The European laboratory of social psychology (LEPS) was created in 1976 with the Foundation Maison des sciences de l'homme in Paris. Its creation came to reinforce and develop original but disparate currents of an incipient European social psychology, in order to enable him to play the international role which it deserved. It is it with what the Maison des sciences de l'homme, thanks to the support without fault of its successive administrators (Clemens Heller, Maurice Aymard), decided to cure by the creation and the development of a European laboratory of social psychology (LEPS) directed by European researchers.

Let us underline the originality and the aspect pioneer of the project, because the LEPS was the first international network of the MSH intended to affirm a discipline expanding, on the european level. Moreover, its original operation in network, well before this concept and this model of interactive work become in vogue, made LEPS a rare example of institutional innovation.

Created by a core of researchers of Europe of the North-West, it widened gradually, in the years 1980, with the countries of the South and of Northern Europe. During the years 1990, it widened in Eastern Europe. During years 2000, the LEPS proposes to look further into its relations with the Latin America and Asia.

Over the period 2006-2009, the LEPS will be managed by a Committee which will be composed, since 2005, of severals scientific personalities.

.