The past two decades have seen a tremendous increase in research and scholarship devoted to personal relationships. From rather scattered beginnings a recognizable and recognized field has emerged, whose strength and health is reflected in a wide array of indicators. The editors contend that while the vigor of the field is often shown in the diversity and innovation of its research, it is in the theoretical domain that they find evidence of a real coming of age. This volume provides grounds for arguing that the diversity of theorizing is particularly healthy at this point. The reader will notice that there is some diversity in terms of how much theory and research is contained in each chapter -- some are purely theoretical; others are complemented by original pieces of empirical research. The editors and contributors are from different countries -- another way in which the diversity of this book manifests itself. The variety of the frameworks presented are seen as a strength, as building on established strengths elsewhere to feed into relationship research and enhance its vitality. Each chapter makes its own contribution to thinking and research about personal relationships. As a group they add to an exciting collection that not only reflects a richness of conceptual backing, but also a wide range of usable theoretical structures.

The past two decades have seen a tremendous increase in research and scholarship devoted to personal relationships. From rather scattered beginnings a recognizable and recognized field has emerged, whose strength and health is reflected in a wide array of indicators. The editors contend that while the vigor of the field is often shown in the diversity and innovation of its research, it is in the theoretical domain that they find evidence of a real coming of age.
This volume provides grounds for arguing that the diversity of theorizing is particularly healthy at this point. The reader will notice that there is some diversity in terms of how much theory and research is contained in each chapter -- some are purely theoretical; others are complemented by original pieces of empirical research. The editors and contributors are from different countries -- another way in which the diversity of this book manifests itself. The variety of the frameworks presented are seen as a strength, as building on established strengths elsewhere to feed into relationship research and enhance its vitality. Each chapter makes its own contribution to thinking and research about personal relationships. As a group they add to an exciting collection that not only reflects a richness of conceptual backing, but also a wide range of usable theoretical structures.

When and why do groups target each other for extermination? How do seemingly normal people become participants in genocide? Why do some individuals come to the rescue of members of targeted groups, while others just passively observe their victimization? And how do perpetrators and bystanders later come to terms with the choices that they made? These questions have long vexed scholars and laypeople alike, and they have not decreased in urgency as we enter the twenty-first century. In this book--the first collection of essays representing social psychological perspectives on genocide and the Holocaust-- prominent social psychologists use the principles derived from contemporary research in their field to try to shed light on the behavior of the perpetrators of genocide. The primary focus of this volume is on the Holocaust, but the conclusions reached have relevance for attempts to understand any episode of mass killing. Among the topics covered are how crises and dificult life conditions might set the stage for violent intergroup conflict; why some groups are more likely than others to be selected as scapegoats; how certain cultural values and beliefs could facilitate the initiation of genocide; the roles of conformity and obedience to authority in shaping behavior; how engaging in violent behavior makes it easier to for one to aggress again; the evidence for a "genocide-prone" personality; and how perpetrators deceive themselves about what they have done. The book does not culminate in a grand theory of intergroup violence; instead, it seeks to provide the reader with new ways of making sense of the horrors of genocide. In other words, the goal of all of the contributors is to provide us with at least some of the knowledge that we will need to anticipate and prevent future such tragic episodes.

Social Psychology: A Storytelling Approach uses a true storytelling approach to educate readers about the potential of research in the field to shed light on influences on human behavior. The narratives engage students as they gather knowledge about the field. Students learn about social perception and social inference, the self, and persuasion and attitude change. They discover how compliance, conformity, and obedience affect behavior, and investigate group processes, interpersonal attraction, and intimate relationships. The latter sections of the text address the darker aspects of social psychology through a review of the literature and stories about prejudice, discrimination, aggression, and violence. The final chapter is devoted to the social psychology of genocide and terrorism. Each chapter elaborates on the applications of social psychology to health and law, explores the dark and light side of social psychology, and provides students with opportunities to think like a social psychologist. Social Psychology is a high-interest, engaging text for both beginning and advanced level survey courses in social psychology.