Social Psychology
Social psychology is sometimes called “the science of everyday life” because it studies relatable topics such as emotions and well-being, relationships and social interactions, and social norms and social influence. Social psychologists study how individuals think about, perceive, influence, and interact with one another, and how those interactions shape phenomena ranging from emotions and romantic relationships to persuasion, friendship, altruism, and aggression.
Potential careers in this field include those in research, industry (e.g., behavioral science, UX, marketing), and policy.
Research positions can be found in colleges/universities, as well as in research institutes, think tanks, and private-sector organizations (e.g., behavioral insights teams, consulting firms, tech companies). Examples include: The Pew Research Center, The Gallup Organization, Ideas42, the RAND Corporation, NORC, and many others. Social psychologists also work in the private sector as researchers, consultants, marketing directors, managers, political strategists, and user interface designers. Social psychologists also work in government and nonprofit organizations (for example, The Lab @ DC, Arnold Ventures, The Brookings Institution, The American Enterprise Institute, and The Urban Institute), where they design and evaluate programs and policies on topics such as conflict resolution, law enforcement, urban design, and environmental protection. These roles may involve studying topics such as attitudes, social influence, group dynamics, decision-making, and well-being. Some research assistant and analyst roles are accessible with a bachelor’s degree, while advanced research roles typically require graduate training.
Applied and industry roles in this field include careers in user experience (UX) research, behavioral design, marketing and consumer insights, organizational behavior/human resources, and public policy (e.g., “nudge units”). Social psychology is also relevant to careers in education, communication, law, and public health. Some of these roles are accessible with a bachelor’s degree, while others benefit from or require graduate training. For example, additional training in organizational behavior can be helpful for business career options.
Relevant internships and volunteer positions would include research assistant positions in academic or applied settings, as well as internships in consulting firms, nonprofits, advocacy or social service organizations, government agencies, or companies focused on behavioral science, marketing, or user experience research.
Professional organizations:
- The Society for Personality and Social Psychology
- The Society of Experimental Social Psychology
- The Summer Institute for Social & Personality Psychology
- The Society for Judgment and Decision Making
- Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
Relevant Courses in Psychology:
- PSYC 2400 Social Psychology
- PSYC 2500 Emotion
- PSYC 2800 Psychology and the Legal System
- PSYC 3400 Cultural Psychology
- PSYC 3420 Psychology of Gender
- PSYC 3410 Group and Inter-group Psychology
- PSYC 3800 Community Psychology
- PSYC 4410 Psychology of Close Relationships
- PSYC 4430 Digital Well-Being
- PSYC 4440 Cultural Beings
- PSYC 4500 Social Psychology of Emotion
- PSYC 4520 Social Emotion Regulation
- PSYC 4820 Political Psychology
Cognate courses can be found in fields such as Anthropology, Biology, Sociology, Economics (especially behavioral economics), Political Science, Marketing, and Communication. Because social psychology is inherently interdisciplinary, students are encouraged to take courses that provide both methodological rigor (e.g., statistics, research methods) and domain-specific knowledge.
Want to find out more? Chat with Profs. Yulia Chentsova-Dutton, Deborah C. Stearns, Fathali Moghaddam, Gerrod Parrott, Abigail Marsh, Casey Brown, or Kostadin Kushlev.
