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Readings about the Social Animal
Organized to illustrate the major themes of Elliot Aronson's The Social Animal, this collection of classic and contemporary readings explores the most important ideas, issues, and debates in social psychology today.
532 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
About the author
Elliot Aronson
98 books265 followersElliot Aronson (Born January 1932) is listed among the 100 most eminent psychologist of the 20th Century, best known for his Jigsaw Classroom experiments, cognitive dissonance research, and bestselling Social Psychology textbooks. He is the only person in the 120-year history of the American Psychological Association to have won all three of its major awards: For distinguished writing (1973), for distinguished teaching (1980), and for distinguished research (1999). In 2007 he received the William James Award for Distinguished Research from APS.
Aronson has taught at Harvard University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Texas, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is the recipient of many honors. He was chosen by his peers as one of the 100 most influential psychologists of the 20th century, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and won the prestigious William James Award from the Association for Psychological Science for his lifetime achievements. He has won distinguished research awards from a variety of professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Society of Experimental Social Psychologists, and others. He also won the Gordon Allport Prize for his work on reducing prejudice. In 1982 he was named "Professor of the Year" by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
Aronson has taught at Harvard University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Texas, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is the recipient of many honors. He was chosen by his peers as one of the 100 most influential psychologists of the 20th century, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and won the prestigious William James Award from the Association for Psychological Science for his lifetime achievements. He has won distinguished research awards from a variety of professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Society of Experimental Social Psychologists, and others. He also won the Gordon Allport Prize for his work on reducing prejudice. In 1982 he was named "Professor of the Year" by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 19, 2019
This is a fantastic book. I've had a copy for years that I've worn out. Makes for great beach reading. Make sure you bring your horn-rim glasses and steely judgemental stare you aim at everyone who walks by whom you think is judging you. They don't understand the depth of your soul. You are a scientist. While they hook up at tourist bars full of college kids and cougars, you'll be sitting in your weekend rental, learning the inner workings of human behavior. Why did you agree to go on spring break? These things always depress you. Go to the bar and order a mai tai. But bring the book for company. Everyone else is dumb.
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May 19, 2009Haven't started this one yet but it's got a cartoon dog on the cover. Looks promising!
August 3, 2022
2.5 stars.
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April 1, 2025《社会性动物 进阶阅读》第12版 （美）乔舒亚·阿伦森、艾略特·阿伦森。
July 14, 2009
It might be surprising that I gave this book 3 stars, considering the lone 1 star and deep criticisms I gave to the book it supplements: The Social Animal, Ninth Edition by the same author, Elliot Aronson. However, it is important to compare the purposes of each book.
The Social Animal (TSA) is meant to be a primary text on the subject of social psychology and in that it is utterly inadequate. Readings about the Social Animal (RATSA) is meant to be a collection of key research studies in the field of social psychology that exemplify the terms and theories and it is successful in its goal.
Aronson compiled a truly enlightening set of cases. The cases themselves are so interesting, in fact, that they are great to read without the main text (TSA). However, I cannot give this book more than 3 stars because:
A) This book is certainly not enough to compensate for all of TSA's shortcomings. My social psychology professor took the initiative to define all the terms that the main book did not.
B) While Aronson compiled the research papers included in this book, the papers are ultimately the work of other researchers. One could not give credit for songs to a DJ who just plays them in an appealing order; accordingly, giving any more stars would unduly credit Aronson for the works of innovators who produced the studies.
C) This book is not as helpful to readers who do not know how to read research papers so its usefulness is limited by how much the reader already brings to the table.
The Social Animal (TSA) is meant to be a primary text on the subject of social psychology and in that it is utterly inadequate. Readings about the Social Animal (RATSA) is meant to be a collection of key research studies in the field of social psychology that exemplify the terms and theories and it is successful in its goal.
Aronson compiled a truly enlightening set of cases. The cases themselves are so interesting, in fact, that they are great to read without the main text (TSA). However, I cannot give this book more than 3 stars because:
A) This book is certainly not enough to compensate for all of TSA's shortcomings. My social psychology professor took the initiative to define all the terms that the main book did not.
B) While Aronson compiled the research papers included in this book, the papers are ultimately the work of other researchers. One could not give credit for songs to a DJ who just plays them in an appealing order; accordingly, giving any more stars would unduly credit Aronson for the works of innovators who produced the studies.
C) This book is not as helpful to readers who do not know how to read research papers so its usefulness is limited by how much the reader already brings to the table.
April 15, 2013
Required reading in my grad social psyc course. Would also be appropriate for undergrad. It serves as a nice bridge from a classic social psyc. text to a typical, current article in Journal of Personality and Social Psyc. It contains excerpts from classic social psyc studies in years gone by, so students get exposure to those in a very readable format.
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August 7, 2016"In a more general vein, the current data support Greenwald's (1980) characterization of the self or ego as analogous to a totalitarian political regime in which history is revised and fabricated to suit present concerns. Individuals appear to be revisionist historians with respect to their personal memories."
July 3, 2007
A collection of articles on the most influential social psych experiments of the postwar era. These are journal articles, so they aren't exactly enjoyable to read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews