Towards a General Theory of Social Psychology: Understanding Human Cruelty, Human Misery, and, Perhaps, a Remedy (A Theory of the Socialization Process)

Wendy Treynor, PhD
Euphoria Press (2009)
ISBN 9780982302873
Reviewed by Ali Neshati for Reader Views (12/09)

 

Ostentatious title aside, “Towards a General Theory of Social Psychology: Understanding Human Cruelty, Human Misery, and, Perhaps, a Remedy (A Theory of the Socialization Process)” is a strong, insightful offering from an ambitious young academic. Building on the work of the great American social psychologist Leon Festinger, author Wendy Treynor outlines a compelling theory of group dynamics that is both intuitive and science-minded.

The core premises of Treynor’s theory—namely, that people actively seek acceptance and avoid rejection, and that identification with one’s social group is accompanied by the formation or dissolution of internal and external conflict—are based on well-documented social psychological principles. In a nutshell, she puts a new spin on Festinger’s famous cognitive dissonance and social comparison theories, uniting their disparate elements under a single functional framework. Treynor, who holds a doctorate in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan, has clearly done her homework. Though strongly psychological in nature, her work touches on concepts from a wide variety of areas, including behavioral economics, mathematics, and philosophy.

For the most part, Treynor’s ideas are simple ones, and though she describes this simplicity as her theory’s biggest limitation, I strongly disagree. In this case, simplicity is an advantage. Like lumbering dinosaurs crashing down under their own enormity, the era of “grand theories” in psychology has long since passed. All too often, it is the simplest of theoretical propositions—the humble “microtheories”—that can best endure the harsh scrutiny of the scientific research community. Simple is good.

Despite its many strengths, “Towards a General Theory of Social Psychology” is not without flaws. Though she writes clearly, Treynor’s style often inhabits a grey area somewhere between ivory (as in “towers”) and purple (as in “prose”). Casual readers will likely be intimidated by the book’s overall lack of descriptive examples, while academic readers may find its concluding pages needlessly fluffy, as Treynor waxes philosophical on issues of love, morality, and spirituality. With that said, Treynor is not the first scientist-turned-author to struggle with finding her author’s voice. I am confident that, with time, she will get the balance right.

All things considered, this book is not for everyone. It is a very specialized text that will only have limited appeal to readers unfamiliar with (or disinterested in) behavioral science. However, for those with the appropriate background, “Towards a General Theory of Social Psychology” is an intriguing and thought-provoking read. Treynor’s theory is fresh, exciting, and doubtless far from complete... I eagerly look forward to seeing how her ideas develop in the near future. Highly recommended.

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