Advanced Social Psychology: The State of the Science

Social psychology is a flourishing discipline. It explores the most essential questions of the human psyche (e.g., Why do people help or harm others? How do influence professionals get us to do what they want, and how can we inoculate ourselves against their sometimes-insidious persuasion tactics? Why do social relationships exert such powerful effects on people's physical health?), and it does so with clever, ingenuitive research methods. This edited volume is a textbook for advanced social psychology courses. Its primary target audience is first-year graduate students (MA or PhD) in social psychlogy, although it is also appropriate for upper-level undergraduate courses in social psychology and for doctoral students in disciplines connecting to social psychology (e.g., marketing, organizational behavior). The authors of the chapters are world-renowned leaders on their topic, and they have written these chapters to be engaging and accessible to students who are just learning the discipline. After reading this book, you will be able to understand almost any journal article or conference presentation in any field of social psychology. You will be able to converse competently with most social psychologists in their primary research domain, a use skill that is relevant not only in daily life but also when interviewing for a faculty position. And, most importantly, you will be equipped with the background knowledge to forge ahead more confidently with your own research.

About the Author :
Roy F. Baumeister is currently the Eppes Eminent Professor of Psychology and head of the social psychology graduate program at Florida State University. His research spans multiple topics, including self and identity, self-regulation, interpersonal rejection and the need to belong, sexuality and gender, aggression, self-esteem, meaning, and self-presentation. He has over 400 publications, and the Institute for Scientific Information lists him among the handful of most cited (most influential) psychologists in the world. Eli J. Finkel is an associate professor of psychology at Northwestern University. His research-which examines close relationships, self-regulation, and initial romantic attraction-has garnered numerous accolades, including the Early Career Award from the Relationship Researchers Interest Group of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and the SAGE Young Scholars Award from the Foundation for Personality and Social Psychology.

Review :
"This excellent book, which fills a critical void at the top end of the educational spectrum, brings together a stellar cast of leading authorities on the major topics that define social psychology today. It is a wonderful and entertaining read." --Jeffry A. Simpson, Professor of Psychology, University of Minnesota "An instant classic, this authoritative and readable text fills an important and enduring need in the field." --John T. Cacioppo, Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor, and Director of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, The University of Chicago "Advanced Social Psychology is a glossy snapshot of social psychology taken in 2010. Its brilliance emerges as much from the subject matter as it does from the collaborative effort of the many experts, each with an eye for that perfect picture and a steady hand that renders each image with superb clarity." --Mahzarin R. Banaji, Richard Clarke Cabot Professor of Social Ethics, Department of Psychology, Harvard University "This book covers both motivational and cognitive processes, the foundation of social psychology. The editors are experts in the field who have brought together a wonderful team of authors to offer students an in-depth look at the field." --Doody's