What is the primary focus of social psychology?

Social psychology primarily focuses on understanding how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the presence, thoughts, or actions of other people. This discipline examines how social contexts, group dynamics, social interactions, and cultural factors shape individuals' psychological processes. For instance, it looks at phenomena such as conformity, persuasion, group behavior, and interpersonal relationships, highlighting the interplay between the individual and their social environment.

The other options do not align with the core focus of social psychology. Studying individual behaviors in isolation disregards the influence that social contexts have on those behaviors. Analyzing how external factors influence personal decisions is a broader perspective that could apply to various fields beyond social psychology, such as behavioral economics or environmental psychology. Focusing exclusively on developmental stages relates more closely to developmental psychology, which examines the changes in psychological functioning over the course of a lifespan. Therefore, the choice encompassing how social factors influence individual psychology is the most accurate representation of social psychology.