Action Research in Social Psychology

• Published in: Archives of scientific psychology 2018-11, Vol.6 (1), p.169-177
• Main Authors: Simon, Andrew F, Wilder, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Action Research; Experimentation; History of Psychology; Human; Social Psychology
• ISSN: 2169-3269; 2169-3269
• DOI: 10.1037/arc0000054

ABSTRACT Action research is a heterodox idea in social psychology despite the fact that it was advocated and practiced by founders of modern social psychology. We examine how and why action research and social psychology diverged over the ensuing years. We trace the trajectory of social psychology following World War II with a focus on the crisis of the 1970s that challenged fundamental assumptions of the discipline. The evolution of action research is also addressed with a focus on its view of how knowledge emerges. A central theme is social psychology's consistent identification as a positivist science, whereas modern-day action research is more aligned with the tenets of postmodernism. Recommendations are provided for moving toward greater awareness of what each can contribute to the other while recognizing their fundamental differences. SCIENTIFIC ABSTRACT This paper addresses the connection between action research and social psychology. Action research is a means of conducting research that focuses on solving a problem. Action researchers partner with those working in settings, such as organizations or schools, so that, together, they can better understand how people are interacting and identify means for improvement. Social psychologists also study issues related to how people interact but they do not focus on solving problems. Rather, they conduct experiments as a way of identifying general principles of human behavior. In the 1940s, action researchers and social psychologists saw their efforts as complementary. Since that time, the two have separated to the point that, today, there is little-to-no overlap in their work. In this paper, we discuss (a) how this separation has occurred, (b) why reconnecting the two would serve the general understanding of social behavior, and (c) how this reconnection can occur.