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Review
"This is an outstanding textbook that reflects the place, diversity and relevance of social psychology as a discipline with a unique approach to understanding human social behaviour, as it shapes events, trends and problems in the world we live in. It masterfully combines theoretical analysis, empirical proof and real–world pertinence to offer a deep, cutting–edge perspective on a vital, burgeoning and dynamic field of social science."
Arie W. Kruglanski, University of Maryland
"In this fourth edition of their successful textbook the editors have brought together 22 prominent European social psychologists to provide an introduction to social psychology which is both reader–friendly and intellectually challenging. I particularly liked its genuine international approach, balancing European ideas and research with those from elsewhere in the world."
Rupert Brown, University of Sussex
Arie W. Kruglanski, University of Maryland
"In this fourth edition of their successful textbook the editors have brought together 22 prominent European social psychologists to provide an introduction to social psychology which is both reader–friendly and intellectually challenging. I particularly liked its genuine international approach, balancing European ideas and research with those from elsewhere in the world."
Rupert Brown, University of Sussex
"Over the past two decades, Introduction to Social Psychology has become a classic in European universities and beyond. Its fourth edition takes a big leap forward as not only is it extended by three more chapters, it has also raised its didactic standards to the highest levels of the American counterparts. Colourful illustrations, summaries, biographies of “pioneers” and other new features have further improved the readability and fun that comes with browsing through its chapters. Highly recommended!"
Fritz Strack, University of Wurzburg
Review
"This is an outstanding textbook that reflects the place, diversity and relevance of social psychology as a discipline with a unique approach to understanding human social behaviour, as it shapes events, trends and problems in the world we live in. It masterfully combines theoretical analysis, empirical proof and real-world pertinence to offer a deep, cutting-edge perspective on a vital, burgeoning and dynamic field of social science." Arie W. Kruglanski, University of Maryland "In this fourth edition of their successful textbook the editors have brought together 22 prominent European social psychologists to provide an introduction to social psychology which is both reader-friendly and intellectually challenging. I particularly liked its genuine international approach, balancing European ideas and research with those from elsewhere in the world." Rupert Brown, University of Sussex "Over the past two decades, Introduction to Social Psychology has become a classic in European universities and beyond. Its fourth edition takes a big leap forward as not only is it extended by three more chapters, it has also raised its didactic standards to the highest levels of the American counterparts. Colourful illustrations, summaries, biographies of "pioneers" and other new features have further improved the readability and fun that comes with browsing through its chapters. Highly recommended!" Fritz Strack, University of Wurzburg
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Hewstone and Sroebe have succeeded in creating a book that few others will ever dream of achieving: A fully comprehensive, accessible, informative, insightful and interesting book that covers the field that is social psychology! This book is an absolute must for anyone who is studying social psychology at undergraduate level.
As a second year psychology undergraduate, I have found this book 100% invaluable, one of my best book-shelf investments! The book aims to cover a wide body of research, whilst imparting important detail that will help to score major brownie points in essays and exams that you may have to take as part of your course. It seems that this is the stuff examiners and tutors are looking for! The book also includes an utterly indispensable glossary that is particularly useful for revision, and essay writing. Whilst it is quick to read, it does not gloss over any of the important detail, and it provides good objective criticisms to a lot of ingenious, yet ambiguous research.
If you feel that you are looking for a book that supplements the reading of journal articles, then this is also a great buy, as it makes for an excellent book to refer to.
Introduction to Social Psychology seems more like a detailed, encompassing and comprehensive review than an ‘introduction’. The main sections on Social Interaction and Personal Relationships, and Social Groups are particularly interesting. The introduction also provides a section on the methodology used in the field of social psychology. This is imparts a wonderfully valuable tool in which one can constructively criticise research already carried out, as well as aiding in the construction of experiments and research projects.
One important aspect to remember with this book is that Hewstone and Stroebe are two of the most distinguished social psychologists around today, and as such, they are definitely men worth listening to!
.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is different to most social psychology textbooks.
First: It puts depth before readability. If you're confident about the basics, or good at academic reading, it'll give you loads to think about. It won't help you understand the core basics as easily as other books.
What worked for me was to first skim through something colourful and readable (like 'Psychology' by Gleitman or Gross, or any American or British Social Psychology textbook) to get my head around a topic, then bring out this book to get a deeper and broader picture so that I'd know what to be looking out for in journals.
Second: It's European in style. The vast majority of social psychology textbooks are American in style.
In my experience (esp. comparing this book to others), the two are identical but for one difference in approach. European soc.psy. assumes that, for anything a person does, that person's social life and social norms passively influence what they do. American (US & Canada) soc.psy. is constantly surprised to find that, for anything a person does, that person's social life and social norms passively influence what they do. It tends to either leave that stuff out, or treat each example of it as a curious anomaly.
As a result, topics in American soc.psy. tend to be clearer, more crisp, and to seem better developed and more scientific. Quite often however, this is because half the picture is missing, or because it's really just one example of something quite simple and general, dressed in technical language. European soc.psy. has these problems too, but very much less so. As a result, it's deeper and more human, and generalises better, but feels a lot more wooley, vague and imprecise.
British social psychology tends to be about half way between the two, often leaning a little more towards American. If you're a UK student this book is therefore really useful as a fresh angle on fairly familiar material.
Bottom line: I'd say:-
****
Buy this if you're a keen, motivated, interested psychology student, or an interested academic. It's a good (if difficult) introduction and better as a source of ideas and things to think critically about than other books.
Don't buy it if you're a psychology student who just wants to pass, or if you're interested in psychology but not used to academic writing. It's not an easy or straightforward read, and takes care and thought to match it up with course material.
First: It puts depth before readability. If you're confident about the basics, or good at academic reading, it'll give you loads to think about. It won't help you understand the core basics as easily as other books.
What worked for me was to first skim through something colourful and readable (like 'Psychology' by Gleitman or Gross, or any American or British Social Psychology textbook) to get my head around a topic, then bring out this book to get a deeper and broader picture so that I'd know what to be looking out for in journals.
Second: It's European in style. The vast majority of social psychology textbooks are American in style.
In my experience (esp. comparing this book to others), the two are identical but for one difference in approach. European soc.psy. assumes that, for anything a person does, that person's social life and social norms passively influence what they do. American (US & Canada) soc.psy. is constantly surprised to find that, for anything a person does, that person's social life and social norms passively influence what they do. It tends to either leave that stuff out, or treat each example of it as a curious anomaly.
As a result, topics in American soc.psy. tend to be clearer, more crisp, and to seem better developed and more scientific. Quite often however, this is because half the picture is missing, or because it's really just one example of something quite simple and general, dressed in technical language. European soc.psy. has these problems too, but very much less so. As a result, it's deeper and more human, and generalises better, but feels a lot more wooley, vague and imprecise.
British social psychology tends to be about half way between the two, often leaning a little more towards American. If you're a UK student this book is therefore really useful as a fresh angle on fairly familiar material.
Bottom line: I'd say:-
****
Buy this if you're a keen, motivated, interested psychology student, or an interested academic. It's a good (if difficult) introduction and better as a source of ideas and things to think critically about than other books.
Don't buy it if you're a psychology student who just wants to pass, or if you're interested in psychology but not used to academic writing. It's not an easy or straightforward read, and takes care and thought to match it up with course material.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having recently started the 'Social Psychology' module offered by the Open University, I was looking for a good introductory text, as the OU textbooks are, as always, very poorly written - ungrammatical 'American' English (nouns are used as verbs, for example), and excessive verbiage - they never use a word where a sentence will do. (I'm sure the OU authors are paid by the word).
This book, by contrast, couldn't be clearer. It's a delight to read, with sufficient detail to elucidate concepts that other authors (you know who you are) are content to bury in obscurantist murk. It does not, however, give much attention to the usual OU psychology department's pet obsession - 'perspectives'. If you've done one of their courses, you'll know what I mean. Try elsewhere for that. But if you actually want to understand social psychology, this book is a very good place to start.
This book, by contrast, couldn't be clearer. It's a delight to read, with sufficient detail to elucidate concepts that other authors (you know who you are) are content to bury in obscurantist murk. It does not, however, give much attention to the usual OU psychology department's pet obsession - 'perspectives'. If you've done one of their courses, you'll know what I mean. Try elsewhere for that. But if you actually want to understand social psychology, this book is a very good place to start.
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