Question

Explain two major differences between common sense understandings and social psychological theories. Illustrate with an example. What is the danger in relying on common sense or intuition in learning about the relationship between the individual and his or her environment

Answer 1

The primary difference between common sense understandings and social psychological theories is the method used to arrive at conclusions. Common sense understandings are usually passed down through word of mouth while social psychological theories are formulated after sufficient scientific analysis. For example, Solomon Asch conducted a series of studies to investigate the extent to which social pressure from a majority group could affect a person to conform. He formulated his theory on conformity only after thorough research.
Another difference between the two concepts is that common sense understanding is deeply rooted in what aligns with the interests and expectations of other group members. On the other hand, social psychological theories are free from this bias as it is only led by empirical observation and data. Got example, it was considered "common sense" that a woman was only fit for domestic and household duties.
An immediate danger that stems from common sense understanding is that it can offer conflicting explanations about the same phenomena phenomena and there maybe no established method to test it. For example, the beliefs that "distance makes the heart grow fonder" and "out of sight, out of mind" are contradictory in nature.