ABSTRACT
Social psychology is a broad and complex area of study, but it is all about how we interact with other people, and how they affect us. This chapter provides an overview of human social psychology by looking at what it is to be social: how other people are important to us from the very beginning of our lives, and the many different ways in which we affiliate with other people as we grow older. Social exchange theory sees the development of friendships as if it were an economic transaction, with people looking for or trying to negotiate the "best deal". People have been finding and initiating relationships on the internet for many years now. Networking has always been a crucial part of modern living. Social respect may derive from many different sources. Fortunately, respect based solely on class position or inherited wealth is becoming less widespread as society moves to become more egalitarian.
