Nature of the Program

The goals of the social psychology program are to train students to be knowledgeable about the findings and theory of social psychology and to be sophisticated and practiced in its methodology. Emphasis is placed upon training students in the skills of constructing and performing basic research. While students are expected to learn through reading and attendance in courses, research techniques are learned largely through apprenticeship with one or more members of the faculty who are actively engaged in research. The program is structured to allow students to be actively engaged in independent or collaborative research, beyond the masters thesis and doctoral dissertation, on a regular basis.

Faculty

The social psychology staff include: Arie Kruglanski, Judson Mills, Harold Sigall, and Charles Stangor.

Arie Kruglanski (Distinguished University Professor), received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1968.  He is recipient of the National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Award, and the Donald Campbell Award for Oustanding Contributions to Social Psychology. He was Fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences, and is Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. He has served as editor of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Attitudes and Social Cognition, and as editor of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. His interests have been in the domains of human judgment and decision making, the motivation-cogntition interface, group and intergroup processes, and the psychology of human goals. His work has been disseminated in over 150 articles, chapters and books and has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, Deutsche Forschungs Gemeineschaft, the Ford Foundation and the Israeli Academy of Science. He is currently serving as member of the National Academy of Science panel on counter terrorism.

Judson Mills (Professor), received his Ph.D. in 1958 from Stanford University. Prior to joining the Maryland faculty in 1971, he taught at Syracuse University, the University of Missouri, The London School of Economics, and the University of Texas. His research is focused on the topics of attitude change and communal relationships.

Harold Sigall (Professor), received his Ph.D. in 1968 from the University of Texas at Austin. He taught at the University of Rochester prior to coming to the University of Maryland in 1972. His primary interests are in self-presentation, interpersonal relations, and wishful thinking.

Charles Stangor (Associate Professor), received his Ph.D. in 1986 from New York University. His research interests include stereotype development, change and use, the impact of stereotyping and prejudice upon individuals, and the academic achievement of minority group members.