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Big Ideas in Social Psychology
Have you ever wondered if your social behavior depends more on the situation, you’re in
or if it is just how you interpret the situation? Social psychology provides us with the ability to
study what people are thinking, their influences, and how they relate to one another (Myers &
Twenge, 2022, p. 2). These three fundamental principles are often referred to as the ‘Big Ideas’ in
social psychology that can also be identified in the Bible. These key ideas help us explore how
our thoughts and actions are shaped by the social environments we find ourselves in. By studying
these concepts, social psychology provides us with valuable insight into human behavior and
helps us better navigate our interactions with others in everyday life.
Big Idea #1: Social Thinking
“Automatic processing, implicit memory, heuristics, instant emotions, and nonverbal
communication” defines social thinking, according to Meyers and Twenge (2022, p. 4). Our
attitudes are shaped by our behavior; we are in charge of how we construct our social reality. For
example, you and I may react differently when faced with confrontation because we may think
differently. After a long day of helping and supporting client’s financial needs, my coworkers
and I will express to each other how our day went. When I have had a difficult guest who is
combative and unkind, it takes a toll on me; it’s hard not to let it ruin my day. I’ll share that with
my team, however, when one of them is faced with the same situation, they brush it off and say,
“It doesn’t even bother me.” This is a prime example of experiencing social thinking. The Bible
identifies and reflects the idea of social thinking multiple times, including Luke 10:25-27. In this
parable, several people pass by a man who had been beaten and left by the side of the road,
however, one Good Samaritan stopped to help assist the man. This story illustrates social
thinking, the Good Samaritan is seen as compassionate, empathetic, and caring for others,
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regardless of their background, which is a key element in understanding how thoughts and
feelings are shaped by social contexts (English Standard Bible,2001/2016, Luke 10:25-27).
Big Idea #2: Social Influences
“Our attitudes and behavior are shaped by external social forces” defines social
influences, according to Meyers and Twenge (2022, p. 5). Social influences impact many
standards in our lives, our promptness, openness, and culture are all influenced by the situations
and people around us (Myers & Twenge, 2022, p. 5). A time in many of our lives when social
influence was affecting almost the entire world was COVID-19 in 2020. It is crazy to think it
was five years ago that everyone was being influenced to wear masks, keep a good distance
apart, and not know when it is safe to try and return to a “normal life.” At the time I was working
in retail, the company I worked for, in addition to others, were all seeing what other stores were
doing, how many people were allowed in at a time, and whether fitting rooms were open or not.
We were all being influenced by one another. An example in the Bible that identifies and reflects
on social influences is Peter’s denial of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew 26:69-75 as well as John
18:15-18. Jesus is arrested and taken to trial, making Peter pressured by those around him to
deny ever knowing Jesus despite his earlier claims that he would never deny Jesus (English
Standard Bible,2001/2016, Matthew 26:69-75, John 18:15-18).
Big Idea #3: Social Relations
Social relations can be defined as “If every psychological event (every thought, every
emotion, every behavior) is simultaneously a biological event, then we can also examine the
neurobiology that underlies social behavior (Myers & Twenge, 2022, p. 6). People’s feelings and
actions can either be negative or positive; this is influenced by social and biological influences.
When I think of a time in my life when I have experienced social relations, the mind, and the
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body, I think of how close my family is on my mother’s side versus the closeness I have to my
father’s side of the family. My parents are divorced, and my mother lives close to me here in
North Carolina, as well as my full sister and my two half-brothers. My father lives in Florida, in
addition to my stepmom, my half-sister, and my grandparents. When I am with my North
Carolina family, I am more myself due to this side of the family being more informal. However,
when I am with my family in Florida, I tend to be more formal and more conscious of how I
communicate and what I share. I love spending time with each of them and love them equally it
is just a different dynamic from how my mother was raised versus my father. An instance where
social relations are observed and expressed in the Bible is in the Book of Acts of the Apostles,
chapter 2 (English Standard Bible,2001/2016). This highlights the early Christian community's
social dynamic of their shared faith in the Holy Spirit. Peter spoke a sermon 50 days after Jesus’
resurrection where people came together to accept the Holy Spirit. This powerful and touching
sermon joined people from various backgrounds to accept Jesus (English Standard
Bible,2001/2016, Book of Acts). Even though these people came from different backgrounds,
they were influenced by social and biological factors and were able to come together in respect,
support, and unity.
Conclusion
Social psychology’s principles are applied throughout our day-to-day lives, how our
intuitions guide us, and our behavior is influenced by the people around us and our genetics. I am
interested in identifying more ways social psychology is expressed in the Bible, in addition to
this being the most challenging for more. I do not come from a religious background; therefore,
everything I have read and learned from the Bible is something I have had to build on myself.
Learning about psychology is something I am very passionate about, as well as building my
