how distinctive is research in social psychology to reseach in other social sciences?

Answer 1

The social sciences, in general, have struggled with the issue of being a "true" science with respect to "hard" sciences (math, physics, etc) since the field's inception some 100 or so years ago.

Social psychology in practice--not so much in theory--sits between psychiatry and theory in that psychiatry is the practice of the theory. The field itself is often considered by many to be an "applied" field in that the research people conduct can be used for social purposes. As such, many of the research projects involved often require quantitative data--data that results from surveys, questionaires, experiments, etc. As a consequence, social psychology often takes the ideas and theories of sociology and anthropology and psychology then tests them in social settings.

Philip Zombardo and Stanley Milgram are considered pioneers in this type of research--though the studies they performed would never be permitted today. The types of questions they asked and the methods they used to find those answers still reflect in many ways in contemporary social psychology.

Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

It relies more on experimental research than fields like anthropology and sociology, which are primarily based on observation. Unfortunately there are many confounds and variables to control, coupled with inconsistent application of scientific method this means that social psych research is frequently held in low regard.

Answer 3

they are all inter related