PSYC 320 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Personality Psychology, Kurt Lewin, Stopwatch

• School: American River College
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 320
• Professor: Mitchell

Document Summary

How individuals behave differently when alone verses when in groups. Ways in which other people, for example family, close friends, and the greater society, influence our attitudes, values and beliefs. The influence of others on our thought process. Culture: beliefs, customs, habits, and language share by the people living in a particular time and place. Social psychologists look at cultural influences on the individual. How do factors such as social norms, fads, and social classes influence the individual living in a particular society. Sociology looks at social behavior and influence using the group itself as its unit of study, while the social psychologist always focuses their attention on the individual. Sociologists and social psychologists are looking at similar topics from different perspectives. Both can help in understanding societal and immediate factors that influence behavior. Personality psychologists focus on individual traits, characteristics, and thoughts. Personality psychologists emphasize cross-situational and cross-temporal consistency and the power of the individual.