These essays provide a lively introduction to the field of applied social psychology. The contributors - who include economists, sociologists, linguists, anthropologists and psychologists - deal with problems and models specific to the Indian socio-economic reality. They provide a comprehensive analysis of research on deprivation, poverty, competence, population, political behaviour, achievement motivation, social tension, multilingualism and marginality of weaker sections. They highlight diverse issues using Indian models which have a direct bearing on national development.

"The volume fills an important gap that exists in social-psychological research in India. The contributors present different perspectives. However, the unitary theme of social relevance and interdisciplinary perspective is highlighted. The contributors have provided some suggestions, but they have also indicated the anomalies in our social system. This adds to the merit of the book from a broader perspective. --Indian Psychological Abstracts and Reviews Providing a lively introduction to the field, Applied Social Psychology in India, represents the shift from laboratory-oriented research to problem-oriented naturalistic research. It provides a comprehensive analysis of research on deprivation, poverty, competence, population, political behavior, achievement motivation, social tension, and multilingualism.

This student-friendly introduction to the field focuses on understanding social and practical problems and developing intervention strategies to address them. Offering a balance of theory, research, and application, the updated Third Edition includes the latest research, as well as new, detailed examples of qualitative research throughout.

The concept of applied social psychology aims at using social psychology theories and principles to improve the functioning of institutions and individuals. The five chapters of this book contain carefully selected essays that approach both academic issues and empiric research results covering a wide range of interests. The ways in which vulnerable groups rely on psychological mechanisms in their adjustment to concrete situations, and new research in the sphere of mental health are two such subjects covered here. This book will serve as a useful tool for professionals in psychology, medicine, education, social work, and counsellors in permanent interaction with the human factor. However, Applied Social Psychology is in no way restrictive: it will also be useful and accessible for a wider audience interested in reading about psychology, education, and communication from interdisciplinary perspectives.

How do consumers process information? How do they make choices and decisions? How are decisions translated into actions of consumption? How can marketing influence and respond to consumers? The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour illuminates an area of intense academic and wider interest, bringing together research and practical insights into how theories in social psychology can be applied to consumer behaviour. Core themes include information processing and social cognition, communication processes, attitude models, emotion, social identity theory, and action theory. Within each of the major areas of social psychology, a historical perspective is provided, current knowledge reviewed, theories and findings critiqued, and directions for future research appraised. The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour provides a deeper perspective than standard texts which tend to be either atheoretical, overly encyclopedic, or outdated. It considers why consumers buy what they do, and how they go about making individual and group decisions concerning consumption. The result is essential reading for students, researchers and practitioners in psychology and marketing, as well as for those in related fields such as public policy, public health, health psychology, political science and sociology.

Applied Psychology: A Global Perspective Is An Exceptional Book In Many Ways. First, It Is A Pioneering Work In Covering The Global Issues As Compared To Other Books On The Subject That Are Narrowly Focussed On Either The Western Or The Non-Western Issues. Second, It Covers Many Vital Topics Such As Technology And Religion That Are Not Covered In The Other Available Books On Applied Social Psychology. And Last But Not The Least Important, The Book Deals With Real Applied Issues Involving Interventions, A Problem In Many Non-Western Publications That Fail To Distinguish Between Basic, Applicable, Applicability And Applied Issues Of Social Psychology And Mislabel Many Among Them As Applied . I Commend The Authors For Their Deligence In Presenting The Facts Collected From Researches In Many Countries. Omar Sayeed, Dean Of Research,Nitie, MumbaiIn The Past Two Decades, Several Books Have Been Written On Applied Social Psychology, The Focus Primarily Being On Research And Its Interpretation In The Western Countries, With A Clear Distinction Being Made Between Basic Research In Social Psychology And The Applicable, Applicability And Applied Nature Of The Findings. This Latter Issue Has, However, Not Always Been Appreciated By Many Scholars In Non-Western Parts Of The World. As A Result, Scholars Of Social Psychology In Non-Western Regions Of The World Have Frequently Erred In Their Judgment Of What Constitutes The Applied Nature Of Social Psychology. Secondly, Applied Social Psychology Depends A Great Deal On Intervention Programs That Not Only Invite Work Beyond The Basic, Applicable And Applicability Aspects But Also Are Costly To Implement And Time Consuming. Due To Both These Reasons, Most Of The Books From The Non-Western Countries Fall Short Of The True Applied Aspects Of Social Psychology. In This Respect, Applied Social Psychology: A Global Perspective Is A Pioneering Book Dealing With Applied Social Psychology From Both The Western And The Non-Western Perspectives. The Book Also Points Out The Limits Of Non-Western Social Psychological Findings Claimed As Applied Though Lacking The Support Of Intervention Programs. At The Same Time, The Problems, Issues And Challenges In Intervening At The Cross-Cultural Level Have Been Succinctly Dealt With.In Writing This Book, The Authors Have Gone Beyond The Topics Found In Traditional Text Books Of Applied Social Psychology, For Example, Applied Social Psychology Of The Environment, Health, Law, Education, Consumer Behavior Etc, And Have Also Focused On Two Extremely Important Areas Of Our Life, That Have Otherwise Remained Neglected In Most Books On Applied Social Psychology. These Are The Realms Of Technology And Religion. Another Important Addition Is A Chapter On Aggression And Non-Violence. Overall, This Book Presents A Wide Range Of Topics That Describe How Social Psychology Can Be Applied To Daily Life And Its Problems. It Is Expected That This Book Will Not Only Serve As An Ideal Textbook For Undergraduate And Postgraduate Students But Will Also Prove Informative And Useful For Researchers And Professionals From Various Walks Of Life.

Revised version of papers presented at the National Workshop for Fifth ICSSR Survey of Psychological Research, held at Delhi during 23-24 October 2006.