Combining the efforts of sociologists and psychologists, this work, originally published in 1952 and revised in 1966, embraces these two disciplines to show how social-psychological problems must be viewed in individual as well as general terms. Human interaction is, therefore, the main theme of this authoritative and rewarding volume, which offers a more comprehensive viewpoint than texts written from with a strictly psychological or a strictly sociological approach. Whenever it can be shown that interaction intervenes between individual and group variables, the authors carefully note the manner in which this occurs.
Well written yet succinct, the chapters are closely integrated to present continuously developing concepts of the time. Research illustrations are set off typographically but skilfully woven into the related text. Three appendixes, one on the measurement of individual attitudes, a second on survey research, and a third on Bale’s interaction process analysis, may be consulted without interrupting the flow of the other chapters.