Social Psychology Research and Education Team

Our Research Themes

This page brings together research conducted within the discipline of social psychology at the University of Eastern Finland. Our research covers a wide range of social psychological topics such as the relationship between individuals and communities, the promotion of well-being, social interaction, group processes, and the construction of social meanings in everyday life. Our research connects individual experiences with broader social and societal processes. We have expertise in a broad range of qualitative and quantitative methods. Our research focuses on the following interrelated themes: Life Course Social Psychology, Social Psychology of Well-being, Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations, Social Psychology of Working Life, Visual Social Psychology, and Environmental Social Psychology.

Life Course Social Psychology

This theme is based on the understanding that life stages are socially and culturally constructed, historically changing, and intertwined with individual development. We examine the significance of social and cultural factors in individuals’ life courses, focusing on transitions and turning points such as emerging adulthood, migration, and suffering related to loss. For example, we study the transition to adulthood among working-class youth.

Social Psychology of Well-being

Social relationships are critical for promoting and maintaining well-being and mental health. Social psychological research on well-being provides knowledge and tools to strengthen social skills and communities. We explore this theme through identities, interaction, and intra-group processes in contexts such as healthcare, integration, intergenerational relationships, working life, and educational institutions. For instance, we examine how decision-making processes and participation are shaped in various social and health service encounters.

Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations

With global forced displacement and migration, societies are becoming increasingly multicultural. Therefore, functional intercultural group relations and smooth everyday encounters are more important than ever. We study intercultural friendships and their development, the significance of place in group relations, and the perceptions and experiences of foreign-background and Finnish youth. We also examine encounters between mothers of young children from different cultural backgrounds in their residential areas.

Social Psychology of Working Life

Work is a central part of everyday life and significantly affects well-being. Changes in working life—such as digitalization, diverse work communities, and the reorganization of work—challenge traditional structures and require new understanding of social processes related to work. In this theme, we examine phenomena in working life from the perspectives of social relationships and interaction, emphasizing community, meaning-making, and group dynamics. We study workplace bullying, team leadership, stakeholder collaboration, and professional practices in helping professions. For example, we explore the reorganization of collaboration in health research and leadership in physically demanding environments.

Visual Social Psychology

Visual communication has expanded dramatically and is now accessible to everyone. This makes it essential to understand images as a form of social interaction. In this area of research, we examine how meanings, identities, and social realities are constructed and transformed through photographs and other visual media. We study, for example, how media images shape the refugee experience, how national visual symbols gain new meanings over time, and how power operates through visual representation. We also cover art-based and other visual research methods.

Environmental Social Psychology

While social psychology traditionally centers on social relationships, growing attention is being paid to their entanglement with the material and physical environment. Rapid environmental changes require adaptation to new conditions, which also affect social processes. In this theme, we explore how nature and built environments—and the meanings attributed to them—are reflected in intra-group processes, intergroup relations, and individual well-being. We study, for instance, how the material environment can promote or hinder experiences of belonging or exclusion in multicultural communities, and how indoor air problems shape psychosocial well-being and group processes.