THE CONTEXT AND NATURE OF Social_Psychology_Careers.ppt

education

1. Careers in
Social Psychology
Jennifer L. Leo, Ph.D.
Florida State University

2. What is the definition of Social Psychology?
Scientific study of how individuals’ thoughts, feelings and behaviors are
affected by other people
Focused on how people think about others, influence others, and relate to
one another

3. Sample of topics in Social Psychology
Relationships
Social Influence/Persuasion
Group processes
Prosocial behavior
What is the definition of Social Psychology?

4. What are the activities in which Social
Psychologists engage?
Research-oriented field
Research process
Collaborate with others
Come up with research ideas
Create methods for testing research questions/hypotheses
Data analysis
Communicate results
Apply for grants
Mentor research assistants

5. What types of organizations or businesses
employ Social Psychologists?
Universities
Researcher
Teaching
Marketing firms
Consulting
Government
Non-profit organizations

6. How much graduate training is needed to
become a Social Psychologist?
To specialize in social psychology a Ph.D. is generally necessary
Few master’s programs specific to social psychology
Ph.D. programs
Heavily research oriented
Some classes
Also likely to teach
Often funded by school or research grants

7. Are certifications or additional training needed
to become a Social Psychologist?
No additional training required
However, some may do a post-doctoral program to be more competitive

8. How good are employment opportunities
for Social Psychologists?
Employment opportunities in academia very limited
Less full-time, tenure track jobs
However, growing number of jobs outside academia
Social psychology has broad applicability
Distribution of Social Psychologists by Industry
Academic
50%
Private
sector
18.7%
Self-
employed
13.9%

9. What salaries do Social Psychologists earn?
MedianStarting Salaries for Ph.D. (2007)
Instructor/lecturer$38,000
Assistant Professor$52,000
Applied Careers $68,000
OverallMedian Salaries (2009)
Masters Ph.D.
Faculty Position$52,000 Full Professor $100,000
AppliedCareers$80,000 Associate Professor$72,000
Assistant Professor$65,000
Applied Careers $120,000

10. How flexible are working conditions for
Social Psychologists?
Jobs in academia tend to be very flexible
Make your own schedule
Decide on topics of research
Work remotely
Jobs outside of academia
Vary by company

11. What skills & experience should undergrads
acquire if interested in Social Psychology?
To be competitive for Social Psychology Ph.D. programs:
1.) GPA
Average incoming graduate GPA: ~3.5 (out 4.0 scale)
2.) Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
www.ets.org
General Exam
Average incoming verbal/quantitative total: ~310 (out of 340)
Average incoming analytic score: 4.5 (out of 6)
Subject Exams
Only rarely required by social psych graduate programs

12. What skills & experience should undergrads
acquire if interested in Social Psychology?
To be competitive for Social Psychology Ph.D. programs:
3.) Research experience
Involve yourself in DIS opportunities!
Recommend working with two different labs during undergrad
4.) Letters of Recommendation
Typically need 3
At least 2 should come from professors/research advisors

13. What is the most rewarding aspect of
being a Social Psychologist?
Exciting, creative field
Numerous aspects to job
Focus on what you’re interested in

14. What is the biggest drawback of being a
Social Psychologist?
Heavy workload
Carve out time for yourself

15. Website recommendations for students
interested in Social Psychology
American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org/
Social Psychology Network
http://www.socialpsychology.org/
Society for Personality and Social Psychology
http://www.spsp.org/