Book Description

"The present Introduction to Social Psychology represents an attempt at a more synthetic type of treatment of the field than has ordinarily been given. It seems to the writer that the time has arrived when "schools" of social psychology may properly be regarded as obsolete and the subject as a whole may be presented systematically. In a sense social psychology overlaps a very large portion of social science and of psychology and education. In this respect it is central to all psychological and social science disciplines. This fact necessarily renders the content of social psychology voluminous. It is no longer possible to treat this subject adequately in small compass. The text-books which have so far appeared, although for the most part excellent from their several viewpoints, are nevertheless but partial treatments. So notably true is this that there exists a marked controversy as to what properly constitutes social psychology. In Part I of this volume an attempt has been made to bring this controversy into relief for the purpose of enabling the reader to see the subject as a whole. Originally the writer intended to publish this volume in five parts to make the synthetic treatment more pronounced. But the length of the volume as thus planned was prohibitive and it was decided to change the plan somewhat. The synthetic character of the treatment has been retained, but the detailed presentation of the process of the development of personality and of self and social consciousness has been reserved for a second volume. The present volume treats the subject from the standpoint of the more objective factors which integrate the personality and its responses in a social environment. Throughout it has been the intention of the writer, not only to make the treatment complete in itself, but to keep the presentation on such a level that the volume can be used successfully as a second book in social theory, following directly upon the introductory course in sociology in departments sociology. If the approach to the social sciences is a psychological one, the organization of this volume should make it available as an introduction to the first course in sociology, economics, politics, and more advanced courses in history and literature, in those departments which care to use it in this way. That social psychology will ultimately be regarded as a necessary introduction to the several social sciences and the literatures can scarcely be doubted. While the present volume is intended for undergraduate students, it is hoped that it may also be used profitably in more advanced courses in combination with the more extended treatment of the subjective aspects of personality development later to be published"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).