Social Psychology

Social Psychologists study the thoughts, feelings, and actions of individuals as they are influenced by other individuals and by groups. Topics include attitude change, aggression, intergroup relations, judgment and decision-making, safe sex, gender differences, and self-regulation.

The program in Social Psychology at USC trains students in the methodological, statistical, and theoretical tools to study human social behavior. Students work closely with their primary advisor to develop an area of research expertise, while often also developing additional lines of research with other faculty in the department. Our program focuses on the development of strong research skills (including experimental methods, meta-analytic reviews, computational modeling, and statistics) and the application of these research skills to matters of real-world importance (such as sustainability and climate change, reducing intergroup conflict, promoting academic success, and promoting safe sex practices, well-being, and other healthful lifestyle behaviors). We encourage our students to work within other areas of the department to gain additional skills and expertise such as neuroimaging techniques, consumer behavior, behavior genetics, and advanced statistical techniques.