Groups and Individuals
Explanations in Social Psychology

Professor Doise tackles the problem of integrating psychological and sociological explanation.

Willem Doise (Author), Douglas Graham (Translated by)

9780521293204, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 27 July 1978

244 pages
22.9 x 1.8 x 1.6 cm, 0.52 kg

Relations between groups of people are determined both by the attitudes and behaviour patterns of the individuals who constitute these groups, and by their social, economic, political and ideological background. Intergroup relations are therefore open to both psychological and sociological explanations, and the study of intergroup relations represents a way in which these two levels of explanation, which so often fail to take account of each other, may be integrated. This is the thesis advanced here by Willem Doise. Professor Doise discusses psychological explanations of social stereotypes and prejudices by examining specific clinical psychologists and then approaches these phenomena sociologically. He also describes the psychological process of category differentiation and its role in intergroup relations. This book, first published in 1978, will be of particular interest to social psychologists, and to all social scientists interested in the problem of integrating psychological and sociological explanation.

Foreword to the English edition
Preface Serge Moscovici
Part I. The Integration of Psychology and Sociology: 1. The psychological approach
2. The sociological approach
3. The social psychological aprroach
Part II. Intergroup Relations and Category Differentiation: 1. Experiments on intergroup relations
2. Category differentiation
3. Recent experimental support
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements.

Subject Areas: Social, group or collective psychology [JMH]