# Social psychology (psychology)/Assessment/Essay/Topics
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| Topic | Question | Categories | Notes | Author |
| Adolescence and social pressure | In what ways do social pressures contribute to adolescent mental health and well being issues? | Adolescence | | Plst |
| Affluenza | What is "affluenza" and what are its socio-psychological risks and effects? | Culture | | Oscar.Bell |
| Albert Bandura | What has he contributed to our understanding of social psychology? Draw on examples to illustrate key theories and principles in action. | Social learning | | Sari |
| Alcohol | What are the short-term and longer-term socio-psychological causes and effects of alcohol consumption? | Drug use | | Bryony |
| Altruism | Do genuinely altruistic acts ever occur? (Note: In answering this question, consider the difference between prosocial behaviour and altruism. You might also consider social psychological aspects of evolutionary theory and related research.) | Altruism | , | Tegan H |
| Attitude change programs | What factors determine the success of attitude change programs? Describe theoretical bases and research evidence. Include examples from a current or recent social change program (e.g., SUNSMART, anti-smoking, exercise, drink driving, cancer screening, safe sex campaigns). | Attitude | | Jenna K, Lizbennett |
| Attractiveness | What makes some people more attractive than others and why? | Attractiveness | , | Misscourt |
| Bystander effect | What is bystander effect? When is it most likely to occur? How can its effects be minimised? (e.g., if you are looking for help?) | Prosocial behaviour | | Teall McQueen |
| Bullying | What are the socio-psychological causes and consequences of childhood bullying? | Aggression, Relationships | | Jodes |
| Caffeine culture | What are the socio-psychological contributors to, and consequences of, 'caffeine-cultures'? | Culture, Drugs | | Breona duncan |
| Career status | How is one's career related to one's social status? Which careers are socially unacceptable (or "low status") and why? | Social comparison | | E.wigmore |
| Caregiving | What are the psychological impacts of extended caregiving (e.g., those providing primary, live-in care for children, elderly, and/or sick/disabled people) | Family psychology | | Cynnapier |
| Charismatic leadership | What is charismatic leadership and how does it influence relations between leaders and followers? | Attraction, Leadership, Social influence | | Tim Malysiak |
| Children and happiness | Why do people have children? Does it make them happy? Review the psychological literature related to this article: Happiness is ... not having children | Family, Parenting | | u3012675 |
| Climate change | Consider socio-psychological aspects of "climate change", including causes and consequences (e.g., what social influence techniques are evident in discussions about the causes and consequences of possible climate change?). | Environmental psychology | | U3006567 |
| Contact hypothesis | What is it, and to what extent is it effective in reducing prejudice? | Prejudice | | Kathryn L |
| Cooperation | What strategies can facilitate human cooperation and what conditions undermine human cooperation? Answer with respect to group identity theory(ies). | Category:Social cooperation | | Mimosa Forsyth |
| Cross-cultural relationships | What are the advantages and disadvantages of cross-cultural intimate relationships? | Interpersonal relationships, Cross-cultural psychology | , | Kate Hulme |
| Cult of the self | Has the notion of "self" been culturally constructed over the past 500 or so years, and is the "cult of the self" now out of control? | Self | , | Sandy |
| Cults | What is a cult? Explore and explain the social psychological aspects of cults, with examples. | Psychology of religion | | Katrina Fry |
| Cultural adaptation | What could a person going to live and work overseas do to help acculturate successful? | Culture | 1 | Matthew M |
| Culture of fear | To what extent are we currently living within a 'culture of fear' (is our culture becoming increasingly fearful, risk-averse, suspicious, even paranoid?) and why? What social psychology theory and research speaks to this question? What are the trends and what do you think should be done? | Culture | | Mitchacho |
| Culture shock | What is culture shock, when is it likely to occur, and what advice can be given to people entering new cultures to help them deal with culture shock? | Culture | | Anastasia |
| Employee satisfaction | What are the main socio-psychological predictors of employee satisfaction? | Organisational psychology | | Rebeccasutton |
| Food | What is the role of food (or more particularly, the socio-cultural practices around food) in meeting human's social needs and how does society influence food choices? | Culture | | U126268 |
| Free culture | What is free culture (Lessig)? Explore the social psychological aspects and implications of the free culture movement. | Culture | | Lauten |
| Gangs | What are gangs (in socio-psychological terms)? Why do some people choose to join gangs? | Group processes | | CC |
| Gender differences in perceptions of female sexual promiscuity | What are the gender differences in the way that female sexual promiscuity is perceived and why? | Relationships | | Reido |
| Gender roles in relationships | What is gender role theory and what has been found from gender role research concerning intimate relationship quality between men and women? | Relationships | | Bel |
| Genetic sexual attraction | What are the socio-psychological causes and consequences of genetic sexual attraction (in which closely-genetically related adults form consenting intimate relationships)? | Relationships | | Melissadedrick |
| Genocide antecedents | What are the most typical socio-psychological pre-cursors to genocide and how might this knowledge be useful in preventing genocides in the future? | Genocide | | Awilson |
| Group productivity | Are people more or less productive when they work in groups? What can be done to increase productivity in groups? | Group processes | | PsychUser12 |
| Guilt | What is it and what does it stem from? | Social cognition | | Nicbroto |
| Hidden curriculum | What is it? Explore the social psychological dimensions of the notion of hidden curriculum. | Educational psychology | | Nicole Merchant |
| Homophily | What is it? Explain and consider from a socio-psychological perspective. | Interpersonal relationships | | Blackballoon86 |
| Human sexuality: Nature or nurture? | To what extent is human sexuality the result of nature or nurture? | Relationships | | Nikkihiggins |
| Immigration | What kinds of socio-psychological challenges and issues are encountered by immigrants? | Intergroup relations, Prejudice | | Chicco |
| Immigration detention | What are the psychological effects of prolonged detention of immigrants to Australia, and why do these effects occur? | Australia, Cross-cultural, Incarceration | | Intransient |
| Individualism-collectivism | What is individualism versus collectivism? Consider with respect to socio-psychological theory and research (e.g., to what extent do cultures and individuals vary along an individualist-collectivist continuum and why?) | Culture | | Dskrzecz |
| Interpersonal attraction | What attracts some individuals to one another? In essence, what are the "rules" of attraction? | Attraction, Relationships | | Cat1986 |
| Leadership characteristics | What are the characteristics of successful leaders. What are the socio-psychological ingredients for effective leadership? e.g., consider whether 'great' leaders born that way or can people be trained to be leaders? | Leadership | | Amy86 |
| Long-term intimate relationships | Approximately 50% of marriages in Western culture currently end in separation (source unknown). What are the secrets of a "good marriage" (or long-term intimate relationship)? | Relationships | | Khayne |
| Loss of indigenous culture | What effect does a loss of indigenous culture (such as the Australian aboriginals' or Tibetans') have on indigenous peoples and why? | Culture | | Gulita |
| Marketing | How are social psychological principles applied in marketing, advertising and branding? | Marketing | | L.Harriott |
| Media violence | Discuss the role of violence within mass media, such as television and video games. What effects can this have on viewers, especially children? Should violence in the media be more controlled - or is the role of violence in the media often overstated? | Aggression | , [ | SteveHenry |
| Mental health illness disclosure | What effect does disclosure of a mental health illness have on a person's social status and interactions? | Mental health | | Angela f |
| Mental health illness stigma | What is mental health illness stigma (or psychiatric stigma)? What kinds of mental health illnesses tend to carry the greatest social stigma and why? | Prejudice, Mental health | | Leonie B |
| Military social psychology | What is the role of social psychology in warfare? What related ethical dilemmas are faced by psychologists working for or advising the military? | Social influence | | Kellyknight138 |
| Need to belong | Do we need to belong? What do we need to belong to? | General | | Kristina |
| Minority groups | How can minority groups achieve desired social changes? Discuss this with respect to examples of 'real world' minority group impacts. | Group processes | | ThomasH |
| New technology and communication | To what extent are new technologies facilitating or undermining our capacity for interpersonal communication? | Communication, Technology | , | Sarah Q |
| Open marriage | What shortfall(s) in traditional marriage does this practice try to overcome or eliminate? What are the pitfalls of an open marriage? | Relationships | | Paula |
| Peace promotion | How can peace be promoted and developed between conflicting groups? | Conflict resolution | | Starcaster88 |
| Person-situation debate | Summarise the person-situation debate and put forward your own view with reference to research and theory. | Evolutionary psychology, Social behaviour, General | | Kim Crocker |
| Post secret | Analyse the http://postscret.com phenomenon from a socio-psychological viewpoint. Include examples. | Social cognition | | Gerard |
| Prison culture | What social structures/social order evolve in prisons and why? | Social behaviour | | CVaughan |
| Religiousity | What socio-psychological factors predict religiousity? | Psychology of religion | | Socialpsych |
| Social constructionism | What is it? Explain with your own examples (e.g., by attempting to deconstruct some of your own social thinking). | Social constructionism | | Alex Topfer |
| Pets | What psychological effects do animals, and particularly pets, have on humans and why? What recommendations about contact with animals and pets would you make to someone who wants to maximise their psychological health? | Environmental psychology | | Lukem 1411 |
| Population density | Human population density has rapidly increased in recent centuries and decades. What are the socio-psychological effects of crowding and high population density? | Crowding | | Betsy |
| Resistance | What social psychological processes can cause the social influence of group norms and powerful others to be resisted? | Social influence | | Rayleem |
| Restorative justice | What are the social psychological principles of restorative justice? What does research evidence suggest about the effectiveness of restorative justice? What are the prospects for restorative justice? | Conflict resolution | | Boris |
| Self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotypes | What is the relationship between self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotype formation and maintenance? | Stereotypes | | Catherine117377 |
| Serial killers | What socio-psychological factors contribute to serial killing? | Aggression | | Eaglesgirl |
| Social capital | What is it, how can it be fostered, and how can it be measured? | Social capital | | JD Hawk |
| Social psychology of clergy | Discuss the socio-psychological principles used by clergy to influence their congregations. | Psychology of religion, Religion, Social influence | | Brent Holgate |
| Teamwork | What is teamwork and what social psychological principles can be used to help develop effective teams? | Group processes | | Jane D |
| Virtual vs. real worlds | How is the social psychology of 3-D virtual worlds (such as Second Life) and/or online gaming similar to, and different from, the social psychology of the 'real' world? | Psychology of technology | | Rinna |
| Weather | How does the weather influence human social behavior? (e.g., does heat increase violence?) | Environmental psychology | | Amy Tipler |
| Western domination of social psychology | To what extent is social psychology theory and research dominated by Western perspectives? | Culture, General | | Jenny O |
| Youth delinquency | What socio-psychological factors contribute to youth delinquency? | Antisocial behaviour | | MandaG |
| World War II | What were the main impacts and legacies of World War II on the discipline of social psychology? | General | | JennaC |