Table of ContentsSummary Points ObedienceAggressive BehaviorInterdependenceEthics in ResearchConclusionReferencesDespite the nature of social being dating back hundreds of years, the study of social psychology is still developing. Today's psychologists focus primarily on emotion, cognition, and motivation, with social psychologists focusing on their role in our relationships with others. Some social psychology themes observed are obedience, aggressive behavior, interdependence, and ethical practices. Each of these points will be discussed in more depth in the following paragraphs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Summary Points Obedience The study of obedience has always attracted the interest of several groups of people, including social psychologists. Knowing how someone will respond to an order in terms of obedience or disobedience can be helpful in developing solutions to a myriad of problems such as classroom management, workplace conflict, prison settings, or, as mentioned in Milgram's study, mass genocide. The study stems from the "destructive obedience shown by Nazi officers and ordinary citizens during World War II" (Kassin, 2017) due to the apparent influence Hitler seemed to have in coercing the Nazis into killing millions of Jews by simply ordering them. Milgram studied the extent to which participants were willing to obey an authority figure even when it went against their ethical or moral beliefs by asking them to administer various ranges of perceived shocks to a subject when he or she gave orders (1963). A group of Yale seniors administering the experiment predicted that “an insignificant minority would live to see the end of the series of shocks” (Milgram, 1963). The results of the experiment were astounding as 65% of participants administered up to the most extreme level. level of shock (Milgram, 1963) despite obvious signs of physical and emotional duress such as nervous laughter, sweating, stuttering, and in rare cases, a violent seizure (Milgram, 1963). According to these results, it appears that obedience can be imposed on others despite their beliefs or personal feelings. Aggressive behaviorResearch has also been conducted regarding aggressive behavior exhibited by one person or group of people towards another. In a simulated prison study, psychologists sought to determine whether hostility in prisons was attributed to the personalities of prisoners and guards prior to their entry/employment, or whether it was the result of a power struggle within enclosure (Haney, Banks and Zimbardo, 1973). Several different hypotheses have emerged, including the idea that prisoners are prone to more aggression and that, therefore, guards must meet force with force, thereby increasing the amount of violence and aggressive behavior in prisons. . Still others argue that it has more to do with “bad seed” gatekeepers who are simply power hungry and abusing their powers (Haney et al., 1973). The results of the experiment show a variety of reactions to the simulated prison context. Most prisoners became extremely passive and some even had to be sent away due to emotional stress and anxiety. The guards ranged from passive and exercising no control to going beyond their role and becoming creative in punishments. InterdependenceInterdependence..