Author Archives: Brian Hopkins

A term used by anthropologists and other social scientists to refer to the social processes through which families and groups reproduce themselves across generations . See Cultural evolution

A statistical model designed to determine the extent to which behaviour is determined by the Actor (the person whose behaviour is under consideration), the Partner (the target of the behaviour), or the qualities of the Relationship between the Actor and Partner . See Social relationships

Social and emotional connections between individuals who interact with one another . See Social relations model

A form of appraisal in which an infant looks toward another person, often a parent, for information about how to react and feel about an ambiguous event or uncertain situations in the environment. See Communication, Mutual gaze, Still-face paradigm

The branch of psychology that focuses on studying individual attitudes, beliefs and behaviours when other people (real, implied or imagined) are present. Perhaps a similar definition proposed by Gordon W, Allport (1897-1967) in 1954 puts it somewhat better An attempt to understand and explain how the thought, feeling and behaviour of individuals is influenced by …

Continue reading “Social psychology”

The rules and system of authority that serve to organise people in groups . See Social convention, Rule

A complex constellation of interdependent social relationships, such as close friendships and family relationships, as well as the larger peer group and social community.  See Ecological systems theory, Socialization, Sociometry

Following Albert Bandura, the theory that draws attention to learning through the observation and imitation of others’ behavior in the acquisition of social skills.  See Emulation, Imitation, Observational learning, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

knowledge of the principles of human interaction that are both universal and culture specific.

Identities specified by our membership of social categories, such as gender, ethnic and religious categories . See Gender