Social Comparisons

Everybody's Personal Theory

Suls, Jerry
Wheeler, Eds. Ladd
Blanton, Hart
Christie, Charlene

JERRY SULS, Department of Psychology, University of Iowa.
LADD WHEELER, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
HART BLANTON, Department of Psychology, CB# 3270, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3270. E-mail: [email protected]
CHARLENE CHRISTIE, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York 12222.

PsycCRITIQUES 48(3):p 311-314, June 2003. | DOI: 10.1037/000799

Originally published in Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, 1997, Vol 42(1), 30. Review of book: Social Psychology, by Stephen L. Franzoi (see record 1995-98614-000). This book consists of 13 chapters of traditional material appropriate for an introductory social psychology course. Franzoi defines social psychology as a discipline that attempts to explain how thinking, feeling, and behaving are modified by the presence of other people (real or imagined). This text does justice to this definition. Students of moderate ability will benefit from the book's coverage of two important issues: ourselves and the diversity of others. This text is well written, and its level of presentation is appropriate for students enrolled in either a beginning-level or an advanced-level class in social psychology. The topics in the text could be easily complemented with supplemental readings. The content and presentation of this book will promote critical thinking about sensitive issues facing humankind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)