Joachim I. Krueger a1andDavid C. Funder a2 a1 Department of Psychology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
joachim_krueger@brown.edu a2 Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92506
funder@citrus.ucr.edu
Abstract
Many commentators agree with our view that the problem-oriented approach to social psychology has not fulfilled its promise, and they suggest new research directions that may contribute to the maturation of the field. Others suggest that social psychology is not as focused on negative phenomena as we claim, or that a negative focus does indeed lay the most efficient path toward a general understanding of social cognition and behavior. In this response, we organize the comments thematically, discuss them in light of our original exposition, and reiterate that we seek not a disproportionately positive social psychology but a balanced field that addresses the range of human performance.
