How do your current emotions influence who you first notice, and later remember, out of a room full of strangers?

What motivates one person to lend a helping hand to a homeless person, while another turns away, averting his or her gaze?

What sort of message might best persuade a high school student to stop smoking or to eat a healthier diet? What are the effects of divorce, or abortion, on a person's relationships with others and feelings about herself?

The graduate program in Social Psychology is designed to train researchers to use rigorous scientific methods to uncover the fundamental principles underlying social behavior, and to address practical questions about everyday relations among people.

Graduate Program in Social Psychology

Click here for a .pdf of our brochure

The social psychology graduate program began in the fall of 1972. Currently the program is staffed by sixteen faculty members and enrolls approximately 25 students at any one time, resulting in a very favorable student/faculty ratio.

The goal of the program is to provide a setting in which students can grow toward mature roles as researchers, teachers, and consultants in basic and applied areas of social psychology. The faculty members currently conduct research on both basic/traditional and applied issues, and emphasize experimental, quasi–experimental and quantitative methodologies. The substantive interests of the faculty and students in the program are diverse and are described below as well as on the department’s website (Faculty list). Students combine continuous involvement in research with a series of courses designed to provide broad substantive knowledge, as well as methodological and quantitative expertise. The program’s intent is to advance basic knowledge in psychology and apply that knowledge to society. We also endeavor to make continuing contributions to our discipline through the achievements of the program’s graduates.