Core ideas in the discipline of social psychology are examined in this publication. Social psychology is the study of social behavior based upon individual psychological attributes or personality. An individual's personality can be thought of as inner states of readiness which predispose a person to respond in certain ways in social situations. A person's psychological attributes, which can be either fluctuating or stable, are made up of moods, beliefs, attitudes, values, motives, and skills. These attributes make up the essential features of an individual's self-concept. Personality develops through a process of individuation and socialization which includes the influence of physical characteristics, relationships with the family, school, peer groups, work groups, and the mass media. The major mechanisms through which such social learning operates can be categorized as compliance learning, learning by identification, complementary role learning, and internationalization. An individual's social behavior then depends on how his personality interacts with the social situation. Subjective experiences, such as perceptions, thoughts, and feelings, also lead to and accompany social behavior. Once a person reacts in a social situation he changes and the social situation which produced his action changes. (DE)