Exemplary research in social cognition and perception is examined. It is suggested that a singular focus on internal, intraindividual cognitive and perceptual processes is not sufficiently broad to account adequately for the spectrum of social knowing phenomena. A more molar approach to social knowing than can be found in contemporary work in social cognition and perception is advocated. More specifically, it is suggested that work on molecular cognitive and perceptual processes will help elucidate basic social knowing phenomena only when such processes are meaningfully tied to the social contexts in which they, occur and to ongoing social behavior.