TY - JOUR
T1 - Potential Pitfalls of a More Applied Social Psychology
T2 - Review and Recommendations
AU - Mark, Melvin M.
AU - Bryant, Fred B.
PY - 1984/9/1
Y1 - 1984/9/1
N2 - Interest and involvement in applied social psychology have increased dramatically in recent years. A chorus of social psychologists has applauded and encouraged this trend toward a more applied social psychology, claiming that it will promote a variety of improvements including better theory building, the amelioration of social problems, and increased employment and funding opportunities. Although we agree that this enthusiasm is at least partly justified and that applied research is necessary, we argue that inadequate attention has been paid to the potential pitfalls of applied social psychology. Five potential pitfalls are discussed: reduced construct validity; reduced focus on mediating processes; decreased concern for probing the vast array of theoretically important causes of behavior; increased research faddism; and increased incoherence of the discipline. These five pitfalls are problems in any disciplinary study of social behavior, but we believe they are exacerbated as social psychology becomes more applied. We offer some recommendations to help social psychology avoid these pitfalls. Only by seriously attending to the potential pitfalls of a more applied social psychology can these problems be avoided.
AB - Interest and involvement in applied social psychology have increased dramatically in recent years. A chorus of social psychologists has applauded and encouraged this trend toward a more applied social psychology, claiming that it will promote a variety of improvements including better theory building, the amelioration of social problems, and increased employment and funding opportunities. Although we agree that this enthusiasm is at least partly justified and that applied research is necessary, we argue that inadequate attention has been paid to the potential pitfalls of applied social psychology. Five potential pitfalls are discussed: reduced construct validity; reduced focus on mediating processes; decreased concern for probing the vast array of theoretically important causes of behavior; increased research faddism; and increased incoherence of the discipline. These five pitfalls are problems in any disciplinary study of social behavior, but we believe they are exacerbated as social psychology becomes more applied. We offer some recommendations to help social psychology avoid these pitfalls. Only by seriously attending to the potential pitfalls of a more applied social psychology can these problems be avoided.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84952150115&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84952150115&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1207/s15324834basp0503_6
DO - 10.1207/s15324834basp0503_6
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84952150115
SN - 0197-3533
VL - 5
SP - 231
EP - 253
JO - basic and applied social psychology
JF - basic and applied social psychology
IS - 3
ER -