Good social psychology topics for a dissertation test how people influence one another. Current examples include prebunking against misinformation, conformity to AI chatbots, intergroup contact in shared housing, pluralistic ignorance about climate policy, and bystander intervention. This page lists over 200 topics, including themed lists and topics with research aims.
Why do people conform, stereotype, or help strangers in need? Social psychology helps us understand the “why” behind human behaviour in social settings. It is a fascinating field that explores how individuals are influenced by the people around them, whether it is through group dynamics, social media, cultural norms, or everyday interactions.
However, when it comes to choosing a dissertation topic, the options can feel endless. That is where this blog comes in. We have put together a list of trending social psychology dissertation topics to help spark your interest and guide you toward a research idea that is relevant, engaging, and full of real-world impact.
Social Psychology Dissertation Topics With Research Aims
Topic 1: The Role of Deepfake Technology in Shaping Social Trust and Political Beliefs
Research Aim: This research aims to explore how fake but realistic videos (deepfakes) influence people’s ability to trust what they see online and how these videos might shape or change their political views and decisions, especially during elections or social movements.
Topic 2: The Effect of Virtual Reality Exposure on Empathy Toward Marginalised Groups
Research Aim: This study aims to find out if using virtual reality to experience life from another person’s point of view can help people feel more understanding and caring toward minority or disadvantaged groups, potentially leading to more positive social attitudes and behaviours.
Topic 3: Impact of Algorithmic Bias on Social Identity and Online Interactions
Research Aim: This research aims to investigate how hidden biases in social media algorithms affect how people see themselves and interact with others online, especially in terms of race, gender, or political beliefs, and whether these biases create unfair or unequal digital spaces.
Topic 4: The Relationship Between Digital Detox Practices and Social Anxiety Recovery
Research Aim: This study aims to examine whether taking regular breaks from social media or screen time can help reduce feelings of nervousness or insecurity in social situations, and whether it improves overall mental wellbeing and confidence in real-life interactions.
Topic 5: Influence of Social Media Activism on Real-World Behavioural Change
Research Aim: This research aims to understand if sharing or supporting causes on social media actually leads people to take action in real life, such as donating, volunteering, or attending protests, or if it mostly stays as online support with little real-world impact.
Topic 6: Prebunking Videos and Resistance to Manipulative Online Content: An Inoculation Experiment with University Students
Research Aim: This study will test whether short prebunking videos, based on inoculation theory, improve students’ ability to recognise manipulation techniques such as emotional language and false dilemmas in social media posts.
An online experiment will compare an inoculated group with a control group on discernment and sharing intentions, immediately and one week later.
Topic 7: Conformity to AI Chatbot Opinions Compared with Human Majorities: An Online Asch-Style Experiment
Research Aim: This study will examine whether people change their answers to match a group of AI chatbots as readily as they do to match a human majority.
Participants will complete perceptual and opinion tasks online after seeing unanimous responses attributed to humans or to chatbots. Conformity rates, confidence and trust in the source will be compared.
Topic 8: Perceived and Actual Support for Climate Policy: Pluralistic Ignorance and Willingness to Speak Out Among UK Adults
Research Aim: This research will compare how much support UK adults think other people give to climate policies with the support respondents actually report.
A survey will measure perceived norms, personal support and willingness to discuss climate change, and test whether underestimating others’ support predicts silence. It draws on pluralistic ignorance and spiral of silence theory.
Topic 9: Intergroup Contact in Shared Student Housing: Intergroup Anxiety and Attitudes Between Home and International Students
Research Aim: This study will investigate whether home and international students who share accommodation report lower intergroup anxiety and more positive attitudes towards each other than students who do not.
A questionnaire will measure the quantity and quality of contact, cross-group friendship and anxiety. Mediation analysis will test whether reduced anxiety explains any link between contact and attitudes.
Topic 10: Active Bystander Training and Intentions to Intervene in Sexual Harassment: A Before-and-After Study with University Students
Research Aim: This research will evaluate whether active bystander training changes students’ confidence and intention to intervene when they witness sexual harassment.
Participants will complete measures of bystander efficacy, perceived peer norms and intention before training, straight after it and at a later follow-up. Focus groups will explore barriers to acting.
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Latest Social Psychology Research Topics by Theme
These social psychology research topics reflect current debates in the field: how AI and social media change influence, when contact reduces prejudice, and how norms shape climate and political behaviour. Most can be tested with an online experiment, a survey or a small qualitative study.
Attitudes, Persuasion and Misinformation Topics
- Source Credibility of Health Influencers and Doctors in Short Video Messages About Dietary Supplements
- AI-Written and Human-Written Persuasive Messages: Effects of Disclosure Labels on Attitude Change
- Crowd-Sourced Fact-Check Notes and Belief in False Claims: Does the Perceived Politics of Note Writers Matter?
- Illusory Truth and Repeated Headlines: Does Familiarity Increase Belief Among Frequent News Readers?
- Message Fatigue and Psychological Reactance to Repeated Public Health Campaigns Among Young Adults
- The Meat Paradox: Cognitive Dissonance and Justification Strategies Among Meat Eaters Who Care About Animals
Group Processes and Decision-Making Topics
- Social Loafing in Online and Face-to-Face Student Group Projects: Identifiability and Peer Evaluation
- Minority Influence in Small Group Discussions: Consistency, Confidence and Private Attitude Change
- Shared Information Bias in Hiring Panels: A Hidden Profile Experiment with Student Groups
- Emergent Leadership in Leaderless Groups: Speaking Time, Gender and Perceived Competence
- Initiation Rituals in University Sports Societies: Group Cohesion, Pressure to Conform and Member Welfare
- Brainstorming with a Generative AI Partner: Idea Quantity, Originality and Sense of Ownership in Small Groups
Prejudice and Intergroup Contact Topics
- Imagined Contact and Attitudes Towards People Experiencing Homelessness: An Online Experiment
- Benevolent and Hostile Ageism Among Young Adults: Everyday Language About Older People
- Prejudice Towards Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities: Perceived Threat, Media Exposure and Social Distance
- Confronting Prejudiced Jokes Among Friends: Perceived Social Costs and Reasons for Staying Silent
- Shared Education and Cross-Community Friendship in Northern Ireland: Retrospective Accounts from Young Adults
- Dehumanising Language About Migrants in Online Comments and Support for Restrictive Immigration Policies
Identity, Self and Belonging Topics
- Social Class Identity and Belonging Among First-Generation Students at Selective Universities
- The Social Cure in Retirement: Multiple Group Memberships and Wellbeing After Leaving Work
- Identity Fusion with Football Clubs and Willingness to Make Personal Sacrifices Among Supporters
- Bicultural Identity Integration and Code-Switching Among Second-Generation British South Asians
- Northern English Identity: Regional Pride, Perceived Status and Experiences of Accent Discrimination
- Anglicised Names on Job Applications: Identity Costs Reported by Ethnic Minority Graduates
Online Behaviour and Digital Interaction Topics
- Being Ignored in Group Chats: Ostracism, Belonging and Self-Esteem Among University Students
- Parasocial Relationships with Livestreamers and Donation Behaviour Among Young Adult Viewers
- Self-Presentation on Professional Networking Sites: Authenticity, Self-Promotion and Impostor Feelings Among Graduates
- Social Comparison on Fitness Tracking Apps: Leaderboards, Praise from Followers and Exercise Motivation
- Trust in Strangers on Peer-to-Peer Platforms: Profile Photographs, Reviews and Perceived Trustworthiness
- Avatar Appearance and Behaviour in Social Virtual Reality: Testing the Proteus Effect
Prosocial Behaviour and Helping Topics
- Identifiable Victims in Crowdfunding Appeals for Medical Costs: Photographs, Personal Stories and Donation Amounts
- Blood Donation Among Young Adults: Moral Norms, Anticipated Regret and First-Time Donor Intentions
- Shared Social Identity and Sustained Volunteering at Community Food Banks
- Neighbourhood Deprivation and Helping Behaviour: A Lost Letter Field Study in One UK City
- Effective Giving: Do Donors Choose Emotionally Appealing Charities Over Cost-Effective Ones?
- Small Acts of Kindness: Do Helpers Underestimate How Much Recipients Value Them?
Conformity, Norms and Social Influence Topics
- Perceived Peer Norms and Vaping Among University Students: Testing a Social Norms Feedback Message
- Tip Prompts on Card Payment Terminals: Social Pressure and Tipping Decisions in UK Cafes
- Social Proof in Music Streaming: Do Play Counts Shape Listeners’ Ratings of Unfamiliar Songs?
- Phubbing Norms in Friendship Groups: Perceived Acceptability of Phone Use and Conversation Quality
- Choosing Not to Drink: Peer Reactions and Identity Management Among Non-Drinking University Students
- Comment Section Consensus and Moral Judgements of News Events: An Online Experiment
Political and Environmental Behaviour Topics
- Lowering the Voting Age to 16: Political Efficacy and Intention to Vote Among Students Aged 16 and 17
- Public Support for Disruptive Climate Protest: Testing the Activist’s Dilemma with UK Adults
- Psychological Reactance and Opposition to Clean Air Zones Among Drivers in English Cities
- False Polarisation: Do Voters Overestimate How Extreme Supporters of Other Parties Are?
- Flight Shame and Moral Justification Among Environmentally Concerned Frequent Flyers
- Compliance with Hosepipe Bans: Perceived Fairness, Trust in Water Companies and Neighbour Monitoring
List Of Free Social Psychology Dissertation Topics
- The Impact of Social Media Validation on Adolescent Self-Esteem
- Quantitative Research on Group Conformity in Virtual Meeting Environments
- The Role of Peer Pressure in Risky Decision-Making Among Teenagers
- An Analysis of Social Identity and Ingroup Bias in Online Communities
- The Influence of Perceived Authority on Moral Decision-Making
- Research Study on the Effects of Social Exclusion on Emotional Regulation
- The Relationship Between Social Comparison and Consumer Behaviour on Instagram
- The Role of Gender Norms in Shaping Interpersonal Attraction
- Qualitative Research on the Development of Empathy in Multicultural Classrooms
- The Influence of Groupthink on Corporate Crisis Management
- The Effect of Exposure to Diverse Social Norms on Political Tolerance
- A Systematic Review of Social Priming in Behavioural Change
- The Role of Social Anxiety in Online Versus Face-to-Face Interactions
- Experimental Study on the Bystander Effect in Digital Spaces
- An Investigation Into the Relationship Between Social Support and Academic Stress
- The Impact of Racial Stereotyping on Jury Decision-Making
- An Empirical Study of Social Norm Violations and Public Reactions
- The Role of Altruism in Volunteer Motivation During Crisis Events
- A Meta-Analysis of Self-Presentation Strategies in Online Dating
- The Relationship Between Social Rejection and Aggressive Behaviour
- Longitudinal Study on the Formation of Prejudice in Early Adolescence
- The Effect of Cultural Identity on Social Cohesion in Multicultural Teams
- Qualitative Exploration of Social Roles in Collective Action Movements
- The Influence of Social Media Echo Chambers on Political Polarisation
- Research Study on the Role of Perspective-Taking in Conflict Resolution
- The Impact of Parasocial Relationships on Adolescent Mental Health
- A Systematic Review of Gender Stereotypes in Media Advertising
- The Role of Interpersonal Trust in Organisational Team Performance
- The Influence of Power Dynamics on Social Conformity in the Workplace
- Cross-Cultural Analysis of Social Norms and Personal Space Perception
- The Relationship Between Social Capital and Civic Engagement
- The Role of Mimicry in Building Interpersonal Trust
- The Effect of Implicit Bias on Recruitment Decisions
- Research Study on the Impact of Online Shaming on Behavioural Change
- The Role of Group Identity in Environmental Activism
- Quantitative Research on Social Ostracism and Job Satisfaction
- The Influence of Authority Figures on Children’s Moral Judgements
- An Exploration of the Relationship Between Social Norms and Sustainable Consumption
- The Impact of Stigmatisation on Social Reintegration of Ex-Offenders
- The Role of Normative Influence in Adolescent Substance Use
- A Comparative Study of Social Cohesion in Urban and Rural Communities
- The Relationship Between Social Connectedness and Smartphone Dependency
- The Role of Empathy in Reducing Intergroup Conflict
- The Impact of Social Identity Threat on Academic Performance
- Experimental Study on the Role of Facial Expressions in Group Dynamics
- Qualitative Research on the Construction of Masculinity in Sports Culture
- The Role of Narrative Framing in Changing Social Attitudes
- A Quantitative Research on the Link Between Loneliness and Social Media Use
- The Impact of Group Membership on Altruistic Behaviour
- The Role of Collective Identity in Social Justice Movements
- The Influence of Nonverbal Communication on Group Trust
- An Analysis of the Effects of Cancel Culture on Public Figures
- The Relationship Between Belongingness and Academic Engagement
- The Impact of Stereotype Threat on Cognitive Performance
- A Systematic Review of Social Learning in Peer-Influenced Risk Behaviour
- The Role of Reciprocity in Online Social Interactions
- Research Study on the Formation of Online Communities Around Shared Trauma
- The Impact of Group Polarisation on Decision-Making Quality
- Longitudinal Study on the Evolution of Attitudes Toward Immigration
- The Role of Social Identity in Health Campaign Effectiveness
- The Influence of Online Social Networks on Voting Behaviour
- The Impact of Group Status on Intergroup Hostility
- Qualitative Study on Experiences of Social Isolation in Young Adults
- The Role of Social Reinforcement in the Spread of Misinformation
- An Analysis of Social Norms and Compliance in Public Health Campaigns
- The Relationship Between Group Size and Diffusion of Responsibility
- The Role of Stereotype Activation in Workplace Behaviour
- The Effect of Social Framing on Moral Reasoning
- A Quantitative Study on the Role of Familiarity in Social Judgements
- The Influence of Collective Efficacy on Community Resilience
- The Role of Stigma in Help-Seeking Behaviour for Mental Health
- A Systematic Review of Social Influence in Advertising Psychology
- The Relationship Between Interpersonal Trust and Risk-Taking Behaviour
- The Effect of Social Inclusion on Psychological Wellbeing in Migrants
- Qualitative Research on the Role of Language in Social Identity Construction
- The Role of Public Shaming in Shaping Norm Compliance
- The Influence of Online Anonymity on Prosocial Behaviour
- The Impact of Group Loyalty on Whistleblowing Intentions
- Experimental Study on the Influence of Social Norm Messaging on Eco-Friendly Behaviour
- The Role of Perceived Fairness in Group Cooperation
- A Meta-Analysis of Prejudice Reduction Strategies in Educational Settings
- The Relationship Between Digital Empathy and Online Conflict Resolution
- The Effect of Social Influence on Charitable Giving
- The Role of Cultural Narratives in Shaping Gender Roles
- An Investigation Into the Impact of Conformity on Creativity
- The Role of Group Identity in Response to Crisis Events
- A Quantitative Research on Peer Influence in Academic Dishonesty
- The Effect of Intergroup Contact on Implicit Racial Attitudes
- The Role of Identity Salience in Group Decision-Making
- The Influence of Media Framing on Public Perceptions of Protest Movements
- Qualitative Study on Social Norms in Gig Economy Workspaces
- The Role of Interpersonal Attraction in Team Collaboration
- An Analysis of the Social Contagion of Emotional States in Crowds
- The Relationship Between Moral Identity and Prosocial Action
- The Impact of Gender Identity on Group Role Expectations
- The Role of Reputation in Cooperative Behaviour
- Experimental Study on the Effect of Apology on Forgiveness in Social Conflict
- The Influence of Group Diversity on Innovation Outcomes
- A Systematic Review of Online Harassment and Group Norms
- The Relationship Between Power Distance and Conformity Levels
- The Role of Emotional Contagion in Social Movements
- The Effect of Microaggressions on Interpersonal Trust
- The Role of Moral Disengagement in Justifying Harmful Behaviour
- Research Study on Digital Groupthink in Political Discussions
- An Exploration of the Link Between Cultural Tightness and Norm Compliance
- The Influence of Group Membership on Memory Accuracy
- The Role of Social Comparison in Workplace Burnout
- The Impact of Collective Guilt on Pro-Environmental Behaviour
- A Quantitative Study on the Role of Liking in Persuasion
- The Relationship Between Interpersonal Distance and Social Perception
- The Role of Normative Cues in Shaping Organisational Culture
- Qualitative Research on Gender Expression and Peer Acceptance
- The Impact of Perceived Injustice on Collective Action Participation
- An Analysis of the Formation of Stereotypes in Adolescence
- The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Group Harmony
- Experimental Study on Reactions to Social Exclusion
- The Effect of Shared Goals on Intergroup Cooperation
- The Role of Humour in Group Bonding and Identity
- Research Study on Online Group Dynamics During Virtual Protests
- The Influence of National Identity on Xenophobic Attitudes
- A Systematic Review of Ingroup Favouritism in Organisational Contexts
- The Role of Social Norms in Reducing Cyberbullying
- The Impact of Self-Categorisation on Collective Decision-Making
- The Relationship Between Perspective-Taking and Prejudice Reduction
- The Role of Cognitive Dissonance in Social Attitude Change
- The Effect of Peer Group Norms on Body Image Perceptions
- The Role of Perceived Similarity in Empathic Responses
- A Quantitative Study on Obedience in Digital Workspaces
- The Influence of Descriptive Norms on Public Transport Usage
- The Role of Social Roles in Shaping Gendered Communication
- Qualitative Exploration of Identity Construction in Online Fandoms
- The Impact of Authority Legitimacy on Group Compliance and Psychology
- The Role of Shared Experiences in Strengthening Social Bonds
- An Analysis of the Influence of Moral Outrage on Collective Action
- The Relationship Between Norm Salience and Organisational Change
- The Effect of Ingroup Love and Outgroup Hate on Political Attitudes
- The Role of Stereotype Content in Perceptions of Competence
- Research Study on Trust Formation in Virtual Teams
- The Influence of Impression Management on Online Reviews
- The Role of Empathic Concern in Prosocial Campaign Engagement
- An Investigation Into Perceived Social Norms and Alcohol Use
- The Impact of Group Identity on Social Judgements in Crisis
- The Role of Symbolic Threat in Intergroup Prejudice
- The Relationship Between Moral Foundations and Political Orientation
- A Systematic Review of Gender Role Socialisation Across Cultures
- The Role of Online Disinhibition in Cyber Aggression
- The Influence of Group Norm Strength on Attitude Change
Related Psychology Dissertation Topics
This list focuses on Social Psychology. For the bigger picture, see our full psychology dissertation topics list — or explore related areas:
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with a behaviour you have noticed and want to explain, such as why people share false news or stay silent when a friend is insulted. Then find the theory that addresses it, for example social identity theory or the theory of planned behaviour.
Read current issues of journals such as the British Journal of Social Psychology to see which questions remain open, and check that you can test your idea with participants you can reach.
Established themes include attitudes and persuasion, conformity and social norms, group processes, prejudice and intergroup contact, social identity, and prosocial behaviour.
Growing areas include misinformation and prebunking, influence from AI systems, online group behaviour, political polarisation, and the social psychology of climate action. Many current studies also revisit classic findings through replication.
Yes. Many undergraduate and master’s projects in social psychology collect data online. You can build a survey or experiment in a tool such as Qualtrics or Gorilla and recruit through your university participant pool or a paid panel such as Prolific, which charges per participant.
Plan your sample size with a power analysis, include attention checks, and consider preregistering your hypotheses on the Open Science Framework before you collect data.
Deception is the main one. If participants cannot be told the true purpose at the start, you must justify this to your ethics committee and give a full debrief afterwards. Topics such as prejudice, harassment or political views also need careful wording and a clear right to withdraw.
Follow the British Psychological Society Code of Human Research Ethics. For studies using social media posts or online communities, read its guidance on internet-mediated research as well.
Yes, and many departments encourage it. A replication tests whether a published finding holds with a new sample, which is valuable because several well-known effects in social psychology have proved difficult to reproduce.
Choose a study with materials you can obtain and a design you can run ethically, which rules out full obedience or prison simulations. Add one new variable, such as culture or platform, to make an original contribution.
Yes. Complete the free topic form at the end of this page, or on our free dissertation topics page, and a subject specialist will send you a custom topic with an aim and justification.
If you also need a plan, our dissertation topics and outline service starts from £45.
