The book gives an accessible and thorough grounding in the key concepts, the fundamentals - the essentials of social psychology, while providing a lively introduction to the major theoretical debates, new approaches, and findings in the discipline. It focuses on theory and basic level empirical demonstrations for of the key phenomena, along with discussion of current research and application to real-world issues. Concise chapters cover the classic and contemporary studies with ample illustrations, an extensive glossary, and memory maps to help students retain the material. Two new chapters on Attribution and Intergroup Processes have been added in the Second Edition. Alternative perspectives are integrated into each chapter to reflect the full range of approaches and encourage critical thinking, and a new and improved Instructor and Student website is available to support teaching and learning.