Social Psychology
The study of the effects of social and cognitive processes on the way individuals perceive, influence, understand and relate to others.
Humans are social beings and influence each other whether those ‘others’ are physically present or not. Social psychology is the scientific study of the effects of social and cognitive processes on the way individuals perceive, influence, understand and relate to others. The interactions between the individual and his or her environment, and the cyclical influences between them are of key importance.
The Social Psychology Group uses many different research techniques (from laboratory experimental to critical/discourse) to understand the relationship between the individual and his or her environment. Research areas include:
- person perception and group perception (stereotypes)
- causal attributions - folk psychology
- risk judgments
- social identity and intergroup relations
- attitude structure and function
- environmental psychology and conservation behaviour
- personality and social values
- political and feminist psychology
- gender and language
- subjective well-being and positive psychology
- social interaction
- the self
- judgment and decision-making
- the social psychology of language and discourse
- social cognitive and affective neuroscience
- romantic relationships
Staff
The following staff work in this research area:
Professor of Psychology
School of Psychology
Senior Lecturer
School of Psychology
Professor of Psychology
School of Psychology
Emeritus Professor
School of Psychology
Senior Lecturer in Methods and Statistics
School of Psychology
Professor of Psychology
School of Psychology

John McClure
John McClure
Emeritus Professor
School of Psychology
Lecturer
School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies
Director, Cross Cultural Programme
School of Psychology
Professor of Psychology
School of Psychology
Acting Dean of Science
Wellington Faculty of Science
Labs
The following labs (research groups) are associated with this research area: