Social Area

- all human behaviour occurs in a social context and is influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of others

- other people and the environemnt influence our behaviour and thought processes

- Obediance:

     - Milgram: Obediance

     - Bocchiaro: Whistleblowing

- Helping behviour:

     - Piliavin: Subway

     - Levine: cross cultural helping behaviour

- helps us understand how behaviour can be influenced by other people and the situation you are in

- it can provide explanations for lots of behaviours so it is useful

- supports the nurture side of the nature/nurture debate

- prefers research being conducted in a natural environment

- deterministic

- reductionist: underestimates the power of individual differences e.g. some people will never obey

- it studies often rise ethical issues through deception or lack of withdrawal (Milgram/Zimbardo)

- snapshot studies