Gordon W. Allport, one of social psychology's founding fathers, described the subdiscipline as 'an attempt to understand and explain how the thoughts, feelings and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of others'. From pioneering studies in the 1940s and 1950s, via the 'cognitive revolution' of the 1970s, to the emergence of sophisticated computerized methodologies and the wonders of functional MRI, social psychology remains a thriving enterprise.

As serious work in social psychology continues to flourish as never before, this new title from Psychology Press meets the need for an authoritative reference work to map and make sense of a vast body of literature and a continuing explosion in research output. Edited by a leading scholar, Social Psychology is a four-volume collection which brings together the very best foundational and cutting-edge contributions. It is divided into four principal parts: Self and Social Cognition; Attitudes and Social Influence; Group Processes and Intergroup Relations; and Aggression and Love.

The collection is fully indexed and has a comprehensive introduction, newly written by the editor, which places the gathered material in its historical and intellectual context. Clearly delineating the subdiscipline's key turning points and critical transitions, Social Psychology will provide users with a new and coherent understanding of the subdiscipline's evolution. It is an essential resource and is destined to be valued by scholars and students as a vital one-stop research tool.