Social Psychology

This authoritative introduction to the science of social psychology constitutes a high-quality review of the social and social-cognitive processes pertaining to how people perceive and influence other individuals and other groups. Introducing fundamental axioms and core motivational and processing principles to the study of individuals and groups, the book bridges the boundaries between different traditions on how to approach the exciting discipline of social psychology. In this way, the book is a true invitation to the fascinating study of human social behavior and its underlying psychological processes.

--Kees van den Bos, Professor of Social Psychology Including the Social Psychology of Organizations and

Professor of Empirical Legal Science, Utrecht University

I have been using this Social Psychology textbook since its first edition. Why? Because it is simply the best. It is thoughtful while still being fascinating. It covers classic research while still being completely up-to-date on new discoveries. It emphasizes ideas while still appreciating the research behind them. And, most important to me, it organizes social psychology in terms of the basic principles that underlie multiple phenomena at the personal, interpersonal, and group levels. Not easy to do...and brilliantly done.

--E. Tory Higgins, Stanley Schachter Professor of Psychology and Professor of Business, Columbia University

This is a book not just for students of social psychology, or of the wider discipline of psychology: it is, rather, a book that speaks to students and practitioners in any field or profession concerned with our social interactions and identities. More than simply an academic textbook, it forms a clear and accessible applied guide for negotiating the complexities of the social world around us. In this new edition, Smith, Mackie and Claypool have continued to build their substantive and cohesive account of social psychology that brings together a range of classic experiments and theories with the most up-to-date research in the field.

--Thomas Grimwood, Program Leader for MA in Social Work, University of Cumbria

I've used the previous versions of this textbook for years and I think this is an excellent introduction to social psychology. The book offers an integrative approach throughout the chapters that connects them to one another, rather than treating the various research areas of social psychology as disparate and unrelated. In contrast to many other textbooks, the Smith, Mackie, and Claypool textbook pays homage to the work of social psychologists across the globe and contains a separate chapter on social identity. This new edition has been updated and includes recent developments in the field of social psychology. I highly recommend this textbook.

--Arjan Bos, Associate Professor of Psychology, Open University, the Netherlands