Social Cognition: An Integrated Introduction / Edition 2

by Martha Augoustinos, Iain Walker, Ngaire Donaghue

Overview

The Third Edition of this much celebrated textbook continues to focus on the four major and influential perspectives in contemporary social psychology - social cognition, social identity, social representations, and discursive psychology. A foundational chapter presenting an account of these perspectives is then followed by topic-based chapters from the point of view of each perspective in turn, discussing commonalities and divergences across each of them.

Key Features of the Third Edition:

- Now includes coverage of the social neuroscience paradigm and research on implicit social cognition

- Updated pedagogical features and visual material

- An extended conclusion covers the ways in which the different approaches of the field intersect as well as a general discussion of the direction in which the field is moving.

Social Cognition: An Integrated Introduction is an integrative, holistic textbook that will enhance the reader's understanding of social cognition and of each of the topical issues considered. It remains a key textbook for psychology students, particularly those on courses in social psychology and social cognition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761942191
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	06/28/2006
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	7.32(w) x 9.13(h) x (d)

About the Author

Martha Augoustinos is Professor of Psychology at the University of Adelaide and Co-Director of the Fay Gale Centre for Research on Gender.

Iain Walker is a Senior Research Scientist with Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, where he leads the Social & Behavioural Sciences Group. He is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Western Australia, and 3 other Australian universities.

Ngaire Donaghue is an Associate Professor of Social Psychology at Murdoch University in Western Australia.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction
Defining social psychology
The crisis in social psychology
Social cognition
Aims of this book
Organization of this book
Concluding comments
PART I
Chapter 2: Theoretical Foundations
Introduction to social cognition models
Introduction to social identity theory
Introduction to social representations theory
Introduction to discursive psychology
A post-cognitive psychology?
PART II
Chapter 3: Social Perception
Social cognition and social perception
Social identity theory and social perception
Social representations and social perception
Discursive psychology and social perception
Chapter 4: Attitudes
What is an attitude?
Social cognitive approaches to attitudes
Attitudes and social identities
Attitudes and social representations
Discursive psychology and attitudes
Chapter 5: Attributions
Social cognition and attribution
Social identity and attributions
Social representations and attributions
Discursive social psychology and attributions
Chapter 6: Self and Identity
Social-cognitive approaches to self and identity
Functions of the self
Social identity approaches to self and identity
Social representations approaches to self and identity
Discursive approaches to self and identity
Chapter 7: Prejudice
Social cognition and prejudice
Social identity and prejudice
Social representations and prejudice
Discursive psychology and prejudice
Chapter 8: Ideology
Social cognition and ideology
Social identity and ideology
Social representations and ideology
Discursive psychology and ideology
PART III
Chapter 9: Conclusion
The individual and society
Levels of analysis
Realist vs constructivist epistemologies
Social change

Editorial Reviews

"I was a considerable admirer of the first edition, which I used as the main text for my Year 3 course for a number of years. This seems to me to be an improvement on that high standard. I think it works best as an upper level undergraduate text, but graduate students with less background in social psychology will find it provides a useful critical orientation to the field...(Strengths include) the balanced and interlinked coverage of perspectives, backed up by good detail on representative research in each area. I found the first edition unique (and uniquely helpful) in its focus, and it has not been matched by anything else I have seen."

Dr. Andy Tolmie

"This book, now in its Second Edition, represents the globalization of social cognition. Like the earlier edition, this text offers the reader a broad analysis of how humans think about their social world. The authors give readers a way to extend their horizons beyond the dominant information-processing model of social cognition, as they add theoretical perspectives from social identity, social representations, and discursive psychology to the mix.... Those who are most familiar and comfortable with traditional information-processing models need not fear: the dominant social cognition paradigm gets the lion’s share of coverage in most of the chapters (the most notable exception being the discussion of ideology, where other paradigms have much more to say). But the authors challenge readers to go beyond that single paradigm, looking both for gaps in its explanatory power and for points of intersection with other theoretical traditions. The result is a rich intellectual feast for the reader and for the field, one that represents both theories and data that have emerged from around the world."

Kay Deaux

"I was a considerable admirer of the first edition, which I used as the main text for my Year 3 course for a number of years. This seems to me to be an improvement on that high standard. I think it works best as an upper level undergraduate text, but graduate students with less background in social psychology will find it provides a useful critical orientation to the field...(Strengths include) the balanced and interlinked coverage of perspectives, backed up by good detail on representative research in each area. I found the first edition unique (and uniquely helpful) in its focus, and it has not been matched by anything else I have seen. "

Doctor - Andy Tolmie

"The manuscript provide(s) excellent coverage of the main areas within social cognition research.... Different approaches to social cognition research are integrated to a greater extent than before. The manuscript was well organised, structured and signposted. In general, it is very readable...The content and structure are well suited to student needs. The main strength concerns the integration of social constructionism and discursive psychology with more standard social cognition topics. The description of social identity theory and self categorization theory is particularly clear. The chapters on prejudice and ideology are also very good and set the manuscript apart from most social cognition texts."

Simon Cooper

'It’s very good news that Martha Augoustinos and her co-authors have brought out a new, revised edition of Social Cognition. It really is an excellent, broad-ranging book, whose clear discussion of differing approaches should appeal to undergraduates of psychology. But make no mistake: this new edition, just like the previous ones, is so much more than a textbook. It contains an important, underlying argument about the social nature of thinking.'

Michael Billig

'This scholarly, broad-ranging and generous book remains the best introduction to the field of social cognition. It offers a truly ‘integrative’ approach, attempting to bring together work from a diverse range of traditions of social and cognitive psychology and into dialogue researchers who should talk to one another more, but so often don’t.'

John Dixon

'This is a remarkably sophisticated and insightful examination of social cognitive, social identity, social representations, and discursive approaches to social psychological phenomena. The core principles of each perspective are clearly explained with an engaging style that is a pleasure to read, and deep insights into how humans come to understand their social world can be found on every page. As the authors remind us, social psychological ideas have the potential to change the world. This book is beautifully written, conveys the excitement and possibilities of the discipline, and is thought provoking throughout.'

Nyla R. Branscombe