Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Social psychology
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all of the psychological variables that are measurable in a human being. The reference to imagined or implied others suggests that we are prone to social influence even when no other people are present, such as when watching television, or following internalized cultural norms. The study of attitudes is a core topic in social psychology. Attitudes are involved in virtually every other area of the discipline, including conformity, interpersonal attraction, social perception, and prejudice.
Social psychologists typically explain human behavior as a result of the interaction of mental states and immediate, social situations. In general, social psychologists have a preference for laboratory based, empirical findings. Their theories tend to be specific and focused, rather than global and general.
Related Stories
1
2
Mind & Brain News
November 4, 2026
Nov. 3, 2026 A new study suggests that ultra-processed foods may influence children's developing brains in ways that encourage weight gain. Researchers from USC studied 46 children ages 7 to 10 and found that those who ate more ultra-processed foods showed ...
Nov. 2, 2026 Scientists have discovered that a drug originally developed for spinal cord injuries can tackle several key features of Alzheimer’s disease, including DNA damage and inflammation. Already tested ...
Nov. 2, 2026 A surprising discovery suggests that rejuvenating the liver could help protect against Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. USC researchers found that an experimental drug restored aging liver ...
Nov. 2, 2026 A major 24-year study involving more than 8,200 adults suggests that excess body weight may accelerate brain aging, leading to faster declines in memory, concentration, and decision-making skills. The connection was particularly strong among people ...
Nov. 1, 2026 A major new review challenges the growing enthusiasm for medical cannabis as an insomnia treatment, finding little reliable evidence that it improves sleep quality, sleep duration, or daytime ...
Nov. 1, 2026 A surprising new study suggests that eating peanuts every day could help support brain health and memory in older adults. Researchers found that consuming about two servings of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts daily for 16 weeks improved insulin ...
Nov. 1, 2026 A UCLA study found that long-term exposure to a common pesticide was linked to more than 2.5 times the risk of Parkinson's disease. Scientists also uncovered how the chemical damages brain cells and identified a promising way to protect ...
Nov. 1, 2026 Scientists at the University of Virginia have developed a promising new strategy to fight glioblastoma, one of the deadliest and most difficult-to-treat forms of brain cancer. Their experimental approach combines focused ultrasound, tiny ...
Oct. 30, 2026 A major international study found that a simple blood test could help predict Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline years before symptoms appear, with the highest-risk individuals facing a 38% ...
Oct. 29, 2026 A surprising discovery at UC San Diego suggests that chronic lower back pain may become deeply embedded in the brain's sense of personal identity. Researchers found that movement-triggered pain activates a brain network associated with ...
Oct. 29, 2026 Scientists have identified a weakened brain signal that may connect several seemingly unrelated symptoms of schizophrenia, including sensory processing difficulties, disorganized speech, and greater symptom severity. The surprising discovery could ...
Oct. 29, 2026 A study of nearly 13,000 adults found that people consuming the most artificial sweeteners experienced a 62% faster decline in memory and thinking skills, equivalent to approximately 1.6 additional years of brain aging. Six popular sweeteners were ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
Nov. 4, 2026 Scientists propose that the brain’s mysterious cross-wiring, which connects each hemisphere to the opposite side of the body, may have originated ...
Nov. 3, 2026 A surprising new discovery suggests that fear may cause the brain to blur the line between danger and safety rather than distinguish them more clearly. By observing brain activity in mice using ...
Nov. 3, 2026 A massive new study reveals that intelligence plays a surprisingly limited role in children's reading success, while visual processing showed no meaningful connection at all. Instead, the strongest ...
Oct. 29, 2026 Getting more daylight could be linked to a surprisingly powerful benefit for brain health. In a study of more than 87,000 adults, researchers found that higher daytime light exposure was associated ...
Oct. 28, 2026 Researchers have discovered a small group of brain cells that prevents dangerous blood pressure swings, even when average readings appear normal. The finding reveals a hidden source of cardiovascular ...
Oct. 27, 2026 A major new study reveals that autistic children’s brains process faces differently, and those differences may begin earlier than scientists previously thought. Researchers found that brain signals ...
Oct. 27, 2026 Why do some people stay mentally sharp even when their brains show signs of Alzheimer’s disease? Scientists in the Netherlands may have uncovered ...
Oct. 26, 2026 Mayo Clinic scientists have uncovered surprising new insights into “zombie cells,” aging cells that linger in the body and contribute to ...
Oct. 25, 2026 A common, inexpensive medication could hold an unexpected clue to preventing dementia. Researchers found that older adults with a specific genetic profile had a 70% lower relative risk of dementia ...
Oct. 25, 2026 For nearly a century, people in distant parts of the world have reported a bizarre experience after eating certain wild mushrooms: seeing dozens or even hundreds of tiny, colorful humans moving ...