5. Describe the current trends in social psychology today.
ANS:
There are at least five identifiable trends in social psychology presently. First, there is a move to integrate cognition (the “cold” side of the field) with emotion and motivation (the “hot” side of the field) to promote better understanding of how these two sides function together. Second, the role of biology and evolutionary perspectives has increasing importance in the field. This is no doubt fueled by the development of technologies that allow better study of the links between biological and social processes. In fact, technology and its role in our lives represents a third trend in the field. Technology has not only increased the ability of social psychologists to collaborate more widely across the globe, but has also created new content areas of study--do social processes operate similarly online as they do “live”? A fourth trend is influenced by technological advancement--the elevation of the importance of understanding culture in social processes. Being able to collaborate with others around the world has heightened social psychologists’ ability to engage in cross-cultural research. Finally, there is an increasing move in the field toward interdisciplinary areas of study such as embodied cognition or behavioral economics. These sorts of areas integrate previously disparate fields into a more coherent picture of human social experience.
REF: Social Psychology in a New Century: What Is Trending Today?