1. Careers in Social Psychology Jennifer L. Leo, Ph.D. Florida State University

2. What is the definition of Social Psychology?  Scientific study of how individuals’ thoughts, feelings and behaviors are affected by other people  Focused on how people think about others, influence others, and relate to one another

3.  Sample of topics in Social Psychology  Relationships  Social Influence/Persuasion  Group processes  Prosocial behavior What is the definition of Social Psychology?

4. What are the activities in which Social Psychologists engage?  Research-oriented field  Research process  Collaborate with others  Come up with research ideas  Create methods for testing research questions/hypotheses  Data analysis  Communicate results  Apply for grants  Mentor research assistants

5. What types of organizations or businesses employ Social Psychologists?  Universities  Researcher  Teaching  Marketing firms  Consulting  Government  Non-profit organizations

6. How much graduate training is needed to become a Social Psychologist?  To specialize in social psychology a Ph.D. is generally necessary  Few master’s programs specific to social psychology  Ph.D. programs  Heavily research oriented  Some classes  Also likely to teach  Often funded by school or research grants

7. Are certifications or additional training needed to become a Social Psychologist?  No additional training required  However, some may do a post-doctoral program to be more competitive

8. How good are employment opportunities for Social Psychologists?  Employment opportunities in academia very limited  Less full-time, tenure track jobs  However, growing number of jobs outside academia  Social psychology has broad applicability Academic 50% Private sector 18.7% Self- employed 13.9% Government 10.6% Non-profit 6.5%

9. What salaries do Social Psychologists earn? Median Starting Salaries for Ph.D. (2007) Instructor/lecturer$38,000 Assistant Professor$52,000 Applied Careers$68,000 Overall Median Salaries (2009 ) MastersPh.D. Faculty Position$52,000Full Professor$100,000 Applied Careers$80,000Associate Professor$72,000 Assistant Professor$65,000 Applied Careers$120,000

10. How flexible are working conditions for Social Psychologists?  Jobs in academia tend to be very flexible  Make your own schedule  Decide on topics of research  Work remotely  Jobs outside of academia  Vary by company

11. What skills & experience should undergrads acquire if interested in Social Psychology?  To be competitive for Social Psychology Ph.D. programs: 1.) GPA  Average incoming graduate GPA: ~3.5 (out 4.0 scale) 2.) Graduate Record Exam (GRE) www.ets.org  General Exam  Average incoming verbal/quantitative total: ~310 (out of 340)  Average incoming analytic score: 4.5 (out of 6)  Subject Exams  Only rarely required by social psych graduate programs

12. What skills & experience should undergrads acquire if interested in Social Psychology?  To be competitive for Social Psychology Ph.D. programs: 3.) Research experience  Involve yourself in DIS opportunities!  Recommend working with two different labs during undergrad 4.) Letters of Recommendation  Typically need 3  At least 2 should come from professors/research advisors

13. What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Social Psychologist?  Exciting, creative field  Numerous aspects to job  Focus on what you’re interested in

14. What is the biggest drawback of being a Social Psychologist?  Heavy workload  Carve out time for yourself

15. Website recommendations for students interested in Social Psychology  American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org/  Social Psychology Network http://www.socialpsychology.org/  Society for Personality and Social Psychology http://www.spsp.org/