The study of social influence has been central to social psychology since its inception. In fact, research on social influence began all the way back to the late 1800s, predating the term 'social psychology' as we know it today. And while the area's influence continued through the beginning of social psychology's golden age, by the mid-1980s, interest declined while interest in social cognition increased. Today, however, the pendulum is swinging back, and is evident from the growing interest in non-cognitive, motivational accounts of the field.
Edited by Stephen G. Harkins, Kipling D. Williams, and Jerry M. Burger, The Oxford Handbook of Social Influence is a landmark contribution to the resurging interest in social influence, restoring this important field to its once preeminent position within social psychology. In this volume, Harkins, Williams, and Burger lead a team of leading scholars as they explore a variety of topics within social influence, seamlessly incorporating a range of analyses (including intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intragroup), and examine critical theories and the role of social influence in applied settings today.
The Oxford Handbook of Social Influence contributes to emerging interest in social influence in a variety of ways. Chapters cover classic topics in the context of what has been learned since the original research was conducted, while other contributions showcase how integrations and elaborations that initially advanced our understanding of social influence processes are now within reach. Additional chapters also reveal the gaps in social influence literature, and go on to suggest future lines of research and exploration.
The study of social influence has been central to social psychology since its inception. In fact, research on social influence predated the coining of the term social psychology. Its influence continued through the 1960s, when it made seminal contributions to the beginning of social psychology's golden age. However, by the mid-1980s, interest in this area waned, while at the same time, and perhaps not coincidentally, interest in social cognition waxed. Now the pendulum is swinging back, as seen in growing interest in non-cognitive, motivational accounts. The Oxford Handbook of Social Influence will contribute to a resurgence of interest in social influence that will restore it to its once preeminent position. Written by leading scholars, the chapters cover a variety of topics related to social influence, incorporating a range of levels of analysis (intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intragroup) and both source (the influencers) and target (the influenced) effects. The volume also examines theories that are most relevant to social infl uence, as well as social influence in applied settings. The chapters contribute to the renaissance of interest in social influence by showing that it is time to reexamine classic topics in social influence; by illustrating how integrations/ elaborations that advance our understanding of social influence processes are now possible; by revealing gaps in the social influence literature; and by suggesting future lines of research. Perhaps the most important of these lines of work will take into account the change from traditional social influence that occurs face-to-face to social media-mediated influence that is likely to characterize many of our interactions in the future.
