Social Psychology and Social Issues: Students’ Participation in Bridging the Gap

Abstract

Understanding and dealing with social issues is definitely not an easy task. A social evil like ‘Sati’ was eradicated over a period of time and as a result of dedicated contributions of many and at the same time due to strict legal consequences. Thus, dealing with social issues and bringing about a social change requires intervention at many levels and by different means. There are various social issues that need to be dealt with. Some of these issues are well discussed, especially in media and to also certain extent in communities, amongst social scientists and even students. However, there are other issues that are equally relevant but do not get the adequate attention, whether its media, society or social scientists. It is thus important to first identify the social issues and then derive measures to deal with them. Social psychologists can play an important role in this regard by not only being more observant and sensitive but also by employing suitable research methodology to study these issues and design intervention strategies. Interventions can be carried out at various levels including individual, familial, community, societal, organizational, state and even at national and international levels. The present article will focus on, first of all, identifying various social issues. Further, it will also discuss about the relevance of research in order to understand these issues and its attributes. It will also focus on the significance of imbibing a sense of understanding and awareness about the social issues amongst the students of social psychology so as to develop in them a sense of concern and also identification with these issues. Thus, the article focuses on the role of both, the social psychologists of today and the social psychologists of future (students of social psychology), in order to bridge the gap between social psychology and social issues.