Main activities of the institute are basic research in the field of social psychology, history, and sociology; advisory and expertise services for public bodies, domestic and international institutions and publishing.

Particuar areas of specialisation are

• Norms of social behaviour, model of individual and social norms, their mutual relations and interactions.
• Interethnical relations. Relations between majority and minorities. Focus on Slovak minority in Hungary, Hungarian and Roma minority in Slovak Republic.

• Coping with demanding life situations of unemployed. Behavioural strategies in the situation of unemployment.

• Elderly and their quality of life. Dealing with intergenerational conflicts, development of competencies to deal with demanding situations.
• Human capital, its relation to educational system and labour market.
• Social-psychological competencies and social- psychological trainings. Mechanisms of creation and modification of competencies in interaction with other people, self-concept mechanisms, specific methods for social-psychological trainings.

ISS produces and online journal with articles available in full in either Slovak or English.