Perspectives in Social Psychology [antikvár]

PREFACEIn October 1961 we invited a number of our colleaguespresent and past members of the Columbia University faculty, former Columbia students, friendsto join us in celebrating the opening of the new department of social psychology. We thought this would be an appropriate occasion for an exchange of views on the present, past, and future of our discipline. Unfortunately we could not include in our program all who should have been with us; a few of those whom we invited found it impossible to accept. Those who did join us on that occasion, however, and whose papers-some of them modified or expandedconstituted the major part of our inaugural symposium, made up such a distinguished company that we wished to present to a wider audience the materials that were so well received at the time. We are pleased and proud that this has now become possible.The contributions differ markedly in point of view and in emphasis. In a field as broad as social psychology, with so many actual and potential contacts with neighboring disciplines, it is perhaps inevitable that those who speak in its name should represent a wide range of opinion concerning its nature and goals. There is an underlying unity, however, which also emerges clearly, in terms of a genuine desire to aid in the further development of an objective and empirical approach to an understanding of the individual in his social context. We also believe that this volume may be regarded as testifying to the dynamic quality of our discipline, to the high level of intelligence which is being applied to it, and to the interest and importance of the problems under investigation. We still have a long way to go, but we are undoubtedly movingand, we hope and believe, in the right direction.