What is a social psychologist?

You've likely heard of psychologists before. They're involved in the study of minds. Whether it be helping people live happier and more meaningful lives or conducting academic research into psychological illnesses, like depression and anxiety. You're likely to come across them in hospitals, private practice, but also schools, prisons, courts and more.

But what about social psychologists? How do they differ? And what do they do?

Find out below.

What is a social psychologist?

Social psychologists still focus on the mind. However, they're specifically interested in how social influence, perception, and interaction influence our behaviour, be it in a group or alone. It's the study of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours – within the context of our social lives.

Think about how your persona – your outward behaviour – changes based on the social situation. What you'd say at the bank isn't how you'd behave in a bar. Indeed, when attempting to navigate new social situations, we often pick up on social cues from others.

The social psychologist's job is to interpret these situations and explain why we behave as we do.

Some of the most famous psychological experiments fall under social psychology. These include the Milgram experiment and Stanford Prison experiment. In the latter, students at Stanford University were split into two groups – prisoners and wardens – to see how the social dynamics would change in a prison environment. 

What do social psychologists do?

Social psychologists are neither conventional psychologists; nor are they social workers. Rather, social psychologists work either in research, examining the intricacies of human behaviour or in professional settings, such as helping businesses hire and train employees. Their goal is to improve the social circumstances in which we live, to get the most out of people.

In fact, the sheer variety of roles you can see social psychologists in is extremely broad. You'll find social psychologists in universities, government offices, non-profit organisations, private corporations, hospitals, and more.

Wherever people navigate social situations, social psychologists will be present to determine if policies, strategies, and procedures are working effectively.

Is social psychology similar to sociology?

Social psychology is not the same as sociology. Social psychologists focus on the actions of individuals and small groups. In contrast, sociologists are interested in the culture and behaviour of entire populations and societal groups.

What qualifications do social psychologists have?

All social psychologists will need to be registered as psychologists by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) via the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. Social psychologists undergo a three-year undergraduate degree and a further fourth year of psychology studies to become accredited. At which point, they earn provisional registration.

To specialise as a social psychologist requires additional training via a professional doctorate or internship, followed by experience in the field.

In Australia and New Zealand, social psychologists are represented by the Society of Australasian Social Psychologists (SASP). Formed in 1995, the SASP is an informal network of social psychologists who exchange ideas, expertise and run annual conferences to discuss the latest scientific research.