About this ebook
Authored by leading international experts, each chapter represents a personal and historical narrative of the theory′s development including the inspirations, critical junctures, and problem-solving efforts that effected theoretical choices and determined the theory′s impact and its evolution. Unique to this handbook, these narratives provide a rich background for understanding how theories are created, nurtured, and shaped over time, and examining their unique contribution to the field as a whole. To examine its societal impact, each theory is evaluated in terms of its applicability to better understanding and solving critical social issues and problems.
About the author
Paul van Lange (1961) has been a Professor of Social Psychology at the VU since 2000 (and Special Professor at Leiden University from 1999-2008). He has published well over 100 articles on topics closely linked to trust and human cooperation in journals such as Annual Review of Psychology, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and Psychological Bulletin, and currently conducts research on topics such as (a) helping and altruism, (b) rewards and punishments, (c) aggression, hormones and sport, (d) norm violation and dishonesty, (e) social mindfulness, and (f) trust and misunderstanding in social dilemmas (see also recent publications below). Also, with various colleagues he has edited or authored a number of books such as the Atlas of Interpersonal Situations (Cambridge, 2003), Bridging Social Psychology (Erlbaum, 2006), Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology (Sage, 2012). He is currently working on Social Dilemmas: Understanding Human Cooperation (Oxford), Power, Politics, and Paranoia (Cambridge), and How to Publish High Impact Research (American Psychological Association). He serves or has served various editorial roles (for, among others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Psychological Science) and currently serves as President for the Society of Experimental Social Psychology. Over the years, his research has been supported by various science foundations in the world, including The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, the European Uninion, the private sector, and grants from science foundations in China, Finland, Germany, Portugal, and Switzerland. Since 2009, he serves as Chair for the Department of Social and Organizational Psychology and leader for the research program Trust, Leadership, and Cooperation
