Although the term, 'social psychology' was not formally introduced to the literature until the middle of the nineteenth century, as Jahoda demonstrates, the concept is really much older, indeed it is probably eternal. The Greeks had something to say on the subject (but then again they had something to say on most subjects). Some of the first attempts to clarify and define its scientific study can be traced to the sea-change of intellectualism brought about by the Enlightenment, however, social psychology has also moved with and been influenced by contemporary currents of social philosophy and the history that Jahoda presents, with its context and background, players and influences, charts the fascination we have with how, and sometimes why, we mange to live together as we do.

Jahoda finds it impossible to separate the intellectual debate of an age from its social and political context. The genie that Newton let out of the box by describing natural laws of physics rather than a divine plan reverberated through social thought as well. The fact that German politics in the nineteenth, and perhaps twentieth centuries was dominated by issues of nationhood, unity and identity irrevocably shaped its social thought, the startling effect of the French Revolution and later the Paris Commune led to a focus on crowd psychology. Thus, social psychology may be seen, in a sense, as a culture talking to itself.

The history that Jahoda describes also takes in major influential figures. There are numerous informative and insightful thumb-nail sketches throughout the book, some less known than others. This not only gives an impression of the human scale and pertinence of the ferment of ideas, but shows the matrix of influences and responses as the discipline developed. This is also a helpful way of tying together the strands of thought, social and political history and the maturing of the discipline.

The predominant forms of thought that emerged in different contexts, most notably pre and post-revolutionary France, Bismarckian Germany and all that followed, utilitarian and later social Darwinist Britain and the emergence of the USA, are also considered in an interesting manner. It is perhaps arguable that Jahoda does not give quite enough emphasis to the influence of the Frankfurt School of critical sociology, and perhaps over-estimates the place of the American post-Darwinists, but that is always part of the joy of history. It is also a matter of regret that the history does not really extend into the last fifty years which have seen the Cold War, the emergence of multiculturalism, the trend towards fundamentalisms of many shades, the consequences of the advances in neurobiology and so on, but any historian has to draw a line somewhere, and this is Jahoda's. Perhaps we have to wait for Volume 2.

It may be speculated that if you were able to get ten social psychologists in a room together, you would get 15 different definitions of the discipline. This is not a question that is fully answered by Jahoda. Perhaps he shouldn't even try. Although it not pedantic, sometimes there is the flavor of a text book about the presentation. Notwithstanding that, the book is a lively, readable and informative account of an area of social and intellectual activity that concerns us all, every day. Jahoda alerts us to the interfaces of knowledge and inquiry, and this it seems, is often where most surprises and the greatest insights can be found. He has given us an interesting and worthwhile contribution to the literature and it should be recommended to scholars and more general, but informed readers alike.

© 2007 Mark Welch

Mark Welch, Ph.D., Edmonton, Alberta

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Categories: Psychology