The psychology studies human behavior. Our behavior is related to three dimensions: inherited genetic traits, the personal circumstances of our direct surroundings and, finally, the social context that each individual experiences . Social psychology is the branch of psychology that studies the links between individuals and society.
Our emotions, ideas and behavior cannot be dissociated from the society in which we live. Human beings form communities and our individual mindsets can only be explained within a general framework, society. Social psychology as a discipline has links with other areas of knowledge, such as sociology and anthropology.
Social psychology has several applications and among them stand out the work environment, the educational system and the world of sport
In most professional activities, workers perform functions with other individuals. In this sense, there is the psychology of work. In this specific area, issues such as group cohesion, leadership, communication , the role of employees within their group, etc. are analyzed . Social Psychology
In the school environment, children are integrated into a level of socialization.
Because of this there is a specific area: educational psychology. In this area, all types of variables are studied: the relationship between students and their school environment, group analysis, verbal and non-verbal communication between teachers and students, leadership, atmosphere generated in the classroom, etc.
The sport is more than a set of physical activities. In fact, many sports are social phenomena that mobilize millions of people. It should be noted that sport is part of the educational process of socialization of individuals, on the other hand, many sports fulfill social functions of all kinds (in some countries, football plays an important role in everyday social relations ). Social Psychology
Social agents can transform reality
On an individual level, it is possible to change habits or attitudes so that we can better adapt to the environment in which we live. Something similar happens on the collective plane. When a large group of individuals disagrees with a reality , their joint action can change the course of what seemed undesirable or unfair. Social Psychology
Gandhi’s followers who protested against British colonialism won their country’s independence, just as people affected by mortgage conditions managed to change laws in some countries.
These two examples remind us of an evident fact: there is a collective behavior with which it is feasible to drive social change.
