Psychiatry: basic sciences
Social psychology
Social psychology studies how people think, feel and act in relation to others: attitudes, stigma, group behaviour and persuasion. It helps psychiatrists understand stigma, family and group dynamics, and how to encourage healthier behaviour.
Depth by stage, Pre-U → Consultant (details)
What is it?
Social psychology looks at the individual in a social world. It asks why people hold the attitudes they do, how they explain other people's behaviour, how groups influence decisions and how people can be persuaded to change.
Classic studies on conformity, obedience and prejudice, and modern research on stigma and social identity, are part of the field. So is the study of interpersonal attraction, aggression and helping behaviour.
For psychiatrists it explains much of what happens around a mental illness: stigma from society and families, help-seeking delay, adherence to treatment, and the dynamics of wards and teams.
Why does a psychiatrist need it?
Stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to mental health care in Malaysia and elsewhere. A psychiatrist who understands attitude formation, labelling and persuasion is better able to engage reluctant patients and families, run groups and teams, design anti-stigma work and understand phenomena such as mass hysteria or the effects of social media.
What level is expected at each stage?
Scale: 1. Aware → 2. Understands → 3. Applies → 4. Masters / Teaches. What the levels mean.
- Pre-UNot expected
- Pre-clinicalUnderstandsLearns basic concepts (attitudes, stigma, illness behaviour) in behavioural science.
- ClinicalAwareIs aware of how stigma and family attitudes affect patients on the wards.
- HousemanshipAwareNotices social influences on adherence and help-seeking but rarely studies them formally.
- Medical officerAwareBegins to recognise stigma and family dynamics in psychiatric patients.
- Psych traineeAppliesExplains key theories and studies at exam level and applies them to engagement, groups and stigma.
- Specialist / consultantAppliesApplies the principles to team leadership, public education and service design.
What are the key topics?
Attitudes and persuasion
- Components of attitudes (cognitive, affective, behavioural)
- Cognitive dissonance theory
- Elaboration likelihood model of persuasion
- Health belief model and theory of planned behaviour
- Attitude change and health promotion
Social cognition and attribution
- Attribution theory; fundamental attribution error
- Self-serving bias and locus of control
- Stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination
- Self-concept, self-esteem and social comparison
Stigma and labelling
- Goffman's concept of stigma; public versus self-stigma
- Labelling theory and its critics
- Stigma towards mental illness in Malaysian communities
- Evidence for anti-stigma interventions (contact, education)
Group processes and social influence
- Conformity (Asch), obedience (Milgram), roles (Zimbardo) and their ethical criticisms
- Group decision-making, groupthink and polarisation
- Bystander effect and helping behaviour
- Leadership styles
- Group dynamics on wards and in teams
Relationships and aggression
- Interpersonal attraction and relationships
- Theories of aggression: frustration–aggression, social learning
- Social support as a protective factor
- Loneliness and social isolation in mental health
How is it learned and assessed?
- Behavioural science teaching in pre-clinical years
- Basic sciences in psychiatry training; examined in MMed Psychiatry Part I and MRCPsych Paper A
- Applied learning through group therapy, ward community meetings and anti-stigma activities
Typical textbooks and resources
- Social Psychology — Hogg and Vaughan; standard textbook
- Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity — Erving Goffman; classic text
- Introduction to psychology texts with social psychology sections
- MRCPsych Paper A revision guides — various authors
Titles are widely used examples; editions change. Use university libraries or legitimate purchases.
Common questions
How does social psychology help with mental health stigma?
It explains how stigmatising attitudes form and what changes them. Research suggests that direct contact with people who have lived experience of mental illness is one of the more effective ways to reduce stigma, more so than information alone.
Why are classic experiments like Milgram's taught to psychiatrists?
They show how strongly situations and authority shape behaviour, which matters for understanding patients, institutions and professional conduct. They are also taught as examples of why research ethics rules exist.