Jolanda Jetten – författare

A growing body of research shows that social networks and identities have a profound impact on mental and physical health. With such mounting evidence of the importance of social relationships in protecting health, the challenge we face is explaining why this should be the case. What is it that social groups offer that appears to be just as beneficial as a daily dose of vitamin C or regular exercise?

This edited book brings together the latest research on how group memberships, and the social identities associated with them, determine people’s health and well-being. The volume provides a variety of perspectives from clinical, social, organisational and applied fields that offer theoretical and empirical insights into these processes and their consequences. The contributions present a rich and novel analysis of core theoretical issues relating to the ways in which social identities, and factors associated with them (such as social support and a sense of community), can bolster individuals’ sense of self and contribute to physical and mental health. In this way it is shown how social identities constitute a ‘social cure’, capable of promoting adjustment, coping and well-being for individuals dealing with a range of illnesses, injuries, trauma and stressors. In addition, these theories provide a platform for practical strategies that can maintain and enhance well-being, particularly among vulnerable populations.

Contributors to the book are at the forefront of these developments and the book’s strength derives from its analysis of factors that shape the health and well-being of a broad range of groups. It presents powerful insights which have important implications for health, clinical, social and organisational psychology and a range of cognate fields.

A growing body of research shows that social networks and identities have a profound impact on mental and physical health. With such mounting evidence of the importance of social relationships in protecting health, the challenge we face is explaining why this should be the case. What is it that social groups offer that appears to be just as beneficial as a daily dose of vitamin C or regular exercise?

This edited book brings together the latest research on how group memberships, and the social identities associated with them, determine people’s health and well-being. The volume provides a variety of perspectives from clinical, social, organisational and applied fields that offer theoretical and empirical insights into these processes and their consequences. The contributions present a rich and novel analysis of core theoretical issues relating to the ways in which social identities, and factors associated with them (such as social support and a sense of community), can bolster individuals’ sense of self and contribute to physical and mental health. In this way it is shown how social identities constitute a ‘social cure’, capable of promoting adjustment, coping and well-being for individuals dealing with a range of illnesses, injuries, trauma and stressors. In addition, these theories provide a platform for practical strategies that can maintain and enhance well-being, particularly among vulnerable populations.

Contributors to the book are at the forefront of these developments and the book’s strength derives from its analysis of factors that shape the health and well-being of a broad range of groups. It presents powerful insights which have important implications for health, clinical, social and organisational psychology and a range of cognate fields.

British Psychology Society Textbook of the Year 2020

Why do people who are more socially connected live longer and have better health than those who are socially isolated?

Why are social ties at least as good for your health as not smoking, having a good diet, and taking regular exercise?

Why is treatment more effective when there is an alliance between therapist and client?

Until now, researchers and practitioners have lacked a strong theoretical foundation for answering such questions. This ground-breaking book fills this gap by showing how social identity processes are key to understanding and effectively managing a broad range of health-related problems.

Integrating a wealth of evidence that the authors and colleagues around the world have built up over the last decade, The New Psychology of Health provides a powerful framework for reconceptualising the psychological dimensions of a range of conditions – including stress, trauma, ageing, depression, addiction, eating behaviour, brain injury, and pain.

Alongside reviews of current approaches to these various issues, each chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the ways in which theory and practice can be enriched by attention to social identity processes. Here the authors show not only how an array of social and structural factors shape health outcomes through their impact on group life, but also how this analysis can be harnessed to promote the delivery of ‘social cures’ in a range of fields.

This is a must-have volume for service providers, practitioners, students, and researchers working in a wide range of disciplines and fields, and will also be essential reading for anyone whose goal it is to improve the health and well-being of people and communities in their care.

British Psychology Society Textbook of the Year 2020

Why do people who are more socially connected live longer and have better health than those who are socially isolated?

Why are social ties at least as good for your health as not smoking, having a good diet, and taking regular exercise?

Why is treatment more effective when there is an alliance between therapist and client?

Until now, researchers and practitioners have lacked a strong theoretical foundation for answering such questions. This ground-breaking book fills this gap by showing how social identity processes are key to understanding and effectively managing a broad range of health-related problems.

Integrating a wealth of evidence that the authors and colleagues around the world have built up over the last decade, The New Psychology of Health provides a powerful framework for reconceptualising the psychological dimensions of a range of conditions – including stress, trauma, ageing, depression, addiction, eating behaviour, brain injury, and pain.

Alongside reviews of current approaches to these various issues, each chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the ways in which theory and practice can be enriched by attention to social identity processes. Here the authors show not only how an array of social and structural factors shape health outcomes through their impact on group life, but also how this analysis can be harnessed to promote the delivery of ‘social cures’ in a range of fields.

This is a must-have volume for service providers, practitioners, students, and researchers working in a wide range of disciplines and fields, and will also be essential reading for anyone whose goal it is to improve the health and well-being of people and communities in their care.

This book brings together an international selection of prominent researchers at the forefront of this development. They reflect on this issue of individuality in the group, and on how thinking about social identity has changed. Together, these chapters chart a key development in the field: how social identity perspectives inform understanding of cohesion, unity and collective action, but also how they help us understand individuality, agency, autonomy, disagreement, and diversity within groups.

This text is valuable to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying social psychology where intergroup relations and group processes are a central component. Given its wider reach, however, it will also be of interest to those in cognate disciplines where social identity perspectives have application potential.

This book brings together an international selection of prominent researchers at the forefront of this development. They reflect on this issue of individuality in the group, and on how thinking about social identity has changed. Together, these chapters chart a key development in the field: how social identity perspectives inform understanding of cohesion, unity and collective action, but also how they help us understand individuality, agency, autonomy, disagreement, and diversity within groups.

This text is valuable to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying social psychology where intergroup relations and group processes are a central component. Given its wider reach, however, it will also be of interest to those in cognate disciplines where social identity perspectives have application potential.

The Sage Handbook of Psychological Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a landmark volume that brings together global scholarship to examine the psychological foundations, challenges, and possibilities of DEI in today’s world. At a time when DEI efforts are increasingly under political and cultural scrutiny, this handbook offers a timely, evidence-based, and interdisciplinary resource for understanding and advancing equity and inclusion across societies.

Spanning 46 chapters and contributions from authors in 16 countries, the handbook explores the psychological dimensions of DEI while drawing on insights from sociology, political science, and related fields. It critically reviews the state of the literature, identifies promising directions for future research, and offers practical guidance for policy and practice. The volume is structured into seven thematic sections, covering foundational theories, dynamic processes, strategies for change, group-specific experiences, sectoral applications, and future directions.

With a commitment to intellectual rigor and respectful dialogue, the Handbook embraces the creative tensions that exist within DEI work. This handbook does not shy away from critique—it invites it, offering a space for reflection, disagreement, and growth. It is both a scholarly resource and a call to action for building more just, inclusive, and equitable societies.

Section 1: Introduction to DEISection 2: Foundations for Understanding and Promoting DEISection 3: Dynamic Processes for Understanding and Promoting DEISection 4: Strategies for Promoting DEISection 5: Understanding and Promoting DEI for Specific GroupsSection 6: Understanding and Promoting DEI in Specific Sectors and ContextsSection 7: Where Next for DEI?

Revisiting the Classic Studies is a series of texts that introduces readers to the studies in psychology that changed the way we think about core topics in the discipline today.  It provokes students to ask more interesting and challenging questions about the field by encouraging a deeper level of engagement both with the details of the studies themselves and with the nature of their contribution. 

Edited by leading scholars in their field and written by researchers at the cutting edge of these developments, each book details the original works and their theoretical and empirical impact, and then discusses the ways in which thinking and research has advanced in the years since the studies were conducted. 

Political Psychology: Revisiting the Classic Studies examines 17 influential studies that shaped how we understand political attitudes, identity, and behaviour. From Milgram to Sherif, each chapter explores the historical context, impact, and legacy of these works, showing how they continue to inform and challenge contemporary political psychology research.

Revisiting the Classic Studies is a series of texts that introduces readers to the studies in psychology that changed the way we think about core topics in the discipline today.  It provokes students to ask more interesting and challenging questions about the field by encouraging a deeper level of engagement both with the details of the studies themselves and with the nature of their contribution. 

Edited by leading scholars in their field and written by researchers at the cutting edge of these developments, each book details the original works and their theoretical and empirical impact, and then discusses the ways in which thinking and research has advanced in the years since the studies were conducted. 

Political Psychology: Revisiting the Classic Studies examines 17 influential studies that shaped how we understand political attitudes, identity, and behaviour. From Milgram to Sherif, each chapter explores the historical context, impact, and legacy of these works, showing how they continue to inform and challenge contemporary political psychology research.

***Winner of a 2021 APEX Award for Publication Excellence*** Written by leading social psychologists with expertise in leadership, health and emergency behaviour – who have also played an important role in advising governments on COVID-19 – this book provides a broad but integrated analysis of the psychology of COVID-19

It explores the response to COVID-19 through the lens of social identity theory, drawing from insights provided by four decades of research. Starting from the premise that an effective response to the pandemic depends upon people coming together and supporting each other as members of a common community, the book helps us to understand emerging processes related to social (dis)connectedness, collective behaviour and the societal effects of COVID-19. In this it shows how psychological theory can help us better understand, and respond to, the events shaping the world in 2020. 

Considering key topics such as:

This book offers the foundation on which future analysis, intervention and policy can be built.

We are proud to support the research into Covid-19 and are delighted to offer the finalised eBook for free, available from all major eBook retailers, including Amazon, Kobo, Ebooks.com and Google.  For those who prefer print, it is possible to purchase a paperback version. All Royalties from this book will be donated to charity.