Social psychology is a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with each other and how their behavior is influenced by social factors. The origins of social psychology can be traced back to the late 19th century, when psychologists began studying social influences on behavior. In this article, we will look at the early theories in the development of social psychology and how they contributed to the development of the field. The earliest theories in social psychology arose through the work of Gustave Le Bon, a French psychologist who published his book The Crowd: A Study in the Popular Mind in 1895 year. Le Bon argued that people lose their individuality when they become part of a crowd, and this loss of individuality leads to irrational behavior. Le Bon's work was pioneering because it recognized the importance of social context in shaping individual behavior. Another early theory in social psychology was put forward by Charles Horton Cooley, an American sociologist. Cooley's concept of the "looking-glass self" argued that our self-concept is based on how we perceive other people. In other words, we imagine how others see us, and based on these ideas we form our self-concept. Cooley's theory emphasized the role of social interaction in shaping our self-concept. One of the most significant early contributions to social psychology was made by Norman Triplett, an American psychologist who conducted a series of experiments in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In his research, Triplett examined how the presence of other people affects the performance of various tasks. He found that people tended to perform better in the presence of others, suggesting that social support plays a role in human behavior. Another notable figure in the development of social psychology was Muzafer Sherif, a Turkish-American psychologist who conducted a series of experiments in the 1930s. Sherif's research focused on social influence and conformity. He discovered that people's opinions can be influenced by other people's opinions, even if those opinions are objectively wrong. Sherif's work emphasized the importance of social norms in shaping behavior. Finally, the work of Kurt Lewin, a German-American psychologist, is considered a landmark in the history of social psychology. Lewin emphasized the importance of social context in shaping behavior and developed the concept of "field theory", which argued that behavior is a function of both the individual and the environment. Lewin's work paved the way for the development of social psychology as a distinct discipline. In conclusion, the first theories in the development of social psychology appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These early theories recognized the importance of social context in shaping behavior and emphasized the role of social interaction in shaping our self-concept. The work of Gustave Le Bon, Charles Horton Cooley, Norman Triplett, Muzafer Sherif, and Kurt Lewin made significant contributions to the development of social psychology as a discipline. Today, social psychology continues to study the complex interaction between people and the social context in which they live. Sincerely, Your psychologist, consultant, cognitive behavioral therapist, Yulia Churina