Citation

Operario D, Fiske ST. Asian J. Soc. Psychol. 1999; 2(1): 63-78.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Asian Association of Social Psychology and the Japanese Group Dynamics Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1467-839X.00026

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Social cognition provides a metatheoretical approach to understanding the mental underpinnings of human social behavior. This paper reviews some of the major themes in social cognition research, tracing its progression from a methodological hybrid between cognitive and social psychology to a major foundation of social psychology. We stress the most recent trend in social cognition research – the motivated tactician theme – which focuses on the roles of motives and goals in people's mental processes and social behavior; examples from our laboratory illustrate this theme. Our brief historical overview emphasizes diversity within the social cognition approach; its applicability to multiple psychological and social issues; and directions for collaboration with other notable research traditions, particularly cross‐cultural perspectives.