Social psychology in India: A Review

Abstract

Social psychology is as old as homosapiens on this earth. Throughout the recorded history, social nature of man has intrigued scholars, artists, and social reformers. Their work has significant bearing on understanding how people relate with others and conduct their social life. Scriptures, artefacts, music, poetry, all have contributed to this endeavour. What has intrigued scholars is the evidence of both, universality and uniqueness of social behaviour in different cultures. People have lived together in all cultures as family, community and nation, though they may not have learned to live together in peace. Human nature has essentially remained the same ever since. It seems that many of the questions which ancient social psychology raised are the same which contemporary social psychology is striving to answer. However, rapid social, economic, and political changes sweeping across the oceans and continents have thrown up many new questions for social psychologists. Many new theories and methods are being developed to unravel general principles of social interaction.