Social development is a subfield of developmental psychology that studies how children build connections with others, their understanding of the meaning of those relationships, and their knowledge of other people's actions, attitudes, and intentions.

In this Course you will also learn about:

• Social Development and Social Psychology

• What is Social Psychology?

• The Importance of Social Development

• Socialization and the Self

• Attitudes and Persuasion

• Group Dynamics and Influence

• Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination

• Interpersonal Attraction and Relationships

• Prosocial Behavior and Altruism

• Aggression and Violence

• Environmental and Cultural Influences

• Applications of Social Psychology

• Future Directions in Social Psychology

Social development is a child development theory that claims that as children experience life and see other people's behaviors and reactions, they will begin to learn how to participate in society. These encounters will teach them about their strengths as well as their limitations. The American Psychological Association defines social psychology as "the study of how an individual's thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected" by others, whether "actual, imagined, or symbolically represented." In essence, even picturing another person observing you changes how you absorb information, behave, and respond. Because of the backdrop of individualistic philosophy on which it started to take shape, social psychology received its initial impetus from the study of social life. Folk psychology and contemporary sociology, particularly psychological sociology, embody this trend in social-psychological evolution.