Social
psychology is the scientific study of how
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by
the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.
By this definition, scientific refers to the
empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all of
the psychological variables that are measurable in a
human being. The statement that others may be imagined
or implied suggests that we are prone to social
influence even when no other people are present,
such as when watching television, or following
internalized cultural norms.
