An introduction to social psychology

Within the realm of psychology, social psychology is concerned with how the behaviour and thoughts of an individual are influenced by the social contexts that they are in, i.e. other people and groups around them. This course explores a number of differing contexts (small groups and crowds) and examines whether anything that humans do is free of 'the social'.

Course details

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Start Date

12 Jul 2026

Duration

5 Sessions over one week

End Date

18 Jul 2026

Application Deadline

28 Jun 2026

Location

International Summer Programme

Code

W15Am33

Tutors

Dr John Lawson

Director of Studies in Human, Social & Political Science and Psychological & Behavioural Sciences, Girton College; Research Associate, Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge; Senior Lecturer in Psychology Oxford Brookes.

Aims

This course aims to:

give you an understanding of what social psychology is and how it is distinct from other forms of psychology
make you aware of the many different forms of social context that are examined in social psychology
help you appreciate the extent to which individual behaviour and thought are influenced by these social contexts

Course content

This course is designed as a general introduction to social psychology and focuses on how differing kinds of social contexts influence human thought and behaviour. The contexts to be considered reflect the wide range of ways in which ‘the social’ can manifest in our daily lives. We begin by exploring how being in a crowd influences the individual before refocussing onto small group interactions. The focus then shifts onto the use of non-verbal communication in, typically, dyadic interactions. The final topic will examine how these different kinds of context actually shape and influence who we are. The specific topics have been chosen to give a broad ‘taste’ of the wide range of issues that social psychologists study. Aside from examining specific topics within the discipline, the course will also explore how social psychology has developed in methodological and historical terms over the last century.

What to expect on this course

The five sessions will involve lecture presentation of material but will involve a high degree of group discussion and debate.

Course sessions

What is social psychology?
Crowd psychology
Small group dynamics
Non-verbal communication
The social ‘self’

Learning outcomes

As a result of the course, you will gain a greater understanding of the subject and you should be able to:

gain an understanding of what social psychology is and how it is distinct from other forms of psychology
become aware of the many different forms of social context that are examined in social psychology
appreciate the extent to which individual behaviour and thought are influenced by these social contexts

Required reading

There is no required reading for this course. See Course materials for supplementary reading once registered.