Importance of Social Psychology, Nature of Causation

Original student question:

Do you think that social psychology is merely discerning the obvious and confirming to the commonplace? Why or why not

What is the relationship between correlation and causation? Why is it important to understand this relationship?

What is the “dark side” of self-esteem? What impact does low self-esteem have on behavior?
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Question 1: Social psychology is more than ‘discerning the obvious or confirming the commonplace’. Why? Simply because social psychology often comes up with empirical answers that are very different from the most . First of all, it is important to note that many of the questions addressed in social psychology touch upon aspects of human existence that are well explored, debated and philosophized about by ‘lay’ people. Everyone has opinions on ‘human nature’ and ‘society’, and believe their ‘common sense’ views not only reflect reality but are largely shared by the vast majority out there. These assumptions are often completely incorrect, and even in well-worn lines of inquiry, social psychology is distinct in that it attempts to empirically address these …