Each year countless studies are published in the filed of social psychology. Attempts to keep up-to-date on such a vast production might lead one to neglect seminal research that introduced contemporary schools and currents. Many people are familiar with today's pertinent research in only vague and indirect terms. This book was inspired by the need to avoid these risks of oblivion or misrepresentation of a discipline's identity. The text attempts to bestow due importance to works that, in a truly psychosocial perspective, address and interpret some of contemporary society's most crucial problems

Contents: 1. Newcomb: An Exemplary Study of Political Socialisation, by M. Pivetti - 2. Lewin: From Field Theory to Research on Group Leadership and Decision-Making Processes, by C. Mosso - 3. Sherif: Social Norm Creation, Elementary Social Groups, and Conflict among Groups, by S. Costarelli - 4. Hovland and the Yale School: The Origins of Communication and Persuasion Studies, by N. Cavazza - 5. Milgram: Research on Submission to Authority, by M. Ravenna - 6. Latan and Darley: Why Do So Many People Seem Not to Care about Others' Misfortune?, by L. Castelli - 7. Tajfel: From Categorisation Processes to Intergroup Dynamics, by M. Rubini - Bibliography.

Augusto Palmonari teaches Social Psychology in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bologna.

Nicoletta Cavazza is a researcher in Social Psychology in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bologna.