Research Areas: Social and Cultural Psychology

The aim of social and cultural psychology is to understand the way people behave in social situations, as well as the way they think about and feel about the broader social world, with a focus on uncovering both proximal and distal explanations of such phenomena.  Within the areas of social and cultural psychology, Penn faculty have a number of specializations. They are engaged in research on moral psychology, ethics, and moral judgment (Baron, Dana, Farah, Goodwin, Kurzban, Rozin), ethnopolitical conflict (Rozin, Lustick, McCauley), and social decision processes (Baron, Bicchieri, Kurzban, Schweitzer), among other topics.  The approaches taken to study these topics vary, and include experimental, survey, and interview methods.  For additional information about specific areas of study, please consult the faculty/ lab webpages.