
  • The effects of social support on mental health among healthcare workers in the UK
  • The effects of gender roles on social behaviour among trans teens
  • The impact of perceived power and social status on the behaviour of social media influencers
  • The impact of social norms on prosocial behaviour among women
  • The effects of community participation on aggression and violence in middle-aged men
  • The impact of culture and gender on social behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic

Research Ideas: Sports Psychology

  • The moderating role of cultural factors on the relationship between mental health and sports performance in team sports
  • The role of mindfulness practice in addressing stress and anxiety in young national athletes
  • The relationship between team cohesion and performance in cricket teams
  • The effect of transformational leadership on female sports teams in Canada
  • The effect of positive self-talk on athletic performance and motivation among Olympic athletes
  • The use and perception of hypnosis in New Zealand team sports Understanding stress and burnout in University team athletes
  • The efficacy of personalised nutrition and diet on athletic performance among sprinters
  • Exploring mental preparation techniques and their effect on athletic motivation and resilience among team-sport athletes
  • Exploring the perception and understanding of goal-setting characteristics on athletic performance among team coaches
  • The effects of motivational feedback on the performance of female gymnasts
  • The perception and use of visualization and imagery among coaches as a means to enhance sport performance
  • The impact of sports injuries on mental health and recovery in high school athletes
  • The moderating role of sleep on mental toughness and sports performance in Olympic athletes
  • The use and perception of technology in sports training and performance in little league softball

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Psychology-Related Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic in psychology, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various psychology degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

  • Effects of a Patient Question Prompt List on Outpatient Palliative Care Appointments (McDarby, 2022)
  • The role of affect and exercise goals in physical activity engagement in younger and older adults (Stojanovic, 2022)
  • Lay Theories about Whether Emotion Helps or Hinders Reasoning and Well-being (Karnaze, 2022)
  • The effects of blast-induced traumatic brain injury on two transgenic models of Alzheimer’s Disease (Gann, 2020)
  • Understanding the parental mind: Examining the stability of parental reflective functioning across the birth of a child and associations with maternal mind-mindedness (Pitzen, 2021)
  • An investigation of ineffective ally behaviours (Collier, 2019)
  • Response Inhibition-Related Beta Power: Distinguishing Cognitively Intact Elders by Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease (Evans, 2021)
  • Recognition Memory of Extremely High-Frequency Words (Miller, 2019)
  • The Relationship between Dementia Caregiver Burden and Caregiver Communications in a Memory Clinic Setting (Martin, 2021)
  • Examination of Maternal Versus Paternal Ratings of Child Pre-Injury Functioning in Predicting Child Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (Sayer, 2021)
  • Electromyography As A Means of Predicting The Rubber Hand Illusion (Teaford, 2021)
  • Linking Diversity Climate and Feedback Seeking Through Interpersonal Processes and Race Effects (Flores, 2021)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are far more specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Fast-Track Your Topic Ideation

Still unsure about how to find the right topic for your research project? Check out our private coaching services , where we work with psychology students on a 1:1 basis to help them find the perfect topic.

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Topic Kickstarter: Research topics in education

10 Comments

Mariam Nakamanya

Great insight

Tom Byaruhanga

A very interesting site that offers a variety of options regarding research topics.

Derek Jansen

You’re most welcome

Aiman Kanwal

A good platform to get information

Chiemerie Lucy Okolo

Amazing and interesting options 👌

Mahwish Haris Awan

Very useful but had not any field of research in health psychology

Aishah

I feel honored going through this lovely stuff put together. Thank you so much

Olaniyan Olatunbosun

I need counseling psychology research topics

Fiso Ncube

very empowering and insightful presentations. Can I be assisted in crafting a school psychology-related research topic about African context

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Social Psychology Research Paper

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In an early appraisal of American social psychology, Albion Small (1916) traced the springs of that intellectual enterprise to the Civil War, when people “whose thought-world had been stirred to its depths by the war found themselves in 1865 star-gazing in social heavens that had never looked so confused nor so mysterious” (p. 724). The war had dispelled American’s naive beliefs that “a constitution and laws enacted in the pursuance thereof would automatically produce human welfare,” thus forcing recognition “that work was ahead to bring American conditions into tolerable likeness of American ideals” (pp. 724–725). Social psychology, according to Small, was born of those social conditions, a maturation of intellectual consciousness, including a growing independence from European thought and, as his astronomical metaphor intimates, an appreciation of the “social” as a phenomenon appropriate to scientific study. Another early historical appraiser, Fay Karpf (1932), wrote that only with these preconditions “did an American intellectual selfconscientiousness begin to assert itself in the fields directly of significance for social psychology” (p. 213).

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This wide-angled perspective on the history of social psychology appreciates the multiple and diverse efforts undertaken in at least a half a dozen disciplines to render rational, coherent explanations of social action and the relations between the individual and society. It is a history that ultimately must attend to classic texts as varied in their rendition of the social world as, for example, Edward Ross’s (1901) Social Control, William I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki’s (1920), The Polish Peasant in Europe and America, George Herbert Mead’s (1934) Mind, Self, and Society, and William James’s (1890) Principles of Psychology . With an even more comprehensive gaze, historians also need to register more recent “extracurricular” social psychology, which includes texts as wide ranging as Richard Sennet’s (1974) Fall of Public Man, Betty Friedan’s (1963) The Feminine Mystique, and Lewis Thomas’s (1974) Lives of a Cell . On another plane, that of discipline boundaries, historical accounting must measure social psychology’s multiplicity: its nascent emergence across the social sciences and its eventual blossoming in sociology and psychology (Karpf, 1934; Loy, 1976). This prospective inclusive history would consider, too, the numerous blueprints for systematic theory, including pragmatism, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, cognition, discourse, symbolic interaction, social learning, evolution, phenomenology, dramaturgy, balance, and gestalt. In one sense this would yield a historical telling that reverberates with setting the distinctly psychological terms of modernity, principally the discipline’s detection and naming of what comes to be taken as the “psychological” in the social life of Americans. In another sense social psychology’s story, broadly told, would contribute to explicating late-twentieth-century America’s shift from belief in a distinctly modern individual to a postmodern subject.

This transition involves the scientific inscription of multiple social selves, cybernetic loops between self and other, and a reworking of psychology’s subject. Perhaps it was in recognizing these civilian engagements of social psychology—its contributions to defining psychological personhood—that Gordon Allport revised his initial history of social psychology with the opening claim that “Social psychology is an ancient discipline. It is also modern—ultramodern and exciting” (1985, p. 1).

In recognizing the material and political influences on the intellectual conceptions of the social and individual, such historical understanding comprehends how “the history of social psychology is inseparable from much of the political history of the twentieth century and from argument about power, justice, freedom and obligation” (Smith, 1997, p. 747). Social psychology’s evolution must be understood, therefore, as plural, multisited, and morally and politically inspired. Such a historical perspective situates social psychology as one, albeit crucial, project to understand human nature through scientific method, and ultimately, to apply that scientific knowledge to the enhancement of human welfare.

Contrasted with this situated historical perspective is a narrative accounting of social psychology that charts the field’s rise and contributions on progressive terms (Allport, 1954; Jones, 1985). In this progressive history crucial laboratory experiments are named to serve as pivotal points in social psychology’s development as scientific. Disregarded in these scientifically internalist accounts are political and moral as well as disciplinary conditions that compelled particular models of the individual and the social. Similarly eschewed are empirical projects initiated but abandoned, alternative models and research practices, and challenges to the scientific status quo. In preparing this research paper, we were at once pulled in one direction by the need to trace fruition of these progressive intellectual commitments within experimental work, and tugged in another by the desire to generate an earnest account of the sociopolitical dynamics and the vibrant intellectual enterprises that yielded multiple, sometimes controversial conceptions of social psychology. Without giving the paper over to one or the other historical narrative, we seek to chart those culminating forces in social psychology’s subject matter, its continuing struggles over research methods, and its stronghold in the public imagination of twentieth-century American life. Factors influencing social psychology’s emergence, development, and paradigmatic commitments, considered in conjunction with the social identity and demeanor of the social psychologist, frame our review, as does social psychology’s broader concern with the nature of what is taken as the individual and the social.

The first section begins this charting of emergences in a variety of proposals published in the final decade of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth. Factors that shaped the contours of social psychology, choices that delimited ideal methods, the nature of what is taken as social, and the demeanor of the social psychologist are reviewed in the second section. In the third part, several classic projects undertaken prior to and during World War II are described: These cases illuminate the interdependence of science, culture, and politics, charting the postwar emergence of a society yearning to be understood in psychological terms (Herman, 1995) and of a field increasingly self-aware of its reflexive entanglements with the very subjects it sought to study. The final two sections describe social movements and intellectual endeavors from the 1960s to the end of the century, highlighting cybernetic influences and wider Western intellectual debates on the nature of knowledge as well as more specific theories that ultimately served to transform time and again social psychology’s subject.

Social Heavens and the New Century

If the social confusions rent by the Civil War prompted new observations of the “social heavens,” as Small conjectured, then subsequent social changes certainly heightened the sense that the “social” urgently needed to be observed, understood, and even corrected or improved. Stirring the social order, too, were heightened industrialization, urbanization, and immigration along with dramatic economic swings during the final decades of the nineteenth century. In heeding such enormous changes, “the role of knowledge must be seen as potentially crucial, not only in bringing about social change, but in defining identities appropriate to a changed reality” (Rosenberg, 1979, p. 443). Social phenomena as wide-scale as economic trends and international wars, along with those as minute as smiling behaviors and marital relations, captured the attention of political scientists, sociologists, economists, and psychologists alike. As researchers proceeded to generate novel theories and elaborate prolegomena for research programs, their energies were dedicated to locating the causes of social processes and cataloging their variations.

In America the social scientific mission, while displaying a theoretical pluralism, nevertheless shared several premises about society and individuals as social beings. These projects drew upon new notions of human nature inspired by evolutionary theory, studies of the unconscious, and major reconceptualizations of the physical universe. No longer was it assumed that human nature could be understood using notions of the autonomous individual, moral sentiments, rational cognitions, and the unilinear causality of human action. In recognizing that human nature was more complex than these classic notions supposed, social scientists came to understand human action as not inherently moral, rational, autonomous, or self-conscious but rather socially interdependent, multicausal, nonrational, and amoral (Haskell, 1977). Religion, morality, and philosophy consequently became inadequate for explaining human nature; however, although human nature was seen as complex, it was not deemed unknowable, and the second premise of the new social scientific projects entailed an unconditional belief that scientific method alone could produce valid knowledge about the social world. Finally, the discovery of the complex and partially subterranean currents of human nature along with faith in scientific rationality were, in the minds of most American social scientists, inextricably intertwined with commitments to social reform and human betterment (Leary, 1980; Morawski, 1982). For John Dewey (1900), then newly elected president of the American Psychological Association, the promise of a science of the laws of social life was inseparable from social change. He wrote that social psychology itself “is the recognition that the existing order is determined neither by fate nor by chance, but is based on law and order, on a system of existing stimuli and modes of reaction, through knowledge of which we can modify the practical outcome” (p. 313). For William McDougall (1908) social psychology would produce the “moralisation of the individual” out of the “creature in which the non-moral and purely egoistic tendencies are so much stronger than any altruistic tendencies” (p. 18). Two decades later Knight Dunlap (1928) essentially identified the field with social remediation, calling social psychology “but a propadeutic to the real subject of ameliorating social problems through scientific social control” (p. xx).

American social science, including what was to take form as social psychology, stepped onto a platform built of a sturdy scientific rationality and a curiously optimistic anticipation of scientifically guided social control. As J. W. Sprowls reflected in 1930, “American politics, philanthropy, industry, jurisprudence, education, and religion have demanded a science of control and prediction of human behavior, not required by similar but less dynamic institutional counterparts in other countries” (p. 380). The new understandings of human nature as complex, amoral, and not entirely rational, however, could have yielded other intellectual renderings. Many European scholars constructed quite different theories, self-consciously reflecting upon the complexities of the unconscious and the implications of nonlinear causality and refusing to set aside two challenging but fundamental manifestations of human sociality: language and culture. They directed their science of social phenomena toward the aims of historical and phenomenological understanding, notably toward hermeneutics and psychoanalysis (Bauman, 1978; Steele, 1982).

By contrast, purchased on a stand of positivist science and optimistic reformism, American intellectuals confronted the apparent paradox of championing the rationality of progressive democratic society while at the same time asserting the irrationality of human action (see Soffer, 1980). These scientists consequently faced an associated paradox of deploying rational scientific procedures to assay the irrationality of human conduct. Despite these paradoxes, or maybe because of them, American social psychologists engineered their examinations of the microdynamics of social thought and action by simultaneously inventing, discovering, and reproducing social life in methodically regulated research settings. The paradoxes were overwritten by a model of reality consisting of three assertions: the unquestionable veracity of the scientific (experimental) method, the fundamental lawfulness of human nature, and the essential psychological base of human social life.

The early psychological perspectives on the social dynamics of human nature were neither universally nor consistently tied to these three premises about human nature, and for that reason many of these bold pilot ventures are omitted from conventional textbook histories of psychology’s social psychology. Given that the individual was a central analytic category in their discipline, psychologists were drawn toward understanding the nature of the social in terms of its fundamental relations to the individual. By the last decade of the nineteenth century they began to generate a variety of theoretical perspectives, alternatively defining the social dimensions of the individual as mental functions, consciousness, evolutionary products (or by-products), human faculties, or historically emergent properties. A sampling of these psychological conceptions advanced around the turn of the century illustratestheremarkablevarietiesofintellectualoptionsavailable for developing a psychological social psychology.

The Social as Dynamic and Moral: James and Baldwin

For William James, whose 1890 landmark introductory psychology textbook, The Principles of Psychology, offers provocative treatises on the social, humans are intrinsically gregarious. This fundamental sociality includes “an innate propensity to get ourselves noticed, and noticed favorable by our kind” (James, 1890, I, p. 293).Although evolutionary theorists already had postulated a biological basis of sociality in terms of selection and survival, James interjected a radical addendum into that postulate. While he, too, defined the social self as a functional property, his social was not a singular self but rather plural selves: “Properly speaking, a man has as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him and carry an image of him in their mind” (p. 294). When he added that “To wound any one of these images is to wound him,” plurality became the essence of the individual. James claimed, for instance, that the personal acquaintances of an individual necessarily result in “a division of the man into several selves; and this may be a discordant splitting, as where one is afraid to let one set of his acquaintances know him as he is elsewhere; or it may be a perfectly harmonious division of labor, as where one tender to his children is stern to the soldiers or prisoners under his command” (p. 294). James’s social self is complex, fragile, interdependent, and diachronic: The social self is “a Thought, at each moment different from that of the last moment, but appropriative of the latter, together with all that the latter called its own” (p. 401). The social self constitutes an object that is not readily accessible to scrutiny using scientific methods or explicable in simple deterministic laws of action.

James’s mercurial, complex social psychological actor bearsstrikingsimilaritiestoJamesMarkBaldwin’s(1897)social individual rendered just 7 years later in Social and Ethical Interpretations in Mental Development: A Study in Social Psychology. Baldwin asserted the fundamental nature of the individual and posited that psychological phenomena could be explained only in relation to the social. In other words, the individual self can take shape only because of and within a social world. Baldwin’s conceptualized “self” at once has agency to act in the world as well as being an object of that world. Delineating a “dialectic of personal growth” (p. 11), wherein the self develops through a response to or imitation of other persons, Baldwin challenged late-nineteenth-century notions of an authentic or unified self and proposed, instead, that “ A man is a social outcome rather than a social unit. He is always in his greatest part, also some one else. Social acts of his—that is, acts which may not prove anti-social—are his because they are society’s first; otherwise he would not have learned them nor have had any tendency to do them” (p. 91).

Baldwin’s self was more deeply rooted in society than was James’s; yet, they shared an overriding distrust of society and consequently created a central place for ethics in their social psychologies.And like James, Baldwin was a methodological pluralist, insisting that social psychology demanded multiple methods: historical and anthropological, sociological and statistical, and genetic (psychological and biological). Baldwin ultimately held that individual psychology is, in fact, social psychology because the individual is a social product and could be understood only by investigating every aspect of society, from institutions to ethical doctrines. It is in this broader conception of the individual as a fundamentally social being that Baldwin differs most strikingly from James: His model directly suggested psychology’s social utility through its enhanced knowledge of the individual in society, and in this sense he shared closer kinship with John Dewey in the latter’s call for a practical social psychology (Collier, Minton, & Reynolds, 1991). However, in a gesture more nineteenth century than twentieth, Baldwin placed his intellectual faith in human change not in psychology’s discovery of techniques of social regulation but rather in a Darwinian vision of the evolution of ethics.

Scientific Specificity and the Social

James’s and Baldwin’s theories of the social self were embedded in their respective programmatic statements for psychology more generally. Other psychologists prepared more modest treatises on the social self. Among the studies contained in psychology journals of the last decade of the century are various studies depicting social psychology as anthropological-historical, as evolutionary and mechanistic, and as experimental science. For instance, Quantz (1898) undertook a study of humans’ relations to trees, describing dozens of myths and cultural practices to demonstrate the virtues of a social evolutionary explanation of customs, beliefs, and the individual psyche. Using historical and anthropological records, he theorized that humans evolved to use reason except under certain social circumstances, where we regress to lower evolutionary status. Such historical researches were held to inform human conduct; for instance, understanding how social evolution is recapitulated in individual development leads us to see how “an education which crowds out such feelings, or allows them to atrophy from disuse, is to be seriously questioned” (p. 500). In contrast to Quantz’s descriptive, historical approach but in agreement with his evolutionary perspective, Sheldon (1897) reported a study of the social activities of children using methods of quantification and standardization to label types of people (boys and girls, different social classes) and forms of sociality (altruism, gang behavior). Incorporating both a mechanistic model of control and evolutionary ideas about social phenomena (sociality), Sheldon detected the risks of social-psychological regression to less evolved forms and, consequently, strongly advocated scientifically guided social regulation of human conduct. Soon after, Triplett’s (1898) study of competition bore no obvious evolutionary theorizing (or any other theory) but advanced an even stronger mechanistic model and scientific methodology. With its precise control, manipulation, and measurement of social variables, Triplett’s experiment compared a subject’s performance winding a fishing reel when undertaking the task alone or in competition with others. His experimental report offers no theoretical appreciation of the concepts of “social” or the relation of the individual to society; instead, what is social is simply operationalized as the residual effect when all other components of an action are factored out. Triplett baldly concluded, “From the above facts regarding the laboratory races we infer that the bodily presence of another contestant participating simultaneously in the race serves to liberate latent energy not ordinarily available” (p. 533). Here the social has no unique properties, appears to abide by determinist laws, and requires no special investigative methods or theories.

The research projects of Quantz, Sheldon, and Triplett along with the theoretical visions of James and Baldwin serve not to register some distinct originating moment in psychology’s social psychology but rather to exemplify the diversity of theories and methodologies available as the new century commenced. Evolution, ethics, history, and mechanics supplied viable theoretical bases for social psychology, and historical, observational, and experimental techniques likewise furnished plausible methods of inquiry. These promising foundations of a discipline were engaged in the investigation of varied social phenomena, but these protosocial psychologists were especially attentive to two objects: the crowd or “mob” mind and “suggestion,” a hypothesized property that purportedly accounted for considerable social behaviors.

A decade later the field had garnered enough scholarly interest to become the subject of two textbooks. William McDougall’s (1908) Introduction to Social Psychology engaged Darwinian theory to propose the idea of the evolution of social forms and, more specifically, the construct of instincts or innate predispositions. According to McDougall, instincts— “the springs of human action” (p. 3)—consist of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components that have evolved to constitute the fundamental dynamics of social behaviors and interactions. The same year, Edward A. Ross’s (1908) Social Psychology, taking a more sociological orientation, proffered an interpretation of society as an aggregate of individual social actions. Ross called his combination of sociological and psychological precepts a “psycho-sociology.”

Numerous accounts record 1908, the year of the textbooks, as the origin of the discipline. In fact, the first two decades of the century witnessed a proliferation of studies, theories, and pronouncements on the field. Some historians consequently labeled this interval of social psychological work as the age of schools and theories; they list among the new theory perspectives those of instinct, imitation, neo-Hegelian or Chicago, psychoanalytic,behaviorist,andgestalt(Faris,1937;Frumkin, 1958; Woodard, 1945). Others have depicted the era as conflictual, fraught with major controversies and theoretical problems (Britt, 1937a, 1937b; Deutsch & Krauss, 1965; Faris, 1937; Woodard, 1945). As one historical commentator remarked, “Itwasaround 1911 or 1912 that things really began to happen. The second decade of the century witnessed all kinds of ferment” (Faris, 1937, p. 155). George Herbert Mead’s inventive theory of the social self and Charles Horton Cooley’s conceptualization of groups mark the ingenuity circulating throughout this ferment (Karpf, 1932; Meltzer, 1959; Scheibe, 1985).

For many, eventual resolution of these varied perspectives materialized with a metatheoretical conviction that social psychology was essentially reductive to psychology. In the words of one commentator, there emerged “a settled conviction that patterns as matters of individual acquisition will explain all psychological phenomena, social and individual. As investigation proceeds, the once widely accepted notion that individual psychology is one thing, and social psychology another, has found a place in the scrapheap of exploded psychological presuppositions” (Sprowls, 1930, p. 381). Along with the benefits of a largely established niche within universities and colleges, the discipline of psychology afforded would-be researchers of social life a set of scientific practices that positioned them at the forefront of the social science’s search for objective methods and purportedly value-free discourse (Ross, 1979).

A Social Psychology to Serve Psychology and Society

In the years surroundingWorldWar I and the more prosperous 1920s, many of these innovative ideas about social psychologydid,infact,endupinascrapheap,replacedbythebelief that psychology provided an appropriate and rich home for social psychology. Psychology offered tantalizing research methods—objective methods. More importantly, psychology manifested a conviction that through this scientific perspective, mental life could be explained as deterministic and lawful (O’Donnell, 1979). By this time psychology was relatively well established as a professional discipline with a progressive scientific association, journals, textbooks, and independent departments in many colleges and universities (Camfield, 1969; Fay, 1939; O’Donnell, 1985). Professional security, however, was just one resource that psychology offered social psychological inquiry. Figuring more prominently among its investigative resources was psychology’s overarching conception of the individual and the potential utility of scientific knowledge.

By the 1920s the discipline of psychology had generated a program for interrogating human nature that coupled the late-nineteenth-century recognition that humans were at once more complex and less rational than previously was believed with a growing sense that both individuals and society needed scientific guidance. Moral sentiments, character, individual autonomy, and self-reliance now seemed inadequate for the social scientific task of understanding the dynamics, complexity, and interdependence of human thought and actions (Haskell, 1977; Ross, 1979). American psychologists were proposing something distinctly more modern about mental life: The functionalist idea of individual adaptations to a continually changing environment, an idea nurtured by evolutionary theory, promised a coherent model for penetrating beyond proximate causes, perceiving dynamic action rather than static structures, and observing complex connectedness rather than unilinear causation. In turn, this functionalist viewpoint opened a conceptual place for behaviorism with its hypothesized mechanisms for explaining microscopic processes of adaptation within the individual. Using a double discourse of the natural and the mechanistic (Seltzer, 1992), psychology afforded a rich, if sometimes contradictory, conception of the individual as at once a natural organism produced through evolution and as operating under mechanistic principles. This “mechanical man” of behaviorism (Buckley, 1989) was promising both as an object of scientific scrutiny and as a target of social control despite the fact that it seemed at odds with the white middle-class sense of psychological complexity: Americans were envisioning self as personality realized through presentation of self, consumption, fulfillment, confidence, sex appeal, and popularity (Lears, 1983; Morawski, 1997; Susman, 1985). The popularization of psychoanalysis promoted understandings of the self as deep, dynamic, and nonrational and, consequently, heightened anxieties about managing this self (Pfister, 1997).

The apparent tensions between deterministic notions of mental life and a dynamic if anxious conception of often irrational human tendencies, however, proved productive for the social and political thinking in the first three decades of the century. The Progressive Era, spanning 1900 to 1917, yielded a series of social reforms marked by firm beliefs in the possibility of efficient and orderly progress and equality—in social betterment (Gould, 1974; Wiebe, 1967) and the centrality of scientific guidance of social and political life (Furner, 1975; Haber, 1964; Wiebe, 1967). Although World War I caused considerable disillusionment about the possibility of rational human conduct, it also provided concrete evidence of both the efficacy and need for scientific expertise to design social controls—to undertake “social engineering” (Graebner, 1980; Kaplan, 1956; Tobey, 1971). Even the acrimonious social commentator Floyd Dell (1926) lauded the new scientific professionals who “undertake therapeutically the tasks of bringing harmony, order and happiness into inharmonious, disorderly and futile lives” (p. 248). Psychologists’ active involvement in the war effort, largely through construction and administration of intelligence tests, demonstrated their utility just as it provided them with professional contacts for undertaking postwar projects (Camfield, 1969; Napoli, 1975; Sokal, 1981; Samelson, 1985). It was in this spirit that John Dewey (1922), an early proponent of psychological social psychology, announced that ensuring democracy and social relations depended on the growth of a “scientific social psychology” (p. 323). Likewise, Floyd Allport (1924) devoted a major part of his famous textbook, Social Psychology, to “social control,” which he believed essential for the “basic requirements for a truly democratic social order” (p. 415). Knight Dunlap (1928) pronounced that social psychology was “but a propadeutic to the real subject” of ameliorating social problems through techniques of control, and Joseph Jastrow (1928), another psychologist interested in social psychology, urged psychologists studying the social to join “the small remnant of creative and progressive thinkers who can see even this bewildering world soundly and see it whole. Such is part of the psychologist’s responsibility” (p. 436). Social psychology, then, would examine precisely those dimensions of human life that were critical to matters of social control and, if investigated at the level of individual actors, would prescribe circumscribed remedies for pressing social problems.

What distinguished the emerging social psychology from earlier propositions was a set of assumptions materializing within scientific psychology more generally: a belief in the irrational, amoral bases of human nature; a mechanistic, reductionist model of human thought and behavior; the scientific aspirations to prediction and control; and a firm conviction that the resultant scientific knowledge would provide an ameliorative guide to social practice .  Reductionist and mechanistic models conceptualized social phenomena as events at the level of the individual, while the associated scientific aspirations to prediction and control prescribed the use of experimental methods of inquiry. Notably absent from this umbrella program were construals of moral agency, dynamic selfhood, culture, and the dialectic relations between the individual and society that were theorized just a short time earlier.

This rising social psychology, however, harbored several complications and paradoxes. First, psychologists, including the newly self-defined social psychologists, recognized a dilemma of their own complicity: They too inhabit a social world and sometimes act in irrational, emotional ways, but scientific expertise demanded something different, primarily rationality and emotional detachment (Morawski, 1986a, 1986b). Second, the idea of having superior understandings of the social world and the specific knowledge of what constitutes optimal social relations and institutions are unequivocally evaluative claims; yet these claims stood alongside an earnest belief that science is value free, disinterested, and objective.  Twinning these latter two incompatible commitments yielded a conflict between utopian or “Baconian” morality, where science serves as an instrument of human improvement, and a “Newtonian” morality, where science serves the rational pursuit of true understandings of nature (Leary, 1980; Toulmin, 1975). Third, the commitment to rigorous, predictive science demanded that discrete variables be investigated under assiduously controlled conditions (typically in the laboratory). Ironically, these experimental conditions actually produced new social phenomena (Suls & Rosnow, 1988), and “The search for precise knowledge created a new subject matter isolated from the wider society; but the justification for the whole research was supposedly its value to this wider world” (Smith, 1997, pp. 769–770). Experimental social psychology, explaining social phenomena in terms of the individual, was soon to dominate the field but did not entirely escape these three tensions; they would continue to surface intermittently. While triumphant, the experimental psychological program for social psychology was not without its critics, some of whom would propose alternative scientific models.

Social Psychology During the Interwar Years

Progressive science.

Evolutionary notions of social instinct and mechanical notions of radical behaviorism were entertained by social psychologists and the laity alike through the 1920s, albeit with considerable disagreement about their appropriateness. By World War II social psychology comprised a productive research program that in relatively little time had yielded credible models of how individuals interact with others or function in the social world. Appropriating the behaviorist worldview that was rapidly ascending in psychology, Floyd Allport defined social psychology as “ the science which studies the behavior of the individual in so far as his behavior stimulates other individuals, or is itself a reaction to their behavior; and which describes the consciousness of the individual in so far as it is a consciousness of social objects and social relations ” (1924, p. 12). Many scholars have deemed Allport’s Social Psychology foundational for an experimental social psychology that emphatically took the individual to be the site of social phenomena. (For an account of the discipline’s “origin myths,” including Allport’s work, see Samelson, 1974, 2000.) This “asocial” social psychology followed its parent, psychology, in its ever-growing fascination with experimentation and statistical techniques of investigation (Danziger, 1990; Hornstein, 1988; Winston, 1990; Winston & Blais, 1996), increasing considerably after World War II (Stam, Radtke, & Lubek, 2000). Allport’s text was largely one of boundary charting for the researchers who explored the new field. However, it also is important to see that during the interwar period Allport’s introduction comprised but one scientific stream in “a set of rivulets, some of them stagnating, dammed up, or evaporating . . . and others swept up in the larger stream originating elsewhere, if still maintaining a more or less distinctive coloration” (Samelson, 2000, p. 505).

One of these rivulets flowed from the Progressive Era desiderata that social scientific experts devise scientific techniques of social control and took more precise form through the rubric of the individual’s “personal adjustment” to the social world (Napoli, 1975). Linking social psychology to the emerging field of personality (Barenbaum, 2000) on the one hand, and to industrial psychology with its attendant commercial ventures on the other, the idea of personal adjustment undergirds substantial research on attitudes, opinions, and the relations between individual personality and social behavior. Employing the first scale to measure masculinity and femininity, a scale that became the prototype for many such tests, for instance, Terman and Miles (1936) were able to observe the relations between an individual’s psychological sex identification and problems in their social functioning such as marital discord (Morawski, 1994). Another example of such adjustment research is seen in what has come to be called the “Hawthorne experiment” (purportedly the first objective social psychology experiment in the “real world”), which investigated not individual personality but the individual’s adjustment within groups to changes in workplace conditions. The experiment is the source of the eponymous “Hawthorne effect,” the reported finding that “the workers’ attitude toward their job and the special attention they received from the researchers and supervisors was as important as the actual changes in conditions themselves, if not more so” (Collier, Minton, & Reynolds, 1991, p. 139).Archival examination of the Hawthorne experiments indicates a rather different history: These “objective” experiments actually entailed prior knowledge of the effects of varying workplace conditions, suppression of problematic and contradictory data, and class-based presumptions about workers, especially female employees, as less rational and subject to “unconscious” reactions (Bramel & Friend, 1981; Gillespie, 1985, 1988). Such unreported psychological dynamics of the experimental situation, dynamics later to be called “artifacts” (Suls & Rosnow, 1988), went undocumented in these and other experimental ventures despite the fact that some psychologists were describing them as methodological problems (Rosenzweig, 1933; Rudmin, Trimpop, Kryl, & Boski, 1987).

In 1936 Muzafer Sherif extended social psychology to psychologists themselves, who, he suggested, are “no exception to the rule about the impress of cultural forces.” Sherif admonished social psychologists for such disregard—for their “lack of perspective”—arguing that “Whenever they study human nature, or make comparisons between different groups of people, without first subjecting their own norms to critical revision in order to gain the necessary perspective, they force the absolutism of their subjectivity or their community-centrism upon all the facts, even those laboriously achieved through experiment” (p. 9).

Making and Finding Social Relevance

Another stream of research entailed the study of “attitudes,” which in 1935 Gordon Allport called “the most distinctive and indispensable concept in American social psychology” (p. 798). Scientific study of attitudes shared kinship with Progressive ideals to scientifically assess beliefs and opinions of the populace and ultimately was to have political and commercial uses, especially in advertising and marketing (Lears, 1992). It is through controlled, quantitative attitude studies that social psychologists significantly refined their experimental techniques of control and numeric exactitude, notably through development of sampling techniques, psychometric scales, questionnaire formats, and technical approaches to assessing reliability and validity (Katz, 1988). In his 1932 review of social psychology L. L. Bernard wrote, “Scale and test making is almost a science in itself utilized by social psychologists in common with the educationists [ sic ], the industrial and business management people, and in fact by most of the vocational interests in the United States” (p. 279). Bernard detected the wide-scale market value of these psychological technologies, especially their compatibility with and rising ethos of quantification: “There is a strong tendency in this country to find a method of measuring all forms of behavior and nothing is regarded as a demonstrated fact in social psychology or elsewhere until it has been measured or counted and classified” (p. 279).

In the 1930s social psychology’s original aim of aiding social welfare, albeit muted by intensive efforts to realize the challenging goal of experimentation on social processes, became more pronounced. Throughout the remainder of the century social psychology would exhibit similar swings back and forth between worldly or political aspirations and scientific ones (Apfelbaum, 1986, p. 10). Aswing was indeed occurring in this decade: Psychologist-turned-journalist Grace Adams (1934) chided psychologists for their failure to predict the stock market crash of 1929 culminating in worldwide depression, but soon after social psychologists persevered in probing the depression’s complex social effects. The commitment to investigations that more or less directly serve social betterment grew wider in the 1930s and 1940s. However visible these reformist efforts, historians disagree about the political philosophy underlying the research: Whereas some scholars assume the philosophical basis was simply objective science applied to nonlaboratory conditions, others see a more engaged politics, including a benignly democratic, elitist “democratic social engineering” or “New Deal” liberalism (Graebner, 1980; Richards, 1996; van Elteren, 1993). The political atmosphere certainly included a sense of professional survival as evidenced by psychologists’ mobilization to create an organization devoted to studying social problems, the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (Finison, 1976, 1979; Napoli, 1975).

Aggression was a prime social problem identified in the 1930s, and the researchers who formulated what was to become a dominant view in aggression research, the frustrationaggression hypothesis, retrospectively produced a list of events that precipitated the research. In addition to the depression, the list included the Spanish Civil War, racism and the caste system of the South, anti-Semitism in Germany, and labor unrest and strikes. Combining the odd bedfellows of behavior theory and Freudian psychoanalysis, a group of Yale University psychologists hypothesized “that the occurrence of aggressive behavior always presupposes the existence of frustration and, contrariwise, that the existence of frustration always leads to some form of aggression” (Dollard, Doob, Miller, Mowrer, & Sears, 1939). Extended to studies of concrete situations—frustrated laboratory rats, poor southerners, unemployed husbands, and adolescents—the frustration-aggression hypothesis constituted a truly “sociallyrelevant” social psychology.The hypothesis pressed a view of the social individual as notalwaysaware of his or her actions, as motivated by factors about which he or she was not fully conscious.

Political and professional affairs inspired social psychologists to engage more directly in social-action-related research; also influencing such research was the formation of a more ethnically diverse research community, including Jewish émigrés who had fled Germany and whose backgrounds entailed dramatically different personal experiences and intellectual beliefs. Franz Samelson (1978) has suggested that these new ethnic dimensions, including researchers more likely sensitized to prejudice, were influential in shaping research on racial prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes and the consequential move away from American psychology’s biologicallybasednotionofracedifference.InthecaseofKurtLewin, heralded by many as the most important social psychologist of the century, his own experiences, coupled with the influence of European socialism, shaped his studies of labor conditions that considered foremost the perspective of the workers and attended to the broader context in which events, including labor, transpire (van Elteren, 1993). The influence of émigré social psychologists is evident in the scientific investigations of the psychology of fascism and anti-Semitism; most notable of this socially responsive work is the authoritarian personality theory (Samelson, 1985), discussed more in a later section.

Some streams of intellectual activity, to extend Samelson’s metaphor of the field’s watercourse, eventually evaporate or are dammed. Despite economic scarcity or perhaps because of it, the 1930s proved a fertile period of innovations, although most of these noncanonical ideas did not survive long. Katherine Pandora (1997) has recovered and documented one such innovative gesture in the interwar work of Garner Murphy, Lois Barclay Murphy, and Gordon Allport through which they “rejected the image of the laboratory as an ivory tower, contested the canons of objectivity that characterized current research practice, and argued against reducing nature and the social worlds to the lowest possible terms” (1997, p. 3). They also questioned the prevailing conceptions of democracy and the moral implications of social scientific experts’ interest in adjusting individuals to their social environment. These psychologists’differences with the status quo were sharp, as witnessed by Gordon Allport’s claim that “To a large degree our division of labor is forced, not free; young people leaving our schools for a career of unemployment become victims of arrested emotional intellectual development; our civil liberties fall short of our expressed ideal. Only the extension of democracy to those fields where democracy is not at present fully practiced—to industry, education and administration, and to race relations for examples—can make possible the realization of infinitely varied purposes and the exercise of infinitely varied talents” (Allport, quoted in Pandora, 1997, p. 1). His stance on the relation of the individual to society, and on the state of society, stands in stark contrast to the elitist models of social control, personal adjustment, and democratic social engineering that inhered in most social psychology. Their dismissal of the dominant meaning of the two central terms of social psychology, the “individual” and “social,” as well as their critiques of conventional laboratory methods, enabled them to propose what Pandora calls “experiential modernism”: the historically guided “search for scientific forms of knowing that would unsettle conventional ways of thinking without simultaneously divorcing reason from feeling, and thus from the realm of moral sentiments” (p. 15).

Another attempt to alter mainstream social psychology is foundinKurtLewin’sendeavorstoreplacethediscipline’sindividualist orientation with the study of groups qua groups, to apply gestalt principles instead of thinking in terms of discrete variables and linear causality, and to deploy experiments inductively (to illustrate a phenomenon) rather than to use them deductively (to test hypotheses) (Danziger, 1992, 2000). Other now largely forgotten innovations include J. F. Brown’s (1936; Minton, 1984) proposal for a more economically based and Lewinian social psychology, and Gustav Icheiser’s phenomenological theories along with his social psychology of the psychology experiment (Bayer & Strickland, 1990; Rudmin, Trimpop, Kryl, & Boski, 1987). By the time of the United States’entrance into World War II in 1941, social psychology had acquired both a nutrient-rich professional niche within psychology and a set of objective techniques for probing individuals’ thoughts and actions when interacting with other individuals. While social psychology’s ability to generate scientific knowledge still was regarded suspiciously by some psychologists, social psychologists nevertheless became actively involved in war-related research. They confidently took the helm of government-sponsored studies of propaganda, labor, civilian morale, the effects of strategic bombing, and attitudes. The war work proved to have so strengthened social psychologists’ solidarity that one participant claimed, “The Second World War has brought maturity to social psychology” (Cartwright, quoted in Capshew, 1999, p. 127). After the war psychological experts were challenged to generate both relevant and convincingly objective research and form alliances with those in positions of power (Harris, 1998). However promising to the field’s future, that organizational gain was achieved at the cost of damming up some of the field’s investigative channels, narrowing further the acceptable options for theory and methods alike. This scientific service experience also permeated the core conceptions of human kinds, and during the postwar years the conception of the individual–social world relation would evolve significantly from the Progressive and interwar scenario of more or less mechanical actors needing adjustment to efforts to refine the machinery of society.

Social Psychology From Post–World War II and Post-Mechanism to Post-Positivism

World war ii era.

For many historians of social psychology, the two world wars often bracket significant shifts within the discipline. Both world wars brought with them pronounced expansions of psychology, ones that eventually found their way into nearly every facet of daily life (Capshew, 1999; Herman, 1995). In reflecting on changes wrought by the war years to social psychology, Kurt Lewin (1947/1951) speculated that new developments in the social sciences might prove “as revolutionary as the atom bomb” (p. 188). What he seemed to have in mind is how the social sciences informed one another in treating social facts as a reality as worthy of scientific study as are physical facts. He also observed developments in research tools and techniques and a move among the social sciences away from classification systems to the study of “dynamic problems of changing group life” (p. 188). What Lewin could not have imagined at the time, however, were those very depths to which the “atomic age” would rearrange sociopolitical life and the field of social psychology. In his own time Lewin’s optimism for social psychology counterbalanced Carl Murchison’s more gloomy tone in the 1935 edition of The Handbook of Social Psychology : “The social sciences at the present moment stand naked and feeble in the midst of the political uncertainty of the world” (p. ix). The turnaround in these intervening years was so dramatic that Gardner Lindzey was moved to declare in the 1954 Handbook that Murchison’s edition was not simply “out of print” but “out of date.” Lindzey measured out social psychology’s advance by the expansion of the handbook to two volumes. But more than quantity had changed. Comparing the table of contents over these years is telling of social psychology’s changing face. In 1935 natural history and natural science methods applied to social phenomena across species; the history of “man” and cultural patterns were strikingly predominant relative to experimental studies. By 1954 social psychology was given a formal stature, deserving of a history chapter by Gordon Allport, a section on theories and research methods in social psychology, and a second volume of empirical, experimental, and applied research.

On many counts, during and after World War II experimental social psychology flourished like never before under military and government funding and a newfound mandate of social responsibility, which, in combination, may have served to blur the line between science and politics writ large, between national and social scientific interests (Capshew, 1999; Finison, 1986; Herman, 1995). Questions turned to matters of morale (civilian and military), social relations (group and intergroup dynamics), prejudice, conformity, and so on (Deutsch, 1954; Lewin, 1947/1951), and they often carried a kind of therapeutic slant to them in the sense of restoring everyday U.S. life to a healthy democracy. To quote Herman (1995), “Frustration and aggression, the logic of personality formation, and the gender dynamics involved in the production of healthy (or damaged) selves were legitimate sources of insight into problems at home and conflicts abroad” (p. 6). Psychologists’ work with civilians and the military, with organizations and policy makers, parlayed into new relations of scientific psychological practice, including those between “scientific advance, national security, and domestic tranquility” and between “psychological enlightenment, social welfare, and the government of a democratic society” (Herman, 1995, p. 9). As Catherine Lutz (1997) writes, military and foundation funding of social psychological research, such as Hadley Cantril’s on foreign and domestic public opinion or the Group Psychology Branch of the Office of Naval Research, once combined with the “culture and political economy of permanent war more generally, shaped scientific and popular psychology in at least three ways—the matters defined as worthy of study, the epistemology of the subject that it strengthened, and its normalization of a militarized civilian subjectivity” (pp. 247–248).

New Ways of Seeing Individual and Social Life

Amongst historians there exists fair consensus on a reigning social psychology of this moment as one of an overriding sensibility of social engineering or a “psychotechnology” in the service of a “liberal technocratic” America (e.g., Graebner, 1986; Rose, 1992; also seeAsh, 1992). But such an exclusive view overlooks how certain theoretical influences that in concert with the times helped to shape the terms of the subject matter, the field itself, and how the individual–social world relation was to be construed. For Solomon Asch (1952), for example, subject matters, such as conformity, were sites revealing of the “intimate unity of the personal and social” in a single act of yielding or asserting one’s independence (p. 496). Elsewhere the personal and social became reworked through Kenneth B. Clark’s research on race and segregation, work that was vital to the decision in Brown v. Board of Education; and, GordonAllport’s (1954) The Nature of Prejudice revealed how prejudice, hatred, and aggression rippled out across the personal and situational to the social and national. Another significant case is found in what has come to be called the authoritarian personality. Early Marxist-Freudian integrations in the study of political passivity or “authoritarian character” structure in Germany by Reich and Fromm and subsequently in America by Horkheimer and the “Berkeley group” yielded the 1950 edited volume The Authoritarian Personality (Adorno, Frenkel-Brunswik, Levinson, & Sanford, 1950). Even though “Reich’s original problem” was refitted to “a liberal, empiricist, individual-psychology framework” (Samelson, 1985, p. 200), study of authoritarian personality, like other examples mentioned, made visible the equation of “politics and psychology and the convergence of personal and social analysis” (Herman, p. 60). The “authoritarian episode,” writes Graham Richards (1997), “was an expression of a complex but fundamental set of ideological conflicts being waged within and between industrialised white cultures: capitalism vs. communism, democracy vs. totalitarianism, liberalism vs. puritanism” (pp. 234–235). Insofar as authoritarian personality hinged individual personality to political ideologies and national character to intergroup and international tensions (including racism in the United States and leadership studies in small groups), then Lewinian small group research’s physical and mathematical language of space, field, forces, and tensions served to link public and private spheres of home and work with liberal ideals of a technocraticAmerica (Deutsch, 1954; Gibb, 1954; Ash, 1992; van Elteren, 1993). Together, these levels of analysis (the individual, group, etc.) and social psychological phenomena offered different ways to conceive of the traffic between the individual and the social world. They also functioned to remap how the social was construed to reside in or be created by the individual, as well as the function of these new ways of seeing individual and social life for all.

Still, once entered into, social psychology offers no Ariadne’s thread to guide historians through its disciplinary passageways of subject matters, epistemological shifts, and changing notions of subjectivity. Just as cultural, social, economic, and political life in the United States was in flux, so the more familiar and routine in social psychology was being tossed up and rearranged. Gender and race rearrangements during and after the war in the division of work, in labor union negotiations, and in domestic affairs signal incipient counterculture and social movements ready to burst through the veneer of a culture of “containment” (Brienes, 1992; May, 1988). Much as some historians broaden out this moment’s sensibility as “not just nuclear energy that had to be contained, but the social and sexual fallout of the atomic age itself” (May, p. 94), so others add that the “tide of black migration, coupled with unprecedented urban growth and prosperity, reinvigorated African American culture, leading to radical developments in music, dance, language and fashion” (Barlow, 1999, p. 97). American life was being recreated, with the tug of desires for stability—cultural accommodation and civil defense—exerting as much force as the drive for change—cultural resistance and civil rights. Margot Henriksen (1997) writes of this tension as one between consent and dissent wherein for blacks “Western powers’ racism and destructiveness came together explicitly in the Holocaust and implicitly in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki” (p. 282). These entanglements of postwar anxieties, struggles, and dreams reverberated in America’s popular imagination, such as Frank Capra’s early postwar film It’s a Wonderful Life, Frank Conroy’s characterizations of 1950s America as “in a trance” and young Americans as the “silent generation,” Salinger’s age of anxiety in The Catcher in the Rye, the new science fiction genre film The Day the Earth Stood Still, the rebel “beat generation” of Jack Kerouac, bebop jazz, and a “wave of African American disc jockeys introduc[ing] ‘rhyming and signifying’” (Barlow, p. 104; Breines, 1992; Henriksen, 1997).

Social psychological works appealed for new approaches to leadership and peace, group relations (at home and work), cohesiveness, ways to distinguish good democratic consensus (cooperation) from bad (compliance, conformity, and the more evil form of blind obedience), prejudice, trust, and surveillance (as, for example, in research by Allport, Asch, Gibb, Milgram, Thibaut, and Strickland). Tacking back and forth between social and cultural happenings marking this era and the field’s own internal developments, social psychology did not simply mirror back the concerns of the age but rather was carving out its place in American life as it translated and built psychological inroads to America’s concerns of the day.

Approaching problems of the day provoked as well crossdisciplinary interchange for many social psychologists, such as Kurt Lewin, Solomon Asch, Leon Festinger, Gordon Allport, and Theodore Newcomb. One way this need was formalized for small group research was through centers, such as those at Harvard University, MIT, or the University of Michigan. Another way interdisciplinary interchange became influential within social psychology was through the Macy Foundation Conferences, which brought together researchers from, for example, mathematics, anthropology, neuropsychology, and social psychology for discussion on communication and human relations, which came to be regarded as the area of cybernetics (Fremont-Smith, 1950). Amongst researchers attending the Macy Conferences were those who, such as Alex Bavelas, Gregory Bateson, and Margaret Mead, would come to construe social psychology’s small group concepts and dynamics through cybernetic notions of communication patterns, the flow of information and human relations (Heims, 1993). Together, the concerns of the day urged along disciplines on questions of moral certainty and epistemological truth as military technologies of information theory and communication began to give rise to the cybernetic age and its corresponding challenges to notions of human subjectivity.

Cold War, Cybernetics, and Social Psychology

When SolomonAsch (1952) well noted the very conditions of life and beliefs in society as part and parcel of the “historical circumstances [under which] social psychology [made] its appearance” in midcenturyAmerica (p. 4), he might have added how the culmination of these forces made for a profound overhaul of psychology’s object—the human. The Macy Foundation Conferences, for example, incited talk of “electronic brains” and fantasies of robots, as well as of “communication,” “cybernetics,” and “information,” all of which assumed their collective place in social psychology’s imagination of the human subject for decades to come (Bayer, 1999a; also see Heims, 1993). This makeover is about assessing how, as John Carson (1999) argues of psychology’s object, the human mind, social psychology’s object of the individual becomes “fashioned into different investigative objects” (p. 347). By the mid-1950s, “Information theory and computer technology, in addition to statistical methods, suggested a new way to understand people and to answer the question of the mind’s relation to matter” (Smith, 1997, p. 838). The older mechanistic notion of man-as-machine was giving way to one of man-asan-information-processor in which the human becomes a composite of input-output functions understood as a “homeostatic self-regulating mechanism whose boundaries were clearly delineated from the environment” (Hayles, 1999, p. 34; also see Bayer, 1999a; Edwards, 1996; Smith, 1997). Seen as forged out of a combination of cognitive psychology, behaviorism, gestalt, information theory, mathematics, and linguistics, this version of the nature of “man” allowed for “man” and machine (computer) to go beyond metaphors of mechanical man into the realm of relations between man and machine (Edwards). Cybernetics was thus “a means to extend liberal humanism” by “fashioning human and machine alike in the image of an autonomous, self-directed” and “selfregulating” individual (Hayles, p. 7). Movement between man and machine was eased by the idea of communication denoting relation, not essence; indeed, relation itself came to signify the direction of social psychology—interpersonal, group, intergroup—as much as in communication studies (Hayles, p. 91; Samelson, 1985). This transformation of social psychology’s object also entailed a change to small groups as its unit of study (Heims, p. 275; also see Back, 1972; Danziger, 1990), an idea resonant with an emerging idealized notion of open communication in small communities.

Within small group laboratories, cybernetics and information theory brought men and machines together by including each in the loop of communication-control-commandinformation (C 3 I) interactions. Robert Bales, for example, translated Parson’s sexual division of labor into a language of communication codes of instrumental and expressive interactions such that together in the context of small groups they functioned as a “mutually supporting pair” serving “stabilizing” or “homeostatic like functions” (Bales, 1955, p. 32). For Alex Bavelas (1952) messages carried information about status and relationship to the group and patterns of communication about networks, efficiency, and leadership. Bavelas’s work thus marks the beginning of the sea change from Lewin’s “Gestalt psychology to . . . ‘bits’ of information” (Heims, 1993, p. 223).

That human and machine could interface via information codes or messages in small groups eased the way as well to using certain technologies as message communicators, such as Crutchfield’s (1955) vision of an electronic communication apparatus for small group research, featuring a system of light signals with a controlling switchboard allowing the experimenter to control and communicate messages among group members. Electronic apparatuses “stood in” for other experimental group participants, creating the impression of the presence of other participants sending messages to one another in a small group. But, just as significantly, these apparatuses helped to fashion a human-as-informationprocessor subjectivity (Bayer, 1998a). Such electronic devices, along with a host of other technologies, such as audio recordings and one-way mirrors, began to characterize small group laboratory research as the outer world of everyday social life was increasingly recreated inside the social psychology laboratory (Bayer & Morawski, 1992; Bayer, 1998a). Simulated laboratory small groups offered at least one way to reconcile small group research with social psychology’s demands for scientific experimental rigor and to serve as a kind of laboratory in which to reconstrue communication as a social psychology of social relations (Graebner, 1986; Pandora, 1991).

In retrospect, small group research of the 1950s to the 1990s seemed deeply invested in mapping a “contested terrain of the social relations of selves” (Bayer & Morawski, 1991, p. 6), for which the language of communication and control served as much to set the terms of management relations as it did to masculinize communication in corporate culture, or the thinking man’s desk job (Bayer, 2001). Bales’s research, for example, tailored the gender terms of social psychology’s communication, control, and command interchanges by converting Parsonian sex roles into communication labor that sorted group members’ contributions into either the “best liked man” or the “best ideas man”—a mutually supporting pair in corporate management. That the typical instrumental gender role moved between private and public life was in keeping with a Parsonian view of normal social arrangements. Less routine here was the translation of social-emotional relations, the work expected of women and thought to be suited to domestic life, into a kind of communication labor needed in masculine corporate culture. Despite small group researchers’ reliance at times on women, as in Lewin’s work with women and nutrition during times of scarcity or Parson’s familial gender division, small group research in the field and the laboratory tended, in the early decades, to study the group life of men in the public domain (Bayer & Morawksi, 1991). Over subsequent decades, however, small group research became a site of gender-difference testing, almost serving as a barometer of the gender politicization of work spaces and women’s movement into them (e.g., Eagly, 1987; Eagly, Karau, & Makhijani, 1995).

Cybernetics and the “Inside-Outside Problem” in Times of Suspicion and Surveillance

While the cybernetic age clearly had a hand in renewed study of boundaries between inner and outer, or the “inside-outside” problem (Heider, citing F. Allport, 1959, p. 115; Edwards, 1996; Hayles, 1999), equally mediating were postwar and McCarthy times in U.S. life heightening a psychological sensibility around inner-outer spaces. This period was itself, to quote M. Brewster Smith (1986), marked by a “crescendo of domestic preoccupation with loyalty and internal security” (p. 72). Drawing on the work of Paul Virillo, Hayles writes that “in the post–World War II period the distinction between inside and outside ceased to signify in the same way,” as “cybernetic notions began to circulate . . . and connect up with contemporary political anxieties” (p. 114). Worries over the “inability to distinguish between citizen and alien, ‘loyal American’and communist spy” (Hayles, p. 114) are concerns about distinguishing between appearances and reality, between self and other, between surface and depth, outer and inner realms. Whereas David Riesman (1969) wrote that this period resulted in a shift from inner to an other-directed society, Richard Sennett (1974/1976) later countered with observations that in fact the reverse order characterized midcentury American selves. American society had become increasingly marked by its stress on inner-directed conditions, by what he saw as a “confusion between public and intimate life” (p. 5). Side by side, these interpretations tell of a magnified concern by social psychologists and citizens alike around borders and boundaries. Rearrangements in social divisions of private and public life, of inner- and other-directedness in postwar America, had at their heart a reconfiguring of inner-outer boundaries.

The Case of Balance Theories

It may be of little surprise, given the above, that balance or consistency theories garnered a fair bit of social psychological attention at this time.Theindividual–socialworldrelationwas depicted as a kind of juggling of internal states and external conditions, or personal versus situational attributions played off of one another.Against the backdrop of social and political upheaval, then, psychological balance theories offered a feeling of equipoise at some level, whether of one’s own inner and outer life or one’s relation to others or to surrounding beliefs, during this heated mix inAmerica of politics, sex, and secrets. Balance theories may thus be thought of as exerting a kind of intuitivedouble-hold—first through the cybernetic revisionof homeostatic mechanisms and second through an everyday social psychology that sought perhaps to balance the day-to-day teeter-tottering of psychological security and insecurity. Arguably outgrowths of cybernetics and wider cultural preoccupations, cognitive consistency theories, such as Leon Festinger’s cognitive dissonance theory, Frtiz Heider’s balance theories, and John Thibaut and Harold Kelley’s social exchange theories, held out a subjectivity of rational control in a time of the country appearing out of control.

It is possible to regard social psychology’s mix of balance theories and cybernetic influences during the period 1945 to the 1960s as reflecting not quite competing versions of the human. On the one hand, as Hayles outlines them, there circulated the notion of “man” as a “homeostatic self-regulating mechanism whose boundaries were clearly delineated from the environment and, [on the other], a more threatening, reflexive vision of a man spliced into an informational circuit that could change him in unpredictable ways” (Hayles, 1999, p. 34; also see Bayer, 1999b). The former version resonates with early balance or consistency theories for how they tried to reconcile psychological life with observable reality. The latter, more reflexive version carried within it the beginnings of a critique of objectivist epistemology. Such reflexive notions of the subject helped to recast behaviorist notions of simple, reductionist input-output mechanisms and other correspondence theories of the subject in which representations of the world were assumed to map neatly onto internal experience. Instead, experience itself was thought to organize or bring into being the outside—or social—world (Hayles, 1999). That attributions might arise out of common cultural beliefs without objective or empirical real-world referents gestures toward a more constructionist intelligibility in social psychology, as found in theory and research on self and social perception work by Daryl Bem and Harold Kelly in his attribution research. By the 1970s Gergen was to note that had works such as these been “radically extended,” they would have posed a “major threat to the positivist image of human functioning” (1979, p. 204). One could add to this research on sense-making the high drama of laboratory simulations, including Milgram’s 1960s experiments on obedience (and his film Obedience ) and Zimbardo’s 1970s prison study that augmented—however inadvertently—views of social roles as performative.

From Rational Calculator to Error-Prone Subject

One might usefully think of the influence of computers, cybernetic notions, and laboratory simulation techniques as technologies of the social psychological subject. That is, as Gerd Gigerenzer (1991) argues, researchers’tools function as collaborators in staging versions of human nature or the human mind, what he called tools-to-theory transformations. Looking at the case of the institutionalization of the statistic ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) and Kelley’s attribution theory, for example, Gigerenzer demonstrated how the statistic became a version of human as an “intuitive statistician.” Across these tool-to-theory transformations relying on computers, statistics, and information theory—cybernetics— notions of the human as a rational calculator were one side of the coin of the social psychological subject. On its flip side was an opposing version arising in the 1970s when political events and social history conspired to make known man as a fallible information processor. Irving Janis’s analyses of the Pearl Harbor and Bay of Pigs fiascos, for example, cast a stone into the seeming calm waters of group cohesion by revealing its downside—groupthink (Janis & Mann, 1977). By the 1970s “man” was virtually awash in characterizations as an error-prone decision maker who fell victim to a host of biases and heuristics, such as in research by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. Prior to the 1970s, as Lola Lopes (1991) found, most of the research depicted a rather good decisionmaking subject. By the 1980s, however, when Time magazine named the computer “Man of the Year,” “man” himself would be characterized in Newsweek as “woefully muddled information processors who often stumble along ill-chosen shortcuts to reach bad conclusions” (Lopes, p. 65; Haraway, 1992). This rhetoric of irrationality caught on inside the discipline as well, reframing areas such as social perception, influence, and prejudice wherein miscalculation, misperception, and other social psychological information errors were taken to be the devil in the details of daily interactions. Overlooked here as with the overemphasis on internal causes in attribution research was, as Ichheiser argued, the power of the American ideology of individualism in predisposing individuals and social psychologists to look for personal rather than social-historical causes (Bayer & Strickland, 1990). This oversight was in fact a crucial one, especially in light of the penetrating challenges to social psychology’s subject matters, its reigning positivist epistemology, and notions of subjectivity from various social movements.

Social Movements and Movements for Change in Social Psychology

Individual–social world dualism revisited.

Changes in social psychology’s vision of man, including ways to conceptualize the individual, social relations, and the “ensuing riddle of their relationship”—or, “the endless problem of how the individual stood vis-à-vis the world”—would meet additional challenges from social movements such as second wave feminism, black civil rights, and gay and lesbian rights, as well as from war protests (Riley, 1988, p. 15; Richards, 1997). That social psychology suffered theoretically and research-wise on the social side of its psychological equation was a significant part of the storm social psychology would have to weather in the 1970s. But, the problem went beyond the nature of the relation of this dualism’s polar opposites. Instead, the dualism itself, as that of the naturenurture divide, would eventually be undermined (Henriques, Hollway, Urwin, Venn, & Walkerdine, 1984/1998; Richards, 1997; Parker & Shotter, 1990).

Whence the Social?

For some social psychologists, the desire for a social social psychology formed out of what was considered the disappearing “social” in social psychology, which, even in the case of small group research, seemed to have collapsed into the individual. Ivan Steiner (1974) posed the disappearance of “the social” as a conundrum given that social movements of the 1960s might have led one to expect a more “groupy” social psychology. In examining dissonance theory, attribution theory, attitude research, and self-perception theory, Steiner found even further evidence of social psychology’s individualistic orientation. Not only had the social moved inside the individual, but social psychology appeared to have lost sight of its compass, all of which, he thought, might account for the “gloomy” “self-reproach” and near “despair” among social psychologists (Steiner, p. 106). It is curious that social psychology’s object, the human, had become, at least in some experimental quarters, a rather gloomy-looking soul too— error prone and, if not alienated from himself, given to failures in helping (e.g., Darley & Latane, 1968).Against various “denunciations of laboratory research to damning criticisms of the ethical and methodological qualities of . . . investigative strategies, and even to suggestions that [social psychologists] forsake . . . scientific tradition in favor of participation in social movements,” however, Steiner initially held out hope (p. 106). He saw signs of change in social movements; the new decision-making research, such as that of Irving Janis’s concept of groupthink; Eliot Aronson’s interest in T-groups; and, the faint rustle of reviving interest in Hadley Cantril’s 1941 The Psychology of Social Movements (in which mental and social context formed the crucial framework for chapters on, for example, the lynch mob, the kingdom of father divine, the Oxford group, the Townsend plan, and the Nazi party). These signs were read as indicative of a rising tide of “collective action” that might displace the “selfreliant individualism” of the 1960s (Steiner, 1974)—only to be regrettably reinterpreted a decade later as a mis reading of the power of the individualist thesis (Steiner, 1986).

Whence the Real-World Relevance?

Inside the discipline, critical voices grew increasingly strong on the shortcomings of group research and experimental methods in social psychology, as well as concern over social psychology’s impoverished theoretical status. Experimental set-ups that grew out of information theory and translated into laboratory simulations came to be regarded as overly contrived, relying on “button pressing, knob turning, note writing, or telephonic circuits loaded with white noise” (Steiner, 1974, p. 100). The very invented nature of experimental laboratory groups was described in the 1960s as “a temporary collection of late adolescent strangers given a puzzle to solve under bizarre conditions in a limited time during their first meeting while being peered at from behind a mirror” (Fraser & Foster, 1984, p. 474). These groups came to be referred to as “nonsense” groups (Barker, cited in Fraser & Foster), and laboratory experiments as “experiments in a vacuum” (Tajfel, 1972). Alternative approaches to groups began to gather their own critical reviews, both for their ultimately individualistic focus and for a rather narrow cognitive emphasis. Even Henri Tajfel’s alternative of Social Categorization Approach and Social Identity Theory, while proposed as putting the “social” back into the study of groups, began to reveal itself as part of the information-processing model in which “error becomes a theoretical catch-all for what cannot be explained within individual-society dualism: the absence of the ‘correct’ response” (Henriques et al., 1984/1998, p. 78). In this framework, racial prejudice, for example, wound up being treated as a problem in information processing without “addressing either the socio-historical production of racism or the psychic mechanism through which it is reproduced in white people’s feelings and their relations to black people” (p. 78).

Crisis—What Crisis?

These criticisms of social psychology’s individualistic thesis and nonsense laboratory groups combined with fierce debate about social psychology’s laboratory uses of deception and its positivist scientific practices for a full blown disciplinary self-analysis—or crisis of knowledge in social psychology, as it has come to be known. For some, social psychology’s laboratory of “zany manipulations,” “trickery,” or “clever experimentation” was regarded as ensuring the “history of social psychology . . . [would] be written in terms not of interlocking communities but of ghost towns” (Ring, 1967, p. 120; see also, for example, Kelman, 1967; Rubin, 1983). For others, experimental artifacts appeared almost impossible to contain as the laboratory increasingly revealed itself as a site wherein social psychological meanings were as likely to be created in situ as to reveal wider general laws of individual and social life (Suls & Rosnow, 1988; also see Rosenzweig, 1933). In a wider sense, the field was regarded as having gone through several phases of development as a science to arrive at what Kurt Back (1963) identified as a “unique position” of being able to encompass a “social psychology of knowledge as a legitimate division of social psychology,” which would take into account “the problem of the scientist, of his shifting direction, his relation to the trends of the science and of society, and his assessment of his own efforts is itself a topic of social psychology” (p. 368).

A Social Psychology of Social Psychology

Not quite mirroring one another, social psychology’s troubles around its individual–social world relation were becoming as fraught as the internal–external divide constituting the imagined interior of its subject. Julian Henriques (1984/1998), for one, argues that “for psychology the belief in rationality and in perfect representation come together in the idea of scientific practice” such that with an individual subject prone to errors “the path is set for empiricist science to intervene with methodologies which can constrain the individual from the non-rational as, for example, Allport has social psychology protecting individuals against the lure of communist misinformation and society against subversion” (p. 80). Other analyses had begun to show in different ways problems with social psychology’s individual–social world and person–situation dualisms. With these problems came the appearance of splinters in social psychology’s positivist desires for knowledge outside history, culture, and time. Social psychology’s image of positivist “man” was further uncovered to be commensurate with the Western ideology of possessive individualism, an “important ingredient of political liberalism” and “predominant ideology of modern capitalism,” as Joachim Israel (1979) and others traced out (e.g., Sampson, 1977) in dissonance theory, level of aspiration work, and social comparison group research. “Dominationrecognition” struggles provided another case in point, regarding which Erika Apfelbaum and Ian Lubek (1976) asked whether social psychology played a repressive role. Their concern was that social psychology detracted attention from identity processes, such as those among women and blacks, and so eclipsed recognition of those relational spaces where power shapes a group’s chances for visibility and its capacity to claim an identity of its own (also see Apfelbaum, 1979/1999). Other critical historical studies elaborated this central critique of social psychology’s subjects and subject matters, such as Lita Furby’s (1979) and Karen Baistow’s (2000) examination of the cultural, historical, and political particulars of the concept of locus of control.

The Case of Locus of Control

Furby and Baistow both recognize several main features of concepts articulated through notions of internal psychological control, such as locus of control, level of aspiration, learned helplessness, and self-efficacy. First, emphases on internal control reflect the discipline’s class-based interests in “maintaining a prevailing control ideology that is as internal as possible” (Furby, p. 180) and contributed to a fashioning of a “self-management subject” (Baistow). Second, emphases on self-determinism fit well with prevailing Protestant ethic beliefs in the value of internal control, an integral ingredient of capitalist ideology. Third, while for Furby this promulgation of a self-determining subject indicates a repressive role of psychology’s social control interventions, Baistow takes this one step further to show a more productive potential of psychology’s self-control ideologies. Drawing on Nikolas Rose’s (1992) extension of Foucauldian analysis to psychology, Baistow (2000) shows how, for example, increased senses of internality could eventuate in challenges to the status quo, such as black civil rights protests and the rise of black militancy. In these cases, increasingly widespread notions of locus of control introduced as solutions to problems of disadvantaged groups may have helped to make possible empowerment talk, now “commonplace in political rhetoric in the USAand the UK in recent years and a seemingly paradoxical objective of government policy and professional activities” (p. 112). Contrary, then, to being overly individualized and depoliticized psychological notions of control, locus of control discourses became instead politicized through their use in collective action to transform being powerless into empowerment (Baistow, 2000).

“Social Psychology in Transition”

Reconnecting the dots between the personal and the political.

In addition to these critical histories of central social psychological concepts were those entered by women, feminist, and black psychologists who provided detailed appreciations and evidence on the social, cultural, historical, and political contingencies of social psychology’s production of knowledge on the one hand, and of social psychological life on the other. Where many of these works dovetailed was on the fallacy of attributing to nature what was instead, in their view, thoroughly social. Psychologist Georgene H. Seward’s 1946 book Sex and the Social Order, for example, revealed the historical contingencies of distinct sex-typed roles for women and men by showing how these distinctions often dissolved in times of economic or political turmoil. Just years later, philosopher Simone de Beauvoir (1952) published The Second Sex, whose central tenet, “woman is made, not born,” struck a chord with Seward’s argument as well as those who followed in subsequent decades. Betty Friedan’s (1963) The Feminine Mystique rendered the “woman question” anew through its language of humanistic psychology identifying sex-role typing as stunting women’s growth while forgoing a language of rights in favor of postwar cultural discourse that neither wholly eschewed domesticity nor wholly endorsed a single-minded pursuit of careers for women (see Meyerowtiz, 1993). Dorothy Dinnerstein, a student of Solomon Asch, published the feminist classic The Mermaid and the Minotaur in 1976, a book she had been working on since the late 1950s and that stemmed from her thinking through the “pull between individuality and the social milieu.” The nature of her questions and concerns carried clear cold war preoccupations as well as feminist ones, influenced by de Beauvoir and Norman Brown, in her attempts to “resolve the contradictions between the Freudian and the Gestalt vision of societal processes” (p. xii) and those of gender arrangements. Kenneth B. Clark’s (1966a, 1966b) research on psychological hurt and social-economicpolitical oppression of blacks, like his writing on civil rights, and the dilemma of power and the “ethical confusion of man” brought together the psychological and political. By the late 1960s the black psychology movement voiced concern over the discipline’s ethnocentrism and internal racism (Richards, 1997).

In her social psychology textbook, Carolyn Wood Sherif (1976) acknowledged both movements, asking if there could indeed be a valid social psychology that neglected social movements, for social movements and social change surely transform social psychological phenomena. By now, Naomi Weisstein, as Sherif (1979/1987) reflected in her chapter on bias in psychology, had “almost a decade ago . . . fired a feminist shot that ricocheted down the halls between psychology’s laboratories and clinics, hitting its target dead center” (p. 58). Weisstein (1971) showed that psychology’s understanding of woman’s nature was based more in myth than in fact—and patriarchal myth at that. She argued further that without attention to the social context and knowledge of social conditions, psychology would have little to offer on the woman question. For, if anything, decades of research on experimental and experimenter bias had repeatedly demonstrated that instead of offering an unfettered view of the nature of womanhood, laboratory experiments had themselves been revealed as sites of social psychological processes and phenomena in-the-making.

It is interesting that the forces of feminist and black psychologistswouldcombinewithresultsfromthesocialpsychology of laboratory experiments for what by the 1970s became known within the discipline as a full-blown crisis. This period of intense self-examination from the ground of social psychology’s paradigm on up is all too readily apparent in hindsight to be about social psychology’s transition from the height of its modernist commitments in midcentury America to what is often now called postmodernism.

Social Psychology Transiting the Modern to Postmodern Era

A number of markers can be identified to indicate this transition of social psychology from the age of modernism into postmodernism, a transition that is still very much a part of U.S. culture, politics, and daily life. In wider Western social psychology endeavors one of the markers of this passage would most likely be the conference organized by Lloyd Strickland and Henri Tajfel, held at Carleton University and attended by psychologists from Europe, the U.K., and North America, and from which was published the 1976 book Social Psychology in Transition . Disciplinary parameters considered to be in transition included the view of social psychology’s subjects and topics as historically constituted (e.g., Gergen, 1973) and of the laboratory as out-of-sync with notions of an “acting, information-seeking, and informationgenerating agent” (Strickland, 1976, p. 6). Others tackled more epistemological and ontological matters facing social psychology, querying everything from what constituted science in social psychology to more ontological concerns. In addressing priorities and paradigms, the conference volume accorded with then current views on Kuhnian notions of paradigm shifts and with a more profound concern about what constituted the human. Additional signposts are found in works addressing psychology as a “moral science of action” (e.g., Shotter, 1975), revisiting phenomena through frameworks of the sociology of knowledge, as discussed in an earlier section (e.g., Buss, 1979), and critically engaging the reflexive nature of the field—that is, how “psychology helps to constitute sociopsychological reality [and] . . . is itself constituted by social process and psychological reality” (Gadlin & Rubin, 1979, pp. 219–220). The field’s growing recognition of its cultural and historical relativity pointed time and again to how social psychologists need to contend with a subject and with subject matters that are for all intents and purposes more historical, cultural, social, and political than not (e.g., Strickland, 2001).

One could think of these shifts in social psychology as working out the critical lines of its crisis, from a focus on “bias” through to the sociology of social psychological knowledge and social construction to more recent formulations of a critical sociohistorical grounding of social psychological worlds. But this would be a mistake. Questions of the human, science, epistemology, the social, and the psychological each opened in turn appreciation of how the “crisis” resided less inside of psychology than with practices and institutions of “western intellectual life” (Parker & Shotter, 1991). In what followed, the scientific laboratory in psychology as in other sciences was revealed to be anything but ahistorical, contextless, or culture free—the place of a “culture of no culture” (Haraway, 1997), as were notions of scientific objectivity as a “view from nowhere” (Nagel, 1986). One consequence of these examinations has been an increase in epistemological exploration almost unimagined during crisis conversations, ones as much concerned with how to warrant our claims to social psychological knowledge as with how to think through what counts as human and “for which ways of life” (Haraway, 1997; Smith, 1997; see also Bayer, 1999a).

Of course, these very rethinkings and redoings of the science of psychology have often served as lightening rods within the field for acting out contentious views and divisiveness. But when they are constructive interchange, they offer productive signs of hope. Particularly interesting is how these very reworkings find their way, though often unacknowledged and modified, across this great divide, evidencing their influence and implied presence as more central to social psychology’s conventional directions than consciously wished.

Shelley Taylor (1998), for example, addresses variations on the “social being in social psychology” and advances made in social psychology in past decades. On the social being, Taylor attends to social psychology’s more diverse subject pool beyond a database of college students (e.g., Sears, 1986), and the area’s more complex views of persons who “actively construe social situations” and of social contexts as themselves invariably complex. While the changes she notes seem more consonant with social construction than with positivist assumptions, Taylor nonetheless pursues the conventionalist line, albeit morphing it to accommodate ideas on “context,” “social construction,” “multiple effects,” and “multiple processors.” One cannot help but hear influences from postmodernist debate on the nature of the “subject,” including an implied reflexive relation ostensibly not amenable to quantification (Hayles). Seemingly at odds with positivist assumptions and with liberal humanist notions of the subject, Taylor’s review everywhere evidences how science in social psychology undergoes transformation itself. Her view of scientific social psychology contrasts as much with earlier overviews of social psychology in which the methodology was assumed unchanged and unaltered by cultural historical conditions even as social psychology’s “insights” were to “gradually work their way into our cultural wisdom” (Jones, 1985, p. 100) as it does with feminist and critical psychologists who explicitly engage “transformative projects” (Morawski, 1994). As Morawski writes, such “everyday histories of science, especially of psychology, presume that empiricism means much the same thing as it did fifty, or one hundred fifty, years ago” (p. 50), relying, as they do, on linear, transhistorical “narratives of progression or stability.” But changes in the language of these narratives and of the views of the subject as of science, culture, and so on betray the storyline of these narratives. As we have attempted to show, the history of social psychology, its scientific practices, and reigning views of the human have been anything but stable, linear or progressive, or science-as-usual for those who claim the conventional or alternative practices of social psychological research.

It is well worth keeping Morawki’s words on history and historiographical practices in mind as they hold across our theoretical, methodological, epistemological, and ontological differences. Whether practitioners of social construction (e.g., Gergen, 1994); discourse social psychology (e.g., Potter & Wetherell, 1987; Wilkinson & Kitzinger, 1995); feminist social psychology (Wilkinson, 1996; Sherif; Morawski; Bayer); Russian/Soviet social psychology (Strickland, 1998); or conventional social psychology, we are engaged in what is most usefully thought of as transformative projects. Ian Hacking (1999) writes of this in the sense of a “looping effect”— “classifications that, when known by people or by those around them, and put to work in institutions, change the ways in which individuals experience themselves—and may even lead people to evolve their feelings and behavior in part because they are so classified” (p. 104). Ideas on looping effects hold as well for the individual–social world divide where the framing itself may show its historical wear and tear as much as Graham Richards writes in his history of race and psychology of the coherence of the “naturenurture” polarity “crumb[ling] after 1970” and that even the “‘interactionist’position must now be considered too crude a formulation” given how the “notion of them being distinguishable . . . has been undermined” (pp. 252–253). Likewise for the individual–social world dualism, which having been reformulated and remade carries its own history of social psychology, from splitting subjects off from the world through to moving the “social” more and more into our subjects’ interior life and to bringing past psychology into current phenomena (e.g., MacIntyre, 1985). Nikolas Rose (1990, 1992) reverses typical construals of the “social” in social psychology by placing psychology in the social arena, where it serves as a relay concept between politics, ethics, economics, and the human subject. Here the social is as much a part of individual subjectivity as notions of political and democratic life have themselves come to be understood in psychological ways. For Rose (1992) the matter is less about the “social construction of persons” and more attuned to how “if we have become profoundly psychological beings . . . we have come to think, judge, console, and reform ourselves according to psychological norms of truth” (p. 364).

Social psychology’s cornerstone of the individual–social world relation has itself therefore undergone remakings, ones that must be considered, especially where we are oft-tempted to line up social psychologists as falling on one or the other side of the divide, switching positions, or indeed lamenting the loss of the social in areas such as small group social psychology or the field itself. Indeed, Floyd Allport’s (1961) move to the individual–group as the “master” problem in social psychology as much as Ivan Steiner’s (1986) lament of his failed prediction of a “groupy” social psychology might usefully be rethought in terms of the changing nature of the dualism itself, signified perhaps by talk of relations, communication, information processing, and perception in years past (Bayer & Morawski, 1991), and by the terms of voice, stories, local histories, and discourses in matters of gender, race, and culture today.

Insofar as the history of social psychology is tied up in the history of this dualism, and insofar as wider critical discussions on the “crisis” have served to recast matters of epistemology within disciplines, then we might well take this one step further to consider how the timeworn narrative of a sociological social psychology versus a psychological social psychology simply no longer makes good sense—historical or otherwise. Social psychology in the twenty-first century is perhaps no more uniform than it was in the mid-1950s, or at its outset, but this diversity of interests and approaches, including discursive, feminist, sociocultural, hermeneutic, ecological, critical, narrative, and the newer technocultural studies, is part and parcel of this working out of boundaries and problematics. To overlook this history is to run into the same trouble of assuming social psychology weathered storms of debate and change, arriving in the twenty-first century stronger but basically unchanged. Or, conversely, that social psychology’s history is one of increasing emphasis on the individual, going from social to asocial, and a narrowing of defined scientific practices (Samelson). But as Franz Samelson (2000) found, neither of these histories suffices, for each eclipses the broader and more local engaging questions. And, as Jill Morawski (2000) writes in her assessment of “theory biographies,” few of psychology’s leading lights seemed to confine themselves to some hypothetical, tidy box of social psychological theory and research. Seen historically, their work addressed connections of theory and practice, theory and value, and theory and social control consequences, however intended or unintended. Equally significant is the irony Samelson finds in textbook and “success” histories’ omission of the “fact that some of their respected heroes and innovators later in life found their old approaches wanting and forswore them totally, at the same time as novices in the field were being taught to follow in the old (abandoned) footsteps” (p. 505). Such is the case of Leon Festinger, who, pursuing questions on human life, turned to historical inquiry via other fields. Further, the history of social psychology, as Smith notes, gives the lie to social psychology losing sight of or turning away from that broader project, whether expressly or not, of “larger intellectual difficulties fac[ing] the human sciences” and of being “fundamentally a political and moral as well as scientific subject” (Smith, p. 747).

Social psychology has never been quite as contained, narrow, asocial, or apolitical as construed in some of its historical narratives or reviews. Inasmuch as social psychology sought to engage its lifeworld of social meanings and doings, it can hardly be thought of as residing anywhere but in the very midst of these self- and world-making practices. Its theories, “like life elsewhere,” writes Morawski (2000), were “born of cultural contradictions, fixations, opportunities, and tensions,” and have been as much transformed as transformative in effect (p. 439). And just as there is no “going back” in our life histories (Walkerdine, 2000), so it goes for social psychology as it confronts a changing twenty-first-century world in which notions of culture, the global, and of human life itself are everywhere being debated and transformed. Epistemological matters remain as central to these questions as they did long before the formal inception of the field. Whereas much of social psychology has been wrought through industrial world terms, as have many of its critical histories, the challenge before us is about life in postindustrial times, challenges of human-technology interfaces only imagined in the 1950s, and of life-generating and lifeencoding technologies, such as cloning and the Human Genome Projects redrawing the bounds around personal, cultural, social, political, and economic life and what it means to be human (Haraway, 1997). Not unlike how social-political reorderings called social psychology into being (Apfelbaum, 1986), so we must consider how globalization, the Internet, and other technologies fundamentally change the nature of social psychology today. Protests against agencies such as the IMF and the World Bank are inviting reexamination of what is taking place in human and environmental rights as the economics and location of the workplace, not to mention judicial life, become less clearly demarcated by national boundaries. The economy of production has been morphing into one of marketing, to a “brand name” economy of obsessional corporate proportions (Klein, 2000). Time and space alterations, like those of human–technology boundaries, confront social psychology anew with matters of the body and embodiment and with changes in human-technology connections (Bayer, 1998b). Social psychology, like other human sciences, will most likely “go on being remade as long as ways of life go on being remade,” and, perhaps best regarded—and embraced— as Smith characterizes the human sciences (p. 861): “The human sciences have had a dramatic life, a life lived as an attempt at reflective self-understanding and self-recreation” (p. 870). Who knows, should social psychology take its lived historical subjects and subjectivities seriously, and should this be accompanied by recognition of the social, political, moral, and technocultural warp and woof of life lived here in what William James called the “blooming, buzzing confusion,” we may exercise the courage, as Morawski (2002) says of earlier theorists’ efforts, to not only meet the world halfway but to engage it in creatively meaningful ways. An imaginable course is suggested by Smith’s claim that the “history of human sciences is itself a human science” (p. 870). That would indeed be to make social psychology history.

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500+ Psychology Research Paper Topics

Psychology Research Paper Topics

Psychology is a fascinating field that encompasses the study of the human mind, behavior, and mental processes. It is a multifaceted discipline that has evolved significantly over the years, with new research shedding light on various aspects of human behavior and cognition. As a result, there are numerous research topics within the field of psychology that can be explored, providing a wealth of opportunities for students and scholars alike to investigate and learn. Whether you are interested in the workings of the brain, social dynamics, mental health, or other related areas, there is sure to be a psychology research topic that will pique your interest. In this article we will highlight some of the most interesting and relevant topics in the field of psychology today for Students and Researchers.

Psychology Research Paper Topics

Psychology Research Paper Topics are as follows:

  • The effects of social media on mental health and well-being.
  • The role of childhood trauma in the development of personality disorders.
  • The relationship between sleep deprivation and cognitive performance.
  • The impact of mindfulness practices on reducing anxiety and depression.
  • The psychology of addiction and its treatment approaches.
  • The influence of culture on the perception and expression of emotions.
  • The psychology of motivation and goal-setting.
  • The impact of bullying on mental health and social development.
  • The psychology of decision-making and risk-taking behaviors.
  • The effects of nature exposure on mental health and well-being.
  • The psychological factors contributing to substance abuse and addiction relapse.
  • The role of personality traits in predicting job satisfaction and success.
  • The psychology of creativity and innovation.
  • The impact of early attachment styles on adult relationships.
  • The psychology of prejudice and discrimination.
  • The relationship between stress and physical health.
  • The role of emotions in decision-making and problem-solving.
  • The psychology of learning and memory.
  • The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating anxiety and depression.
  • The influence of parenting styles on child development and mental health.
  • The psychology of humor: why we find things funny and how it affects our mental health.
  • The effects of childhood neglect on social and emotional development.
  • The psychology of procrastination and strategies for overcoming it.
  • The impact of digital technology on attention span and concentration.
  • The role of self-esteem in mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of forgiveness and its effects on mental health and relationships.
  • The relationship between personality traits and political beliefs.
  • The effects of trauma on brain development and function.
  • The psychology of group dynamics and teamwork.
  • The role of exercise in mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of attraction and romantic relationships.
  • The effects of technology addiction on mental health and well-being.
  • The relationship between diet and mental health.
  • The psychology of workplace diversity and inclusion.
  • The effects of music on mood and cognitive function.
  • The impact of childhood bullying on adult mental health and relationships.
  • The psychology of optimism and its effects on mental health and well-being.
  • The relationship between personality traits and leadership effectiveness.
  • The effects of social isolation on mental health.
  • The psychology of decision-making in group contexts.
  • The impact of social support on mental health and well-being.
  • The role of emotion regulation in mental health and well-being.
  • The effects of chronic stress on physical and mental health.
  • The psychology of risk perception and behavior.
  • The impact of exercise on cognitive function and brain health.
  • The psychology of altruism and prosocial behavior.
  • The relationship between spirituality and mental health.
  • The effects of childhood abuse on adult mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of power and its effects on decision-making and behavior.
  • The impact of mindfulness on physical health and well-being.
  • The psychology of parenting and its effects on child development.
  • The effects of gratitude on mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of grief and bereavement.
  • The impact of social media on social comparison and self-esteem.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping.
  • The effects of sleep on physical and mental health.
  • The psychology of happiness and well-being.
  • The relationship between personality traits and romantic relationship satisfaction.
  • The impact of social norms on behavior.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and decision-making errors.
  • The effects of nature exposure on cognitive function and well-being.
  • The psychology of body image and its effects on mental health.
  • The impact of work-life balance on mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of shame and guilt.
  • The effects of trauma on memory and cognition.
  • The role of empathy in mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of cyberbullying and its effects on mental health.
  • The impact of aging on cognitive function and well-being.
  • The psychology of human sexuality.
  • The effects of mindfulness on social and emotional functioning.
  • The effects of social comparison on mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of addiction and relapse prevention strategies.
  • The impact of social support on addiction recovery.
  • The psychology of motivation and self-determination.
  • The effects of trauma on attachment and relationship formation.
  • The psychology of bystander intervention in emergencies.
  • The impact of exercise on mood and anxiety.
  • The role of cultural values in mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of moral decision-making.
  • The effects of video games on cognitive function and social development.
  • The psychology of burnout and work-related stress.
  • The relationship between personality traits and academic performance.
  • The impact of social identity on self-esteem and mental health.
  • The psychology of attachment in adult romantic relationships.
  • The effects of mindfulness on emotion regulation and impulse control.
  • The psychology of stress and coping strategies.
  • The impact of social media on self-esteem and body image.
  • The psychology of decision-making in romantic relationships.
  • The effects of childhood trauma on substance use and addiction.
  • The psychology of resilience and post-traumatic growth.
  • The impact of cultural stereotypes on cognitive function and performance.
  • The psychology of identity formation and its effects on mental health.
  • The effects of social support on academic success and well-being.
  • The psychology of change and behavior modification.
  • The impact of self-compassion on mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of deception and lying behavior.
  • The effects of sleep on mood and emotion regulation.
  • The psychology of intergroup relations and prejudice reduction.
  • The impact of meditation on cognitive function and well-being.
  • The psychology of procrastination and time management.
  • The effects of cultural assimilation on mental health and well-being.
  • The psychology of body language and nonverbal communication.
  • The impact of nature exposure on stress reduction and well-being.
  • The psychology of forgiveness and its effects on relationship satisfaction.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image and eating disorders.
  • The psychology of motivation and goal-setting in academic settings.
  • The impact of cultural diversity on team dynamics and performance.
  • The psychology of self-disclosure in romantic relationships.
  • The effects of social support on health outcomes in chronic illness.
  • The psychology of human memory and its fallibility.
  • The impact of cultural values on mental health stigma.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping strategies in chronic illness.
  • The effects of social support on job satisfaction and performance.
  • The psychology of negotiation and conflict resolution.
  • The impact of social identity on health behaviors and outcomes.
  • The psychology of aggression and its effects on mental health.
  • The effects of mindfulness on cognitive aging and dementia prevention.
  • The psychology of attachment in parent-child relationships.
  • The impact of cultural diversity on intergroup relations.
  • The psychology of decision-making in medical settings.
  • The effects of social comparison on consumer behavior.
  • The psychology of success and achievement motivation.
  • The impact of technology on social skills and emotional intelligence.
  • The psychology of deception detection and its implications for criminal justice.
  • The effects of music on mood and well-being.
  • The psychology of gender identity and its effects on mental health.
  • The impact of social media on political attitudes and polarization.
  • The psychology of flow and optimal experience in work and leisure activities.
  • The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function and decision-making.
  • The psychology of leadership and its effects on organizational outcomes.
  • The impact of cultural values on body image and eating disorders.
  • The psychology of self-compassion and its effects on relationship satisfaction.
  • The effects of social support on postpartum depression and anxiety.
  • The psychology of attachment in foster care and adoption.
  • The impact of cultural values on parenting styles and child development.
  • The psychology of resilience and post-disaster recovery.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in LGBTQ+ individuals.
  • The psychology of motivation and performance in sports.
  • The impact of cultural values on coping with illness and disability.
  • The psychology of creativity and its relationship with mental health.
  • The effects of mindfulness on pain management and chronic illness.
  • The impact of social identity on job satisfaction and turnover.
  • The psychology of substance use disorders in older adults.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic motivation and achievement.
  • The psychology of decision-making in financial investments.
  • The impact of cultural values on mental health treatment-seeking behaviors.
  • The psychology of attachment in sibling relationships.
  • The effects of social support on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and decision-making.
  • The impact of cultural values on aging and end-of-life care.
  • The psychology of motivation and goal-setting in weight loss.
  • The effects of social comparison on social anxiety.
  • The psychology of group dynamics and its implications for teamwork.
  • The impact of cultural values on sexual identity and expression.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in high-stress occupations.
  • The effects of social support on recovery from traumatic brain injury.
  • The psychology of memory reconsolidation and its potential for trauma therapy.
  • The impact of cultural values on mental health in immigrant populations.
  • The psychology of gender stereotypes and their effects on behavior and attitudes.
  • The effects of social comparison on body dissatisfaction and cosmetic procedures.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in military veterans.
  • The impact of cultural values on mental health outcomes in refugees.
  • The psychology of goal-setting and its relationship with happiness.
  • The effects of social support on depression and anxiety in cancer patients.
  • The psychology of self-esteem and its relationship with social media use.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health treatment.
  • The psychology of attachment in teacher-student relationships.
  • The effects of social comparison on substance use and addiction.
  • The psychology of decision-making in environmental conservation.
  • The impact of cultural values on romantic relationships and marital satisfaction.
  • The impact of cultural values on mental health and illness stigma.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in exercise and physical activity.
  • The psychology of mindfulness and its effects on stress reduction and well-being.
  • The impact of technology on social comparison and body dissatisfaction in young adults.
  • The psychology of moral decision-making and its relationship with personality.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and motivation in graduate students.
  • The psychology of sleep disorders and their effects on mental and physical health.
  • The impact of cultural values on parenting practices and child development.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in rehabilitation and physical therapy.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in refugees and immigrants.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on decision-making.
  • The impact of technology on mental health treatment and therapy outcomes.
  • The psychology of motivation and performance in sports and athletic competition.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in high school students.
  • The psychology of grief and its effects on mental and physical health.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward aging and age-related stereotypes.
  • The psychology of memory and its relationship with sleep quality and quantity.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in military veterans.
  • The psychology of addiction and its effects on relationships and social functioning.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in older adults.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in diabetes management.
  • The effects of social comparison on body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in non-binary individuals.
  • The psychology of child development and its relationship with parenting practices.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health treatment seeking.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in cancer treatment.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in incarcerated individuals.
  • The psychology of personality traits and their effects on romantic relationships.
  • The impact of technology on social connectedness and loneliness.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in cardiac rehabilitation.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in elementary school students.
  • The psychology of gender identity and its effects on mental health and well-being.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward substance use and addiction.
  • The psychology of self-esteem and its relationship with interpersonal communication.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.
  • The psychology of emotion regulation and its relationship with substance use.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in children and adolescents.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in HIV/AIDS treatment.
  • The effects of social comparison on body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in individuals with physical disabilities.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic pain.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward suicide and suicide prevention.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on emotion regulation and well-being.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with eating disorders.
  • The psychology of positive psychology interventions and their effects on well-being.
  • The impact of technology on social skills and social anxiety in adolescents.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in organ transplant recipients.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in international students.
  • The psychology of depression and its effects on cognitive function and memory.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in religious communities.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with traumatic brain injury.
  • The psychology of motivation and performance in the workplace.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image and self-esteem in adolescence.
  • The psychology of forgiveness and its effects on mental health and well-being.
  • The impact of technology on attention and distraction.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in physical therapy.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic illness.
  • The psychology of decision-making in healthcare and medical treatments.
  • The impact of cultural values on adolescent identity development.
  • The psychology of self-efficacy and its relationship with academic achievement.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and self-esteem.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in survivors of sexual assault and harassment.
  • The impact of cultural values on parental involvement in education.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in mental health treatment.
  • The effects of social comparison on body dissatisfaction and disordered eating.
  • The psychology of trauma and its effects on memory and emotional processing.
  • The impact of technology on sleep quality and quantity.
  • The psychology of motivation and performance in online learning.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain.
  • The psychology of personality and its relationship with career choice and success.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health stigma.
  • The psychology of attachment in peer relationships.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic achievement and motivation in college students.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with workplace success.
  • The impact of technology on social skills and interpersonal communication.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in smoking cessation.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in older adults.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in survivors of natural disasters.
  • The impact of cultural values on sexual health and behavior.
  • The psychology of personality disorders and their effects on relationships.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image and eating behaviors in men.
  • The psychology of cognitive development in infants and young children.
  • The impact of technology on stress and anxiety.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in weight management.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in caregivers.
  • The psychology of emotion regulation and its effects on mental health.
  • The impact of cultural values on aging and cognitive decline.
  • The psychology of attachment in romantic relationships.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic performance and self-concept in middle school students.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic illness.
  • The impact of technology on identity formation and self-esteem.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in addiction recovery.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with disabilities.
  • The psychology of creativity and its effects on mental health and well-being.
  • The impact of cultural values on social support networks.
  • The effects of social comparison on social anxiety and self-esteem in individuals with social anxiety disorder.
  • The psychology of parenting styles and their effects on child development.
  • The impact of technology on mental health and well-being in children and adolescents.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals experiencing homelessness.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic illnesses.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on social support seeking.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in marginalized communities.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in bariatric surgery patients.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in pregnant women.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic kidney disease.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in older adults with dementia.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with educational pedagogy.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in pulmonary rehabilitation.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Asian communities.
  • The psychology of decision-making and its relationship with impulsivity.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its effects on workplace performance.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with fibromyalgia.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with language acquisition.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in African American communities.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in dialysis patients.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with eating disorders.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic heart failure.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with anxiety disorders.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on problem-solving.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with multiple sclerosis.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in amputees.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Hispanic/Latino communities.
  • The psychology of decision-making and its relationship with risk-taking behavior.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in individuals with dyslexia.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic liver disease.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with schizophrenia.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with visual perception.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with bipolar disorder.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in spinal cord injury patients.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Native American communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on creativity.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with body dysmorphic disorder.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic gastrointestinal disorders.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with substance use disorders.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with attention span.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in organ donation recipients.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Middle Eastern communities.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on team dynamics.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic autoimmune diseases.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with depression.
  • The psychology of stress and its effects on workplace burnout.
  • The impact of social media on body image dissatisfaction in adolescents.
  • The effects of meditation on anxiety and depression in older adults.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in cancer patients.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in the LGBTQ+ community.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with memory.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with traumatic brain injuries.
  • The psychology of addiction and its effects on family relationships.
  • The impact of music on cognitive function and attention in individuals with dementia.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on romantic relationships.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with physical disabilities.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with rare diseases.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in individuals with HIV/AIDS.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in South Asian communities.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on leadership effectiveness.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in individuals with learning disabilities.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with postpartum depression.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with spatial reasoning.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
  • The psychology of addiction and its effects on mental health.
  • The impact of mindfulness on cognitive function and attention in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on child development.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with gender dysphoria.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Eastern European communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on interpersonal relationships.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with intellectual disabilities.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with borderline personality disorder.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with executive function.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in individuals with anxiety disorders.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on romantic relationships.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with spinal cord injuries.
  • The psychology of addiction and its effects on criminal behavior.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with bipolar disorder.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on social development.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with acne.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic respiratory diseases.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Middle Eastern and North African communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on emotional regulation.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in caregivers of individuals with chronic illnesses.
  • The impact of trauma on attachment styles and romantic relationships.
  • The psychology of procrastination and its effects on academic performance.
  • The effects of mindfulness on stress and burnout in healthcare professionals.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with theory of mind.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with autoimmune diseases.
  • The psychology of addiction and its effects on family dynamics in Asian American communities.
  • The impact of social media on self-esteem and body image in adult women.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with traumatic brain injuries.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic pain.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on mental health stigma.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Latinx communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on stereotype formation.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in individuals with chronic kidney disease.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with cancer.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Indigenous communities.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on child behavior problems.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with multiple sclerosis.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on romantic partner selection.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with substance use disorders.
  • The psychology of emotional regulation and its effects on interpersonal relationships.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with alopecia.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with heart disease.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in immigrant communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on judgment and decision-making.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • The psychology of motivation and adherence in individuals with diabetes.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with moral reasoning.
  • The effects of social comparison on academic self-concept and achievement in individuals with visual impairments.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic migraines.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in rural communities.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on infant sleep patterns.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on workplace conflict resolution.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with fibromyalgia.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with job satisfaction.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with vitiligo.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic arthritis.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Caribbean communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on interpersonal trust.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic kidney disease.
  • The impact of attachment styles on marital satisfaction.
  • The psychology of emotional regulation and its effects on academic achievement.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with executive functioning.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic kidney disease.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on job performance.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with leadership effectiveness.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with working memory.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on romantic relationship satisfaction.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on stress and coping.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic migraines.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with interpersonal conflict resolution.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with psoriasis.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in East Asian communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on decision-making under uncertainty.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic heart failure.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with attentional control.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic migraines.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on emotional regulation.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic back pain.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with job performance.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with rosacea.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in LGBTQ+ communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on creativity in the arts.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and anxiety.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with problem-solving.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on parent-child communication.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic heart failure.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on interpersonal communication.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic migraines and anxiety.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with conflict resolution in romantic relationships.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with eczema.
  • The impact of trauma on personality development.
  • The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on chronic pain management.
  • The psychology of motivation and its relationship with achievement in academic settings.
  • The impact of cultural values on the experience of shame and guilt.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with fibromyalgia.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on romantic relationship conflict.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with conflict resolution in work settings.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on decision-making in politics.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and depression.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with self-awareness.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on emotional regulation in adolescence.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on substance use and addiction.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic gastrointestinal disorders.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with effective communication in romantic relationships.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on consumer behavior.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and insomnia.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with social cognition.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on mental health in adulthood.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic gastrointestinal disorders.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on intimate partner violence.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic kidney disease and depression.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with effective leadership.
  • The effects of social comparison on body image dissatisfaction in individuals with scars.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and depression.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on consumer decision-making.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and anxiety and depression.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with multiple sclerosis.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on mental health in older adults.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on parenting styles.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain and depression.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with effective conflict resolution in work settings.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic pain and anxiety.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on insomnia in individuals with fibromyalgia.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on emotional regulation in children.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with effective communication in the workplace.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with traumatic brain injury.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on work stress and burnout.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on depression and anxiety in individuals with multiple sclerosis.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic pain and depression.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Muslim communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on memory recall.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain and fibromyalgia.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on job satisfaction and turnover.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with spinal cord injury.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with effective conflict resolution in romantic relationships.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with attention.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain and anxiety and depression.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and anxiety.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on perception.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain and arthritis.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on leadership styles.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with effective communication in families.
  • The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on depression and anxiety in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
  • The psychology of attachment and its effects on social influence.
  • The impact of technology on cognitive function and attention in individuals with traumatic brain injury.
  • The psychology of cognitive development and its relationship with emotion regulation.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain and inflammatory bowel disease.
  • The psychology of resilience and coping in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and depression and anxiety.
  • The impact of cultural values on attitudes toward mental health in Indian communities.
  • The psychology of cognitive biases and their effects on decision-making in healthcare.
  • The effects of social support on mental health in individuals with chronic pain and migraine.
  • The psychology of personality and its effects on stress and coping in medical students.
  • The impact of social support on mental health in individuals with multiple sclerosis and depression.
  • The psychology of emotional intelligence and its relationship with effective communication in friendships.

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Social Cognition Research Topics

For thousands of years there has been philosophical debate about what it is that makes humans different from other species of animals on Earth. Whether one believes that humans are just another step in the evolutionary process or descended from aliens, there is no denying that humans are different from other animals. Although many aspects of psychology, such as perception, learning, and memory, can be generalized across species, the field of social cognition deals exclusively with thoughts and behaviors that are (arguably) uniquely human. This is because social cognition is concerned with the mental processes that subserve people’s understanding of both self and other individuals. By default, it takes a social agent to know one. For this reason, a great deal of social cognition research has focused on determining whether or not the thoughts people have about other people are driven by the same basic mental operations that regulate humans’ understanding of tables, automobiles, and seafood gumbo.

Social Cognition Research Topics:

  • Accessibility
  • Accountability
  • Actor-Observer Asymmetries
  • Alcohol Myopia
  • Anchoring and Adjustment Heuristic
  • Assimilation Processes
  • Associative Networks
  • Attributional Ambiguity
  • Attribution
  • Automatic Processes
  • Availability Heuristic
  • Bad Is Stronger Than Good
  • Barnum Effect
  • Base Rate Fallacy
  • Basking in Reflected Glory
  • Belief Perseverance
  • Blaming the Victim
  • Confirmation Bias
  • Consciousness
  • Contrast Effects
  • Correspondence Bias
  • Counterfactual Thinking
  • Defensive Attribution
  • Depressive Realism
  • Diagnosticity
  • Dilution Effect
  • Discounting in Attribution
  • Distinctiveness in Attribution
  • Downward Social Comparison
  • Expectancy Effect
  • Expectations
  • Eyewitness Testimony Accuracy
  • False Consciousness
  • False Consensus Effect
  • False Uniqueness Bias
  • Fundamental Attribution Error
  • Gain-Loss Framing
  • Gambler’s Fallacy
  • Halo Effect
  • Heuristic Processing
  • Hostile Attribution Bias
  • Hostile Media Bias
  • Justice Motive
  • Just-World Hypothesis
  • Kelley’s Covariation Model
  • Lay Epistemics
  • Meaning Maintenance Model
  • Metacognition
  • Mind-Wandering
  • Moral Reasoning
  • Motivated Cognition
  • Nonconscious Processes
  • Person Perception
  • Personality Judgments Accuracy
  • Person-Positivity Heuristic
  • Positive-Negative Asymmetry
  • Primacy Effect in Attribution
  • Primacy Effect in Memory
  • Responsibility Attribution
  • Risk Appraisal
  • Shifting Standards
  • Social Categorization
  • Social Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Social Projection
  • Spontaneous Trait Inferences
  • Subliminal Perception
  • Thin Slices of Behavior
  • Three-Dimensional Model of Attribution
  • Value Pluralism Model

Social Cognition Research Topics

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189+ Best Social Science Research Paper Topics For Students

social science research paper topics

  • Post author By Pooja Barman
  • October 23, 2023

Social Science Research Paper Topics can be intriguing, insightful, and engaging, offering students an opportunity to explore a wide range of subjects that impact our society. Are you looking for the most interesting and good topics for a sociology research paper?

If yes, in this article, we will explore what Social Science Research Paper Topics are, provide guidance on how to choose and find them, and discuss why they are beneficial for students.

Additionally, we’ll present a comprehensive list of research paper topics across various social science fields.

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Table of Contents

What Are Social Science Research Paper Topics

Social Science Research Paper Topics are subjects, questions, or themes within the realm of social sciences that students investigate and write about in research papers. These topics cover a broad spectrum of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, and more.

They aim to shed light on various aspects of human behavior, society, and culture, offering valuable insights and understanding.

How to Choose and Find Social Science Research Paper Topics

Selecting an engaging and relevant social science research paper topic is crucial for a successful paper. Here are some tips on how to choose and find the right topic:

1. Identify Your Interests

Start by considering your personal interests within the social sciences. What subjects or issues captivate your attention? Choosing a topic you’re passionate about will make the research and writing process more enjoyable.

2. Review Course Material

Reflect on what you’ve learned in your social science courses. Often, your coursework can spark ideas for research topics based on your studies and readings.

3. Current Events and Trends

Stay informed about current events and societal trends. These can provide inspiration for research topics that are both timely and relevant.

4. Consult with Professors

Seek guidance from your professors or advisors. They can offer suggestions and help refine your topic ideas.

5. Consider Feasibility

Ensure that your chosen topic is manageable within the scope of your assignment. You should be able to find sufficient research material and complete the project within the given timeframe.

6. Narrow or Broaden Your Focus

Depending on the assignment’s length and requirements, you may need to narrow down a broad topic or expand on a more specific aspect of a larger subject.

Now, let’s dive into a comprehensive list of Social Science Research Paper Topics across various fields:

Sociology Research Paper Topics

  • Income Inequality and Social Mobility
  • The Impact of Immigration on Host Societies
  • Gender Roles and Stereotypes in Society
  • Social Isolation in the Digital Age
  • Social Media’s Influence on Political Movements
  • Social Media and Self-esteem: Impacts on Mental Health
  • Gun Control Policies and Their Effects on Society
  • The Sociology of Protests and Social Movements
  • The Role of Religion in Social Cohesion
  • Cultural Appropriation and Its Social Implications

Psychology Research Paper Topics

  • The Psychology of Resilience in Adversity
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders
  • Effects of Childhood Trauma on Adult Mental Health
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Psychological Disorders
  • The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination
  • Positive Psychology and Well-being
  • The Impact of Technology on Cognitive Abilities
  • Child Development and Attachment Theory
  • The Psychology of Prejudice in Online Communities
  • Understanding and Addressing Teenage Depression

Anthropology Research Paper Topics

  • Cultural Relativism and Ethical Dilemmas
  • Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability
  • Human-Environment Interactions in Archaeology
  • Anthropological Perspectives on Global Health
  • Cultural Change and Adaptation in the Modern World
  • Urban Anthropology and the Study of City Life
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Anthropological Research
  • Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Agriculture
  • Anthropology of Food and Cultural Significance
  • Archaeological Methods and Discoveries

Economics Research Paper Topics

  • The Economic Impact of Natural Disasters
  • Minimum Wage Policies and Their Consequences
  • Behavioral Economics and Consumer Decision-Making
  • The Gig Economy and Labor Market Trends
  • The Economics of Healthcare and Insurance
  • Global Economic Recession: Causes and Impacts
  • Economic Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Economic Inequality and Social Unrest
  • Behavioral Economics and Decision-Making in Investment

Political Science Research Paper Topics

  • International Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution
  • Political Polarization and Its Effects on Governance
  • Comparative Analysis of Political Systems
  • Global Governance and International Organizations
  • Political Propaganda and Media Manipulation
  • Women in Politics: Representation and Challenges
  • Political Extremism and Counterterrorism Policies
  • The Role of Soft Power in International Relations
  • Political Populism and Its Rise in Contemporary Politics
  • Environmental Policies and Political Will

Social Science Education Research Paper Topics

  • Inclusive Education and Special Needs Programs
  • Homeschooling: Trends and Outcomes
  • The Impact of Standardized Testing on Students
  • Teacher Training and Professional Development
  • Education Funding and Equity
  • The Impact of Technology in Classroom Learning
  • Education and Socioeconomic Achievement Gap
  • Teacher-Student Relationships and Academic Performance
  • School Bullying Prevention and Interventions

Environmental Social Science Research Paper Topics

  • Urbanization and Urban Planning for Sustainability
  • The Role of Wetlands in Ecosystem Health
  • Environmental Ethics and Conservation
  • Environmental Justice and Marginalized Communities
  • Renewable Energy Policies and Implementation
  • Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Practices
  • Soil Erosion and Agricultural Sustainability
  • Wildlife Conservation and Biodiversity Preservation
  • Environmental Education and its Role in Society
  • Sustainable Urban Planning and Green Cities

History-Social Science Research Paper Topics

  • The Historical Roots of Colonialism
  • Decolonization Movements in the 20th Century
  • The Impact of the Cold War on Global Politics
  • Historical Perspectives on Women’s Rights
  • The Cultural Significance of Historical Artifacts
  • The Impact of the Renaissance on Art and Culture
  • Historical Perspectives on the American Civil Rights Movement
  • The Decline of Ancient Civilizations: Causes and Lessons
  • Historical Analysis of Ancient Trade Routes
  • Impact of Colonialism on Indigenous Peoples

Social Work Research Paper Topics

  • Social Work in Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling
  • Substance Abuse Treatment in Vulnerable Populations
  • Child Protective Services and Family Welfare
  • The Role of Social Workers in Healthcare
  • Human Rights and Social Justice Advocacy
  • Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice
  • Homelessness and Social Services Interventions
  • Social Work in Correctional Facilities
  • Child Welfare and Family Reunification
  • Human Rights and Advocacy in Social Work

Communication Research Paper Topics

  • Crisis Communication in the Social Media Age
  • The Impact of Fake News on Public Perception
  • Visual Communication and its Influence
  • Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges
  • The Rhetoric of Political Speeches
  • Digital Media and the Future of Journalism
  • Intercultural Communication in a Globalized World
  • Communication Technology and its Impact on Relationships
  • Visual Communication and its Persuasive Power
  • The Art of Public Speaking and Rhetoric

Criminology Research Paper Topics

  • Cybersecurity and the Role of Law Enforcement
  • Criminal Behavior and Psychological Profiles
  • Recidivism and Rehabilitation Programs
  • White-Collar Crime and Corporate Responsibility
  • Policing Strategies and Community Relations
  • Juvenile Justice and Rehabilitation Programs
  • Cybersecurity and Law Enforcement Challenges
  • Criminal Profiling and Offender Characteristics
  • Hate Crimes and their Motivations
  • The Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Programs

Gender Studies Research Paper Topics

  • Toxic Masculinity in Popular Culture
  • The Impact of #MeToo Movement
  • Intersections of Gender and Race
  • Transgender Rights and Healthcare Access
  • The Influence of Gender in Language and Media
  • Women’s Reproductive Rights and Policies
  • Men’s Mental Health and Societal Expectations
  • Gendered Violence and Prevention Strategies
  • Gender Roles in Fairy Tales and Popular Culture
  • The Role of Gender in Language and Linguistics

Social Policy Research Paper Topics

  • Drug Policy and Harm Reduction Strategies
  • Universal Basic Income and Poverty Alleviation
  • Maternity and Paternity Leave Policies
  • Aging Population and Social Security
  • Immigration and Asylum Policies
  • Universal Basic Income and Economic Equality
  • Housing Policies and Affordable Housing Initiatives
  • Youth and Social Services Programs
  • Immigration and Family Reunification Policies
  • Disability Rights and Social Inclusion

Health Science Research Paper Topics

  • Healthcare Disparities in Underserved Communities
  • Nutrition and Public Health Interventions
  • The Opioid Epidemic and Prescription Drug Abuse
  • Mental Health Services in Rural Areas
  • Aging and Long-Term Care Services
  • Mental Health Stigma in Healthcare
  • The Impact of Social Determinants on Health Disparities
  • Healthcare Access and Rural Communities
  • Health Communication in Public Health Campaigns
  • Healthcare Systems in Developing Countries

Family Studies Research Paper Topics

  • The Impact of Divorce Mediation on Children
  • Foster Care and Adoption Policies
  • Sibling Relationships and Birth Order Effects
  • Interethnic and Intercultural Marriages
  • The Role of Grandparents in Child-Rearing
  • The Effect of Divorce on Sibling Relationships
  • Parental Involvement and Child Development
  • Foster Care and Child Welfare Reforms
  • Domestic Violence and Support Services
  • Aging Parents and Caregiver Stress

Globalization and Development Research Paper Topics

  • The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
  • Humanitarian Aid and International Crisis Response
  • Cultural Exchange Programs and Diplomacy
  • Global Supply Chain and Labor Conditions
  • Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Preservation
  • The Role of Multinational Corporations in Developing Economies
  • Indigenous Rights and Sustainable Development
  • Microfinance and Poverty Alleviation
  • Fair Trade and Ethical Consumerism
  • Global Health Partnerships and Disease Prevention

Social Justice Research Paper Topics

  • Environmental Racism and its Implications
  • Disability Rights and Inclusion
  • LGBTQ+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers
  • Juvenile Justice and Restorative Practices
  • Mass Incarceration and Prison Reform
  • LGBTQ+ Rights and Global Advocacy
  • Refugee Rights and Resettlement Challenges
  • Disability Rights and Access to Healthcare
  • Criminal Justice Reform and Social Equity
  • Indigenous Land Rights and Environmental Justice

Sociology of Religion Research Paper Topics

  • Religious Fundamentalism in Contemporary Society
  • Religion and Healthcare Decision-Making
  • Interfaith Dialogue and Understanding
  • Cults and Their Social Impact
  • Religion and Ethics in Bioengineering
  • Religious Pluralism and Interfaith Dialogue
  • Religious Radicalism and Terrorism
  • Religion’s Influence on Political Policies
  • The Role of Religion in Environmental Ethics
  • Secularism and Non-religious Worldviews

Social Impact of Technology Research Paper Topics

  • Online Privacy and Digital Surveillance
  • Artificial Intelligence and Its Ethical Challenges
  • E-Government and Online Civic Engagement
  • Social Media Activism and Its Limitations
  • Technology and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence
  • The Digital Divide and Technological Inequities
  • Social Media Activism and Online Movements
  • Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Concerns
  • Virtual Reality and Its Applications in Education

Social Movements and Activism Research Paper Topics

  • Black Panther Party and its Legacy
  • Disability Rights Movements
  • Global Youth Activism and Climate Change
  • The Arab Spring and Political Change
  • Indigenous Rights Movements in Latin America
  • Youth-Led Movements and Their Impact on Social Change
  • Women’s Suffrage and the Fight for Voting Rights
  • Environmental Activism and Conservation Efforts
  • Indigenous Rights Movements in Asia

Why Social Science Research Paper Topics Are Beneficial for Students

Social Science Research Paper Topics offer several advantages for students:

  • Critical Thinking : Researching and writing about social science topics fosters critical thinking skills. It encourages students to analyze, interpret, and evaluate information and arguments.
  • Understanding Society : Social science research topics help students better understand the complexities of human society, culture, and behavior.
  • Research Skills : Students develop valuable research skills, including finding and assessing sources, conducting surveys or interviews, and drawing meaningful conclusions.
  • Communication Skills : Writing research papers hones students’ communication skills, including the ability to express complex ideas clearly and persuasively.
  • Awareness of Social Issues : Exploring social science topics can raise awareness of pressing social issues and encourage students to engage with them more deeply.
  • Preparation for Future Careers : Many careers in fields like sociology, psychology, and political science require strong research and analytical skills. Engaging in social science research prepares students for these roles.

Social Science Research Paper Topics provide students with an opportunity to explore, analyze, and contribute to our understanding of human society and its complexities. By following the guidance on selecting topics and recognizing their benefits, students can embark on research projects that are not only academically fulfilling but also socially relevant and impactful.

Whether you choose a topic from sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, or any other social science field. With this extensive list of Social Science Research Paper Topics, students have a wide range of subjects to choose from, spanning sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, and more.

These topics offer an opportunity to delve into critical societal issues, analyze their implications, and contribute to a deeper understanding of human behavior and society’s complexities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of a social science research question.

What are the sources of social inequality, and how does it relate to political institutions and social structures?

How do you write a good social science research paper?

The information should be detailed enough for someone to replicate the study, but it should also be concise.

What is social science research essay?

Social Science Research is the activity of gathering, analysing and interpreting information for a variety of social, economic, educational and political purposes.

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199+ Social Psychology Research Paper Topics Ideas For Your Next Paper

Nov 4, 2023 | 0 comments

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Nov 4, 2023 | Topics | 0 comments

Would you be thinking of a captivating topic for your next psychology paper? Dive into the fascinating world of social psychology research paper topics! As we navigate through the year 2023, exploring topics in social psychology can offer a fresh perspective on how we understand human behavior. Topics in social psychology can be both intriguing and insightful, providing a deeper understanding of how we interact with one another. From my perspective, delving into social cognition, prejudice, prosocial behavior, persuasion, and social influence can unveil the complexities of human thought and behavior. What are some thought-provoking areas of research you might want to explore in your psychology class? 

Let’s find out!

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How to Choose Good Psychology Research Paper Topics

Choosing a psychology research paper topic can be like navigating a maze – exciting but also a tad overwhelming. But fear not! Here are some simple steps to help you pick the perfect topic:

  • Follow Your Passion: The first step is to consider what interests you. Do you find yourself curious about human behavior in certain situations? Are you drawn to understanding how people form opinions about others? Your genuine interest will drive your enthusiasm throughout the research process.
  • Explore Psychology Studies: Delving into existing psychology studies can provide a wealth of inspiration. Check out what social psychologists have already researched – topics like stereotypes, aggression, or the impact of the social context on behavior might spark your interest.
  • Narrow Down Your Focus: According to our analysis, it’s crucial to narrow down your topic to something manageable. For instance, if you’re interested in aggression, you could explore how it manifests in specific age groups, genders, or cultural contexts. This way, you can delve deeper into a specific aspect rather than trying to cover too broad a topic.
  • Consider Relevance: To our way of thinking, considering the relevance of your chosen topic is essential. Does your research have real-world implications? How might it contribute to our understanding of social interactions and human behavior? Thinking about these questions can help you choose a topic that’s not only interesting but also meaningful.
  • Brainstorm with Peers or Teachers: In our judgment, discussing potential topics with your peers or teachers can be incredibly helpful. They might offer insights you still need to consider and could guide you in the right direction based on their experience and knowledge.

Best Social Psychology Research Paper Topics

  • The Psychology of Social Media Influencers and Their Impact on Society
  • Analyzing the Role of Empathy in Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts
  • Cultural Differences in the Perception of Beauty and Body Image
  • The Influence of Social Norms on Behavior and Decision-Making
  • Examining the Effects of Group Dynamics on Individual Performance
  • Understanding the Psychological Factors Behind Online Cyberbullying
  • Exploring the Impact of Social Support on Mental Health and Well-being
  • Investigating the Psychological Motivations Behind Prosocial Behavior
  • The Dynamics of Social Identity and Its Implications for Intergroup Relations
  • Psychological Explanations for the Phenomenon of Obedience to Authority
  • Analyzing the Effects of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives on Organizational Culture
  • The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination in Contemporary Society
  • Exploring the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Self-Esteem in Adolescents
  • The Impact of Stereotypes on Academic Achievement and Performance
  • Understanding the Psychology of Group Polarization and Its Effects on Decision-Making
  • Investigating the Cognitive Biases in Social Perceptions and Judgment
  • Psychological Explanations for the Formation and Maintenance of Friendships
  • Examining the Effects of Social Isolation on Physical and Mental Health
  • The Role of Social Influence in Shaping Political Beliefs and Ideologies
  • Analyzing the Psychological Processes Involved in Cult Formation and Behavior.     

Social Psychology Topics

  • Understanding Implicit Bias
  • The Psychology of Group Conformity
  • Exploring Altruism and Its Motivations
  • Social Media’s Impact on Self-Esteem
  • The Role of Empathy in Social Interactions
  • Investigating the Bystander Effect
  • Cultural Influences on Attitudes and Behaviors
  • Examining the Psychology of Prejudice
  • The Dynamics of Interpersonal Attraction
  • Unpacking the Effects of Stereotyping in Society
  • Analyzing the Psychology of Obedience to Authority
  • The Influence of Social Support on Mental Health
  • Examining the Psychology of Romantic Relationships
  • Studying the Impact of Social Exclusion on Individuals
  • Exploring the Psychology of Leadership and Influence
  • Investigating the Cognitive Dissonance Theory in Social Behavior
  • Understanding the Effects of Social Comparison and Self-Evaluation
  • The Psychology of Aggression and Its Causes
  • Analyzing the Intersection of Gender and Social Behavior
  • The Role of Persuasion in Social Marketing and Advertising

Educational Psychology Topics

  • Cognitive Development in Childhood Education
  • The Impact of Technology on Learning
  • Motivation and Student Achievement
  • Differentiated Instruction and Its Benefits
  • Understanding Learning Disabilities
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices
  • Social-Emotional Learning in Schools
  • Classroom Management Strategies for Effective Teaching
  • Assessing Student Progress and Achievement
  • Creating Inclusive Learning Environments
  • The Role of Memory in Learning Processes
  • Examining the Effects of Peer Influence on Academic Performance
  • Understanding the Importance of Early Childhood Education
  • Special Education and Individualized Learning Plans
  • Behavioral Interventions for Classroom Discipline
  • Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills in Education
  • Promoting Creativity and Innovation in Learning
  • Impact of Parental Involvement on Academic Success
  • Psychological Factors in Student Motivation
  • Addressing Mental Health in Educational Settings

Developmental Psychology Research Topics

  • Parent-Child Attachment and Its Long-Term Effects
  • Impact of Early Childhood Trauma on Development
  • Adolescence and Identity Formation
  • Cognitive Development in Infancy and Early Childhood
  • Socialization and Peer Influence in Adolescence
  • Gender Development and Its Societal Implications
  • Impact of Parenting Styles on Child Development
  • Aging and Cognitive Functioning
  • Emotional Development in Children and Adolescents
  • Cultural Variations in Developmental Milestones
  • The Influence of Sibling Relationships on Development
  • Effects of Early Nutrition on Long-Term Developmental Outcomes
  • Language Development in Infancy and Early Childhood
  • Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Development
  • Cross-Cultural Studies on Moral Development
  • Understanding Resilience in Children and Adolescents
  • Effects of Divorce on Child Development
  • Attachment Theory and Adult Relationships
  • Cognitive Changes in Older Adulthood
  • The Role of Play in Child Development.

Cognitive Psychology Research Topics

  • Memory Retrieval Processes and Forgetting
  • Decision-making and Cognitive Biases
  • Attention and Its Role in Information Processing
  • Language Acquisition and Cognitive Development
  • Problem-Solving Strategies in Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroplasticity and Brain Function
  • Cognitive Development in Aging Adults
  • Perception and Its Role in Cognitive Processing
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and its Efficacy
  • Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Processes
  • The Role of Emotion in Cognitive Processes
  • Cognitive Development in Early Childhood Education
  • Mental Imagery and its Cognitive Effects
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Cognitive Functioning
  • Cognitive Processes in Learning and Education
  • Decision-Making in a Social Context
  • Cognitive Impairment and Aging-Related Diseases
  • The Influence of Culture on Cognitive Processes
  • Cognitive Rehabilitation and its Efficacy in Brain Injury Patients
  • Cognitive Biases and their Impact on Decision-Making

Experimental Psychology Research Topics

  • Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performance
  • Studying the Influence of Music on Mood
  • Investigating the Impact of Color on Emotions
  • Memory Enhancement Techniques and Their Efficacy
  • Examining the Relationship Between Stress and Health
  • The Psychology of Decision-Making in Risky Situations
  • Understanding the Role of Attention in Perception
  • Exploring the Psychological Effects of Exercise
  • Investigating the Impact of Social Media on Self-Esteem
  • Analyzing the Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Interventions
  • The Influence of Nutrition on Cognitive Functioning
  • Investigating the Effects of Meditation on Brain Activity
  • Psychophysiological Responses to Fear and Anxiety
  • Analyzing the Impact of Virtual Reality on Perception
  • Understanding the Psychology of Addiction and Recovery
  • The Role of Personality in Coping Mechanisms
  • Examining the Impact of Social Support on Mental Health
  • Investigating the Psychological Effects of Chronic Pain
  • Studying the Impact of Exercise on Mental Health
  • Analyzing the Relationship Between Emotions and Decision-Making

Social Psychology Research Topics List

  • Effects of Social Media on Interpersonal Relationships
  • Understanding Group Dynamics and Teamwork
  • The Role of Empathy in Altruistic Behavior
  • Exploring the Impact of Social Isolation on Mental Health
  • Examining Stereotype Threat and Its Consequences
  • Investigating the Influence of Culture on Social Norms
  • Psychological Factors Behind Prejudice and Discrimination
  • Impact of Social Influence on Consumer Behavior
  • The Psychology of Persuasion and Advertising Effects
  • The Psychology of Leadership and Influence
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Social Perception
  • Examining the Dynamics of Online Dating and Relationships
  • Impact of Social Support on Mental Well-being
  • Understanding the Psychology of Aggression and Conflict
  • Exploring the Impact of Socialization on Gender Roles
  • Social Comparison and Its Effects on Self-Esteem
  • Investigating the Psychology of Obedience to Authority
  • The Role of Social Identity in Intergroup Relations
  • Effects of Socialization on Political Beliefs and Ideologies

Research Topics In Psychology For College Students

  • Mental Health Stigma and its Impact on Treatment Seeking
  • The Relationship Between Personality and Academic Performance
  • Impact of Exercise on Mental Well-being and Cognitive Function
  • Examining the Efficacy of Online Therapy Services
  • Effects of Parenting Styles on Child Development and Behavior
  • Role of Resilience in Coping with Adversity and Stress
  • Exploring the Effects of Virtual Reality in Psychological Treatment
  • Psychology of Addiction and Substance Abuse Interventions
  • Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Memory and Emotional Regulation
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Psychological Well-being and Adjustment
  • Investigating the Impact of Social Media Use on Body Image and Self-Esteem
  • Implications of Attachment Theory in Romantic Relationships
  • The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership and Workplace Success
  • Examining the Psychological Effects of Childhood Bullying on Long-Term Well-being
  • Impact of Technology Use on Attention Span and Cognitive Abilities
  • Psychology of Motivation and Goal Setting in Academic Settings
  • Understanding the Psychological Factors Contributing to Procrastination
  • Effects of Parental Involvement on Academic Achievement and Motivation
  • Investigating the Relationship Between Sleep Patterns and Mental Health
  • Exploring the Influence of Gender Identity on Mental Health and Well-being.

Clinical Psychology Research Topics

  • Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Treating Depression
  • Understanding the Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adult Mental Health
  • Role of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Anxiety Management
  • Assessing the Effectiveness of Family Therapy in Resolving Conflicts
  • Psychological Factors Influencing Eating Disorders and Treatment Outcomes
  • Investigating the Benefits of Animal-assisted Therapy in Psychological Treatment
  • Impact of Early Intervention Programs on Child Behavioral Disorders
  • Exploring the Efficacy of Exposure Therapy in Treating Phobias
  • Psychological Assessment Tools for Diagnosing Personality Disorders
  • Role of Psychopharmacology in Managing Mental Health Disorders.
  • The Role of Psychotherapy in Managing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Examining the Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Psychological Factors in Chronic Pain Management and Treatment
  • Impact of Social Support on Recovery from Substance Use Disorders
  • Cognitive Impairment in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Assessment and Intervention
  • Exploring the Psychological Effects of Chronic Illness and Disability
  • Understanding the Relationship Between Sleep Disorders and Mental Health
  • Psychoeducation and its Role in Promoting Mental Health Awareness
  • Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury on Cognitive Function and Emotional Well-being
  • Integrative Approaches in Treating Co-occurring Mental Health Disorders.

Personality Psychology Research Topics

  • The Role of Genetics in Shaping Personality Traits
  • Assessing the Impact of Birth Order on Personality Development
  • Cultural Variations in Expressions of Personality
  • Investigating the Link Between Personality and Career Choice
  • The Relationship Between Personality and Romantic Relationships
  • Exploring the Connection Between Personality and Resilience
  • Gender Differences in Personality and Behavioral Patterns
  • Impact of Trauma on Personality Structure and Functioning
  • Role of Personality in Leadership Styles and Effectiveness
  • Studying the Stability of Personality Traits Across the Lifespan.
  • Exploring the Influence of Parenting Styles on Adolescent Personality Development
  • Personality Assessment Tools and Their Reliability in Clinical Settings
  • The Role of Self-Efficacy in Shaping Personality Traits and Behaviors
  • Understanding the Impact of Cultural Assimilation on Individual Identity and Personality
  • Personality Disorders and Their Effects on Interpersonal Relationships and Functioning
  • Investigating the Influence of Personality on Coping Mechanisms in Stressful Situations
  • Personality and Creativity: Examining the Link and Implications for Innovation
  • Personality Changes in Adulthood and Their Impact on Well-being and Satisfaction
  • Exploring the Relationship Between Personality and Academic Achievement in Students
  • Personality Development in the Digital Age: Effects of Social Media and Online Identity.

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What are the topics related to social psychology for research?

Topics related to social psychology for research include social cognition, prejudice, prosocial behavior, persuasion, and social influence, among others.

What are some good research topics in psychology?

Some good research topics in psychology are cognitive development in childhood education, the effects of social media on interpersonal relationships, the impact of technology on learning, and mental health stigma and its impact on treatment-seeking.

What are four different topics that a social psychologist may study?

Four different topics that a social psychologist may study are group dynamics and teamwork, stereotypes and prejudice, social influence and conformity, and the psychology of interpersonal attraction.

What is an example of research on social psychology?

An example research topic in social psychology could be studying the bystander effect and its implications for understanding human behavior in emergencies.

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  • Undergraduate study
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Psychology BSc

Our accredited course covers the breadth of psychology. Study topics from social, health and clinical psychology, to cognitive and developmental psychology, neuroscience and psychological research methods.

Key details

  • A Levels AAB Other entry requirements
  • UCAS code C800
  • 3 years / Full-time
  • Find out the course fee
  • Optional placement year
  • Study abroad

Explore this course:

Course description.

Students trial virtual reality simulators in the lab

Enrol in this British Psychological Society accredited course and gain the skills and knowledge to understand human behaviour and mental processes.

Your Psychology BSc at Sheffield covers five core areas, giving you a comprehensive understanding of the subject:

  • Social and health psychology
  • Neuroscience and clinical psychology
  • Cognitive psychology
  • Developmental psychology
  • Research methods

Within these five areas you'll get the chance to explore important topics with real world relevance such as addictions, eating disorders and depression. You'll run your own experiments and learn from some of the UK’s top psychology researchers, too.

In the first year of your degree, you'll study fundamental psychology topics, including how memory works, how we interact with others and our environment, and the biology behind human behaviour. In second year, you go even deeper into these core subjects. For example, you’ll learn about eating disorders, how children learn, and why people struggle to follow through with their intentions.

Advanced research methods run through this course like a spine. By the end of year two you’ll know how to use professional statistical analysis software, and how to take ethical considerations into account when designing research projects.

In your final year, you’ll have a wide range of modules to choose from. Whether it's criminal psychology, the psychology of sleep, clinical psychology, or the psychology of eating behaviour and weight management, you can focus on what interests you the most.

You'll also complete an in-depth research project on a topic you've chosen, with access to state-of-the-art psychology research facilities and tools like EEG, eye tracking, or virtual reality. You could even choose to undertake a six-week part-time work placement, making a real contribution to a local community partner.

Why study this course?

  • British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited course - BPS accreditation makes you eligible for graduate membership – the first step to becoming a chartered psychologist, and necessary for courses in clinical, health and occupational psychology.
  • Learn from leading researchers - with 92% of our research rated as world-leading or internationally excellent, studying psychology at Sheffield means you’ll be taught by leading researchers in the field.
  • UK’s number 1 Students' Union - as voted for by students, for the last six years running.

A selection of modules are available each year - some examples are below. There may be changes before you start your course. From May of the year of entry, formal programme regulations will be available in our Programme Regulations Finder .

Choose a year to see modules for a level of study:

In the first year of your degree, you'll study fundamental psychology topics, including how memory works, how we interact with others and our environment, and the biology behind human behaviour. You’ll take modules across the breadth of psychology ranging from developmental psychology and social psychology, to cognitive psychology, neuroscience and clinical psychology. Through your training in psychological research methodology you’ll also be learning how psychological experiments are designed and conducted, and get experience of how to analyse data and present findings.

Core modules:

This module will provide an overview of the fundamentals of social psychology. The module will introduce and explain key theories and research, and their application, for understanding social psychological phenomena. Content is organised around two themes: How people think, and how people feel and behave. The module will include lectures that will provide opportunities to learn how to critically evaluate social psychological research and theories, as well as to describe how social psychology theory can be applied to address real world issues.

This unit provides an overview of core components of cognition, and principles of their investigation. The module covers perception, attention, performance, cognitive neuroscience, language, learning, memory and reasoning. It introduces and explores key concepts, theoretical perspectives and foundational methods. Examples of key studies in cognitive psychology will be considered critically.

This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the key principles within neuroscience and clinical psychology. The module will introduce students to the basic structure and function of the brain, techniques and assessments used within neuroscience and clinical psychology, and an awareness of the ethical issues. The module will cover the aetiology, development, assessment and treatment of specific psychological and neurological disorders. Students will develop their knowledge, skills and understanding by attending lectures, engaging with activities/discussions within the lectures and engaging with the reading for this module.

This module provides an overview of the fundamentals of Developmental Psychology from infancy to adolescence, and into later life. The module introduces concepts of development, including cognitive development, social development, and neurological development. It summarises major developmental changes, and discusses theoretical perspectives underlying developmental research. Examples of key studies in developmental psychology will be considered critically.

This module provides an introduction to the knowledge and skills that underpin the science of psychology. We consider why psychological scientists conduct empirical research the way they do, and how to conduct research in psychological science. Topics span the various stages of the research process, including the logic of hypothesis testing; types of research designs, methodologies, and measurement strategies; descriptive statistics; simple qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques; and critical thinking about published research. Students will develop their knowledge and skills by attending lectures and participating in activities and discussions in workshops and tutorials.

Students will also be able to take 20 credits of optional modules.

In second year, you'll build on your first year studies and explore core psychological topics in greater depth. For example, you’ll learn about eating disorders, how children learn, and why people struggle to follow through with their intentions. You'll gain more advanced research methods skills this year too as you learn how to use professional statistical analysis software, and take ethical considerations into account when designing research projects.

The module continues from the linked first year social psychology module, Social Psychology 1 to cover specific social psychological topics in greater detail and depth. Lectures cover key theories and empirical research in social psychology. Lecture activities provide opportunities for applying social psychological theory and empirical research to explain or solve real world issues.

This unit builds on the overview of core components of cognition established at level 1 (Cognitive Psychology I). The module covers the same broad topics as Cognitive Psychology II - perception, attention, performance, cognitive neuroscience, language, learning, memory and reasoning. It expands on key concepts and introduced additional details of experimental methods and theoretical nuance. Applications of fundamental science are discussed.

This unit will build on the content of Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology I, to provide students with a more in depth understanding of principles within neuroscience and clinical psychology. The module will cover the aetiology, development, assessment and treatment of more complex psychological and neurological disorders. Students will develop and build on their knowledge, skills and understanding by attending lectures, engaging with activities/discussions within the lectures and engaging with the reading for this module.

This module provides an in depth understanding of development from infancy to later life. The module builds on the overview of Developmental Psychology established at level 1 (Developmental Psychology I). The module examines how cognition, language, perception, and social skills develop, as well as considering individual differences in development and developmental disorders. It summarises major developmental changes, and discusses theoretical perspectives underlying developmental research. Examples of key studies in developmental psychology will be considered critically.

This module builds on knowledge and skills developed at Level 1 to introduce more advanced concepts and techniques in research methods and statistics. Topics including research ethics; scale development; questionnaire design; advanced qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques; and critical thinking about published research. Students will develop their knowledge and skills by attending lectures and participating in activities anddiscussions in workshops and tutorials.

In your final year, you’ll have a wide range of modules to choose from. Whether it's criminal psychology, the psychology of sleep, clinical psychology, or the psychology of eating behaviour and weight management, you can focus on the areas within psychology that interest you the most, to support your career goals.

This year offers you another opportunity to put the skills you’ve learnt so far into practice. You'll complete an in-depth research project on a topic you've chosen with access to state-of-the-art psychology research facilities and tools like EEG, eye tracking, or virtual reality. You could even choose to undertake a six-week part-time work placement, making a real contribution to a local community partner.

The extended essay is intended to give students an opportunity to study in some depth a topic of particular interest to them within the subject of Psychology. The topic must be approved by the supervisor. The essay will not entail the student conducting empirical research. Rather, it is intended to provide an opportunity for the student to write critically about a selected area in considerably more depth than is possible in a tutorial essay. The work is presented as a typed essay no longer than 3000 words not including abstract or references. Students will also write a short critical reflection on the resources they have used to write their essay. The reflection will form part of the assignment cover note  submitted with the essay and will be no longer than 500 words. 

The research project is intended to give students an opportunity to investigate a topic in Psychology in depth, by empirical research or computational modelling over two semesters. The topic must be approved by the Level 3 Tutor and the Departmental Ethics Committee.Staff may offer ideas for research project work and/or students are encouraged to develop their own ideas. They are expected to carry out the research themselves, although assistance is given, as appropriate, with equipment, programming or other technical requirements. The completed project is presented as a typed dissertation. There is an 8000 word limit.

Optional modules:

A student will take a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 60 credits from this group.

What is this module about? If you would like to improve your ability to understand and critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of psychology research papers, this module is for you. This module will:1) Provide a clear framework to read and evaluate psychology research papers critically2) Provide direct experience practising critical evaluation in a supportive tutorial environment3) Help you better understand and evaluate the real-world implications of scientific literature Who is this module for?The module aims to make critical evaluation of research papers accessible and interesting for all students - including those who have found it challenging or confusing during Levels 1 and 2. The module will be useful for students interested in applying psychological research to solving real-world problems, science communication, or pursuing further study and research.

This unit provides an overview of the field of cognitive neuroscience, which is aimed at the understanding of the neural mechanisms involved in cognitive processes. Teaching will focus on methods and techniques, and the way in which these techniques have been used to help us understand aspects of cognition. Focus will be on perception, attention, and the neural underpinnings of certain neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum conditions and ADHD. In addition, we will discuss Brain Computer Interfaces and consider practical ways in which cognitive neuroscience techniques are being used in assistive healthcare. A strong focus of the course will be in understanding the way in which EEG is used in Psychology research. The course will include a practical demonstration of EEG and workshops focused on analysing EEG data.

This unit investigates the causes and consequences of conditions affecting cognition and behaviour across the lifespan. It specifically focuses on neurodevelopmental conditions and stroke. For each topic (i.e. for each neurodevelopmental condition covered and for each type of stroke), diagnosis, cognition and behaviour will be discussed. Each condition will also be set in context, explaining the support which may be required, including family support and intervention strategies.

The broad aim of this module is to introduce students to the link between academic evidence and clinical practice when delivering evidence-based psychotherapies. The more specific aim is to introduce principles and practice of cognitive behavioural therapy, as applied to the treatment of eating disorders, linking evidence and practice explicitly. The module will commence with an introduction to cognitive-behavioural models of eating disorders. It will then address the evidence that supports those models and the effectiveness of the therapy overall. Subsequent lectures will introduce and demonstrate therapist skills and impact on patients (e.g., formulation; cognitive restructuring; behavioural experiments; exposure; psychoeducation).

This module will introduce students to the psychological aspects of criminal behaviour. Developmental, social, biological, and genetic perspectives on the origins criminal behaviour will be considered. Different types of crimes, including homicide, crimes against children, crimes committed by gangs, and sexual and intimate partner violence, will be introduced and research in those areas will be critically evaluated. Following lectures, students will engage in independent study to critically evaluate causes of crime and to compare and contrast relevant preventions, using a self-selected case study. The module focuses on important aspects of criminal psychology. No prior knowledge of criminal psychology is assumed.

The aim of the course is to explain current research, both experimental and theoretical, into the brain mechanisms that underlie basic forms of reward processing, associative learning and the formation of episodic memories. The lectures first cover the neural responses to pleasurable stimuli, including drugs of abuse. Next, the main characteristics of classical conditioning are outlined, followed by an account of cerebellar anatomy and physiology: a necessary basis for the evaluation of models of cerebellar function as applied to classical conditioning. Then, the anatomy and physiology of the hippocampus and its involvement in learning and memory will be described. Focus will be on episodic memory and how neural coding in the hippocampus might be used to store and recall memories.

To introduce and explore psychological issues in work settings, examining people's behaviour, thoughts and feelings related to their work. The course also focuses on some key organisational practices and processes, such as training and development, and leadership.

This module will cover key theories and empirical research on the psychology of eating behaviours and weight management. We will consider the main drivers of eating behaviours and strategies to reduce overconsumption, as well as considering effective strategies for weight loss and weight loss maintenance. Throughout the course, we will consider why some individuals are more susceptible to overconsumption and weight gain compared to others. We will also cover the stigma that people with obesity experience and consider stigma-reducing strategies. You will learn about the methods used and the challenges faced by researchers in this area. You will also have the opportunity to apply your learning to inform interventions and/or programmes to promote successful weight management and/or reduce weight stigma. The module will be delivered via lectures.

How do children learn to use language with other people? This is the question addressed by research on pragmatic development. This module will start with some theoretical background on the nature of human language and the definition of pragmatics. It will then introduce you to the series of pragmatic skills acquired during infancy, childhood and adolescence (from prelinguistic communication right up to sarcasm and story-telling). We will finish up by considering individual differences in pragmatic development and atypical developmental trajectories. Throughout the course, we will highlight the research methods used to test pragmatic skills, the learning mechanisms that drive developmental change and the real world applications in computational, educational and clinical domains. The module will be delivered via lectures.

Human behaviour is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, loss of biodiversity, and deforestation. As such, understanding behaviour, and learning how to change it, has the potential to have a significant impact on these issues. This module will provide students with an understanding of how theories and methods used in the behavioural sciences are being used to tackle real-world environmental challenges. Students will use theoretical models of behaviour (e.g., Theory of Planned Behaviour, COM-B) and previous research to understand the barriers and enablers of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour. Students will also evaluate a range of lab- and field-based interventions designed to promote pro-environmental behaviour (e.g., via incentives, fines, and persuasive technologies) and will consider the impact that environmental challenges have on our health and wellbeing (e.g., in the case of eco-anxiety and climate grief).  Through lectures and activity-led workshops students will gain skills in designing and evaluating behaviour change interventions and disseminating research to relevant stakeholders (e.g., by responding to government consultations). This module will also provide students with an overview of the innovative sustainability research taking place within the Department of Psychology here at Sheffield and will demonstrate how psychologists can (and should) collaborate with scientists from other disciplines to avoid unintended negative consequences (i.e., an outcome of an intervention that was not expected, but had a negative impact on the environment) and develop interdisciplinary solutions.

This module will introduce various concepts related to the field of Forensic Psychology, specifically considering what happens after a person has been convicted of a criminal offence. You will learn about different factors that contribute to the rehabilitation and resettlement of people with various conviction types. Example topics might include: post-conviction living environments, offending behaviour treatments, risk considerations, resettlement issues, and desistance from crime. You will learn about these issues for people with various different offence types. The module aims to develop your understanding of topics that are central to reducing reoffending, and aiding people with convictions to live positive, offence-free, lives. 

Managing large datasets is increasingly seen as a key skill by employers both inside and outside of academia. Best practice in this area often borrows from fields such as data engineering, where the ability to write code and understand programming principles is crucial. Students who complete this module will gain an understanding of these principles, and will learn the fundamentals of how to code using R, an approachable open source coding language commonly used in psychology, data science engineering, and  bioinformatics.   This module provides an introduction to processing and managing data sets with R, with a focus on processing data from psychological research. After collecting the data, both students and researchers can be overwhelmed by the huge amount of data and different files and are at risk to get lost in the many steps of preprocessing and analyses. In this module, students will learn how to organise and prepare data for the next steps of analyses. The module will teach fundamental coding principles, and cover how to develop routines for checking the plausibility and quality of data. By the end of the module, students will have acquired the knowledge to write a set of scripts and routines to preprocess empirical data sets from psychological research.

The aim of this module is to provide students with the opportunity to apply their learning from the first 2 years of their Psychology degree by undertaking a six-week part-time placement that would be completed alongside their other third year modules. Students will work alongside local community partners to complete project work that will make a tangible contribution to an organisation, local community, or specific service user groups. This module will enable students to see how a wide variety of professionals from different psychology, health, education, social work, youth work and other backgrounds work together to address the health and well-being of local communities.

The module provides an overview of the neural basis of sleep and the changes in the brain which occur during various stages of the sleep cycle. It will also cover the reasons why we sleep and the functions of sleep, with examples from Cognitive Psychology. In addition to this, some of the most common sleep disorders will be examined, including explanations regarding their underlying aetiology and current available treatments. This module is broad and will make references to different areas of Psychology, including elements of Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive and Health Psychology.

This module will introduce students to controversial issues related to addiction from a psychological perspective. Topics will cover the nature of addiction, its determinants, underlying neurological basis, treatment, and prognosis. During each lecture, the controversial topic will be introduced before relevant evidence is described and critically evaluated. Clinicians and / or service users with direct experience of addiction may contribute to some of these sessions. Topics covered may vary from year to year as new controversies emerge, but are likely to include critical appraisals of the brain disease model of addiction, and the roles of compulsion and habit.

This module aims to increase students' knowledge of clinical psychology in practice. It will familiarise students with a range of treatments and interventions used in clinical psychology and their effectiveness, with an emphasis on current research evidence (where available). The module will concentrate on how therapeutic interventions can be used to alleviate emotional distress and improve functioning in common and complex mental health conditions; along with considering the use of transdiagnostic models where appropriate.

A student will take up to 20 credits from this group.

The module explores understandings about how people learn, and implications that these understandings have for how we conduct key social practices, including teaching, caring for children, assessing learning, and on educating generally. We will also look 'beneath' understandings of learning to the worldviews on which they stand, particularly 'realist' and 'constructivist' positions. This matters because 'realism' and 'constructivism' carry implications for how we conceptualise things we take for granted: the nature of truth, the process and products of science, the basis for ethics, the outcomes of research, and assumptions about what is. The module will explore these challenging issues.

This module will explore the importance of philosophy to the study of education. It covers key moments in the history of Western philosophy, focusing on the question of modernity (What is modernity? What are its ramifications for education?). The module will investigate the consequences of late modernity for present day education, a period in which the aims and purposes of education have become increasingly unclear, leaving education open to the rise of instrumentalism and the forces of capital. Overall the module offers a critique of common assumptions in education, provoking questioning about its nature and purposes.

This module examines a variety of psychoanalytic theories of infant development from birth through infancy and early childhood. These theories include the classical psychoanalytic perspectives of Sigmund Freud, Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott and Jacques Lacan. We also bring in the work of Frantz Fanon, Juliet Mitchell, Donald Winnicott, Herbert Marcuse, Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari to consider the ways in which the concepts and theories of psychoanalysis can be combined with the interests of feminism, anti-racist decolonisation, Marxism and queer theory. The module includes the consideration of the role of play, language and cognitive development on the child's developing understanding of the self and of family relationships. And we will explore the relationship between the psyche, culture and society. There will also be a critical analysis of the methodology that underpins the knowledge presented and students will be encouraged to critically examine the knowledge claims made by the various theories and theorists presented to you throughout the module.

This module will engage you in the current debates and practices of music in education and community settings, from the formal classroom setting and instrumental studio, through the work done by community support groups, to more recreational musical practice in the community. Questions of music's place in the curriculum, the relationship between school and home music, and the challenges of providing a vibrant musical education for all people, will be addressed in lectures and discussions. You will work in mentored groups to investigate and support community music-making or school-based music education in Sheffield, building your skills as a researcher, and learning about career options including teaching, delivering and managing music provision for young people and vulnerable adults. You will finish the module knowing more about music and its contribution to education and society, through your critical reflection on published research evidence, and through school and community fieldwork visits.

This module will introduce students to some contemporary issues in social philosophy.

This module examines welfare state support and services for children, parents and families, informed by sociological and social policy theories, concepts and research. Adopting a comparative approach, the module critically reviews different approaches to, and configurations of, welfare state support and services for children, parents and families across the UK and Western/Northern European welfare states. Four policy and provision domains are examined, namely cash support for children and families; childcare and early years' services; parental leave and work-family balance policies; and child welfare and family support services.

This module covers the adult function and functional development of the auditory system, including sensory transduction and information processing. It will focus primarily on the periphery but will include representation of information in central pathways, with attention to mammalian animal models. The aims will be to show how physiological and developmental mechanisms combine to create the exquisite structural and functional tuning of the auditory system to the external world and how complex sensory information is encoded in the nervous system.

In Education@Sheffield students are invited to explore and evaluate the rich and diverse research taking place within the School of Education. Through a series of seminars presented by active researchers, students are encouraged to critically engage with research - and the researchers themselves - in the fields of educational and childhood studies. The Education@Sheffield module enables students to acquire a critical understanding of various themes, settings and methodologies which shape contemporary educational research.

This module considers the extent to which education might be viewed as a global context with a shared meaning. Moving outwards from the dominant concepts, principles and practices which frame 'our own' national, or regional responses to education, the module explores other possible ways of understanding difference. By examining 'other ways of seeing difference', in unfamiliar contexts, students are able to examine the implications of globalisation for education and explore the opportunities and obstacles for the social justice agendas within a range of cultural settings.

The module will examine recent and current research into human neurodegenerative disease including Huntington's, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and motor neuron disease. In addition, reference may be made to the spongiform encephalopathies, frontal dementias and Lewy body disease, with emphasis on their inter-relationships and commonalities. The genetic and non-genetic aetiological influences, defining pathology and pathophysiology and current understanding of the underlying biology will be examined by a detailed consideration of current research in these areas. The module will also include discussion of the prevention and treatment of the diseases, highlighting possible therapies which may be useful in several pathologies.

This module will introduce you to theories, empirical investigations and applications of music psychology relevant to everyday life. You will learn about the diverse uses of music in everyday situations, which may include personal, communal and commercial settings. The reasons for music use in these situations are explored and possible explanations of music's ability to support functions are critically reviewed, including social, emotional, personal, educational and commercial impacts. The module will be delivered through lectures, group discussions, and small research projects.

This course provides an in-depth look at a selection of issues in contemporary philosophy of psychology. Philosophy of psychology is concerned with such questions as : What is the structure and organisation of the human mind? Is the mind one big homogenous thing, or is it made up of smaller interacting components? If it has components, what sort are they and how are they interrelated? What aspects of our minds are uniquely, or distinctively human? What is the cognitive basis for such capacities as our capacity for language, rationality, science, mathematics, cultural artefacts, altruism, cooperation, war, morality and art? To what extent are the concepts, rules, biases, and cognitive processes that we possess universal features of all human beings and to what extent are they culturally (or otherwise) variable? Do infants (non-human) animals, and individuals with cognitive deficits have minds, and if so, what are they like? To what extent are these capacities learned as opposed to innately given? How important is evolutionary theory to the study of the mind? What is the Self? What are concepts? Is all thought conceptual? Is all thought conscious? What is consciousness? This course will discuss a selection of these and related issues by looking at the work of philosophers, psychologists, and others working within the cognitive sciences more generally.

Affective states like pain, pleasure, and emotions have a profound bearing on the meaning and quality of our lives. Chronic pain can be completely disabling, while insensitivity to pain can be fatal. Analogously, a life without pleasure looks like a life of boredom, but excessive pleasure seeking can disrupt decision-making. In this module, we will explore recent advances in the study of the affective mind, by considering theoretical work in the philosophy of mind as well as empirical research in affective cognitive science. These are some of the problems that we will explore: Why does pain feel bad? What is the relation between pleasure and happiness? Are emotions cognitive states? Are moral judgments based on emotions? Can we know what other people are feeling?

This course examines the relationship of moral theory and moral psychology. We discuss the relationship of science and ethics, examine the nature of self-interest, altruism, sympathy, the will, and moral intuitions, explore psychological arguments for and against familiar moral theories including utilitarianism, virtue ethics, deontology and relativism, and confront the proposal that understanding the origins of moral thought 'debunks' the authority of ethics. In doing so, we will engage with readings from historical philosophers, including Hobbes, Butler, Hume, Smith, Kant, Mill, Nietzsche and Moore, as well as contemporary authors in philosophy and empirical psychology.

New technologies and new scientific knowledge make powerful claims about `human nature’ that are reconstructing how we understand ourselves. At the same time, they also give us new potential to reshape our bodies and brains. This module aims to critically engage with these developments using concepts from a number of sociological traditions. Can biology tell us anything meaningful about social interaction or racial and gendered differences, or about ability and disability? What are the criteria by which we determine ‘the human’ and who decides what these shall be? Does our psychology have an evolutionary basis? How are the boundaries between humans and machines changing? What is the human impact on the environment? Should we use new technologies to enhance ourselves? The module will provide students with the opportunities and tools to grapple with these and other important questions.

The module builds on the study undertaken in year one and two of the programme (NURU 146) and will explore the challenges facing health in the 21st century in greater depth. Topics covered will include: commissioning and the potential risks to service delivery, the personalisation and self directed support agenda, persisting health inequalities, economic pressures, management of scarce resources, demographic challenges, health promotion strategy in hard to reach groups, the need for evidence based interventions and their cost implications, consumerism and the market in health care.

The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.

Learning and assessment

We use a range of teaching methods to make sure that our undergraduate students get the skills and knowledge that every psychologist needs. You'll learn through lectures, small group tutorials and workshops, practical sessions in the lab and research projects.

We use a range of teaching methods to make sure that you get the skills and knowledge that every psychologist needs. You'll learn through lectures, small group tutorials and workshops, practical sessions and research projects.

Throughout the course you will be assessed through a variety of methods including exams, tests and coursework.

Programme specification

This tells you the aims and learning outcomes of this course and how these will be achieved and assessed.

Find programme specification for this course

Entry requirements

With Access Sheffield , you could qualify for additional consideration or an alternative offer - find out if you're eligible .

  • Standard offer
  • Access Sheffield offer

The A Level entry requirements for this course are: AAB including a science subject

Routes for mature students

Science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology, or Statistics

GCSE Maths grade 6/B

The A Level entry requirements for this course are: ABB including a science subject

You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification

Equivalent English language qualifications

Visa and immigration requirements

Other qualifications | UK  and EU/international

If you're an international student who does not meet the entry requirements for this course, you have the opportunity to apply for an International Foundation Year in Business, Social Sciences and Humanities  or Science and Engineering  at the University of Sheffield International College . These courses are designed to develop your English language and academic skills. Upon successful completion, you can progress to degree level study at the University of Sheffield.

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the department .

Graduate careers

Department of psychology.

A psychology degree will put you in an excellent position for many jobs in the private or public sector. Many of our graduates go on to be Clinical Psychologists, IAPT practitioners or train in the NHS.

Our degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society, and covers all the topics and training that you need to complete the first steps towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

Our graduates work in human resources, market research, advertising, sales, social work, nursing and teaching. They also enter professions such as clinical, health or occupational psychology, usually after postgraduate training. Some of our graduates continue to a PhD to follow a psychology research career.

Charlotte Naylor - Psychology student

I'm now one step closer to becoming a qualified Educational Psychologist

Studying psychology helped Charlotte realise that she wanted to pursue a career in this field. Thanks to her experience at Sheffield and related work experience, Charlotte is now studying for a Doctorate of Applied Educational Psychology which will allow her to qualify as an Educational Psychologist after three years.

Chloe Saunders new

My placement year with IBM helped me to secure a place on their graduate scheme

After gaining valuable work experience within IBM's Human Resources Business Development team thanks to a year-long placement during her psychology degree, Chloe secured a place on IBM's graduate programme, working as a Business Transformation Consultant, analysing customer data to create artificial intelligence solutions.

Olivia Swarbrick

I get to learn something new every day in my job

Olivia works at consultancy giant, Deloitte as an Oracle Human Capital Management Consultant. Thanks to the research skills she gained at Sheffield, Olivia is able to stay on top of the latest customer trends to be able to come up with the best solutions.

topics for research paper in social psychology

Our teaching is informed by cutting-edge scientific research, which ranges from neuroscience through to child development and understanding why psychological therapies are effective. All of this has an impact on wider society.

Our work explores health and wellbeing, lifestyle choices, cognitive behavioural therapy, safe driving, mother-baby interaction, autism, Parkinson's disease, and reducing prejudice and inequality.

Department of Psychology students are based at Cathedral Court in the heart of Sheffield city centre, where you'll find our state-of-the-art computer lab, seminar rooms, tutorial rooms and social space.

We're within easy walking distance of all of the main University of Sheffield facilities, including the Information Commons, the Diamond, and our award-winning Students' Union.

We have a suite of newly-refurbished testing cubicles where you can use computer stimulus presentation software to run experiments as part of your own mini projects. You can access a range of tools for testing participants in your third year research project. This includes eye-tracking technology used in perception studies, our state-of-the-art EEG suite for measuring brain activity, biomimetic robots, motion capture equipment and a virtual reality suite.

Why choose Sheffield?

The university of sheffield.

  Number one in the Russell Group National Student Survey 2023 (based on aggregate responses)

  92 per cent of our research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent Research Excellence Framework 2021

  Top 50 in the most international universities rankings Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023

  Number one Students' Union in the UK Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

  Number one for teaching quality, Students' Union and clubs/societies StudentCrowd 2023 University Awards

  A top 20 university targeted by employers The Graduate Market in 2023, High Fliers report

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Student profiles

Photo of Bryony Lucas at graduation

I found the huge range of content that we've covered on the course really interesting

Bryony loved the wide variety of content, covering all the different areas of psychology that she was able to study at Sheffield. By gaining this exposure, Bryony was confident in choosing the modules she would enjoy the most when it came to specialising in third year.

Katrina Bennett

Spending a year on placement gave me a great taste of the world of work

Katrina chose to spend a year on a work placement as part of her psychology degree, working as a Research Assistant for Hampshire County Council attached to the Educational Psychology department. Although Katrina's career path has changed since then, the work experience she gained proved invaluable in building her confidence to join the world of work.

A profile photo of Kurt Armstrong

My course gave me the understanding of the subject that underpins my work now as an Assistant Psychologist

During his second year, Kurt did a paid placement with the Sheffield Autism Research Lab (ShARL). The experience he gained on this placement fuelled his passion for the subject and gave him invaluable experience for a future career in research and clinical psychology

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Fee status help

Additional costs

The annual fee for your course includes a number of items in addition to your tuition. If an item or activity is classed as a compulsory element for your course, it will normally be included in your tuition fee. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.

Examples of what’s included and excluded

Funding your study

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience.

Use our Student Funding Calculator to work out what you’re eligible for.

Placements and study abroad

University open days.

We host five open days each year, usually in June, July, September, October and November. You can talk to staff and students, tour the campus and see inside the accommodation.

Open days: book your place

Subject tasters

If you’re considering your post-16 options, our interactive subject tasters are for you. There are a wide range of subjects to choose from and you can attend sessions online or on campus.

Upcoming taster sessions

Offer holder days

If you've received an offer to study with us, we'll invite you to one of our offer holder days, which take place between February and April. These open days have a strong department focus and give you the chance to really explore student life here, even if you've visited us before.

Campus tours

Our weekly guided tours show you what Sheffield has to offer - both on campus and beyond. You can extend your visit with tours of our city, accommodation or sport facilities.

Campus tour: book your place

The awarding body for this course is the University of Sheffield.

Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database .

Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.

Our student protection plan

Terms and Conditions upon Acceptance of an Offer

Russell Group

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