Social psychology is the study that explains how the social environment impacts individuals within a group. It's not to be confused with sociology, however - which is the study of larger groups of people.
Topics covered by social psychologists are extremely varied but equally fascinating. These include understanding how leaders use their influence within a group, why we conform to fit in and what causes a person to develop prejudices against other groups.
Social psychologist personality traits
Our fictional famous social psychologist
Set at the end of the 19th century, The Alienist follows psychologist, Lazlo Kreizler, and detective, Sara Howard, as they look to catch a child serial killer. Although in the novel (and the miniseries based on it), Lazlo is heavily involved in an early form of criminal psychology, he's an advocate of the idea that people's behaviour is influenced by social experiences and how this can help establish an understanding of their actions.
Your potential social psychology career paths
Ever wondered why you act so differently depending on the social situation you're in? People have a massive impact on the way we behave and the choices we make. Our thoughts, our feelings, our perceptions, our attitudes - they're all heavily influenced by those around us.