Discovering the Self – How do we perceive ourselves and our interactions with others?

According to Feenstra (2011):
“Social psychologists investigate how we view
ourselves and others, how we interact with others, how we influence others, and
how we act when we are part of a group. Given the amount of time each of us
spends thinking about and interacting with the people we encounter every day,
much of our lives are spent with the subject matter of social
psychology.”(p.22)

This is a formal research paper and must be eight to
ten pages in length.  Imagine that this paper will be used as a reference for
individuals who are completely unfamiliar with social psychology principles.
This paper will provide them with an overview of the field, and explain the key
principles associated with its practice.

Include the following components
in your research paper:

1.   Discovering the Self – How do we
perceive ourselves and our interactions with others?

a.   Self-concept, awareness, and self-schemas

b.   The acting self
c.   Self-esteem and
self-efficacy
2.   Thinking About Others – What
judgments do we make about other people?

a.   Attributions: internal, external, explanatory
style
b.   Attitudes and behavior
c.   Prejudice,
stereotypes, discrimination
3.   Influencing Others:
Persuasion – How do we use the power of persuasion?

a.   Persuasion techniques
b.   Characteristics
of the persuader, message, audience
4.   Influencing
Others: Obedience and Conformity – What factors lead us to conform and become
obedient?

a.   Aggressive behavior and aggression cues
b.
Prosocial behavior
c.   Relationship building, love, and
attraction
5.   Group Dynamics – What are elements of a
group?

a.   Types of groups
b.   Consequences of
Groupthink
c.   Social dilemmas
After addressing
the components above, reflect on the future of social psychology. Given the
immense changes that our society is experiencing (both nationally and
internationally), what do you predict will occur in the field of social
psychology? What ground-breaking new research do you anticipate?

The
Final Paper must be eight to ten pages in length (excluding the title page,
reference page, and any appendices) and it must follow APA format, as outlined
in the Ashford Writing Center.   The Final Paper will demonstrate accomplishment
of course learning outcomes through critical analysis of theory and
research.