This book not only documents the authors' own studies of real life social situations, but also provides an extensive review of other literature in this field. Michael Argyle and his colleagues are particularly concerned with the practical applications of situational analysis - to social skills training, mental health and deviance, intergroup behaviour, personnel selection and consumer research. In addition, by concentrating on situational variables, the volume makes an important contribution to the study of personality, since personality-situational interaction is at least as important in determining behaviour as are general personality traits. During recent years there has been extensive criticism of the conduct of research in social psychology. Social Situations points the way forward to a resolution of the crisis in the discipline. It marks an important advance in our understanding of social behaviour which will interest social and clinical psychologists and sociologists.
