Social context, also known as milieu, refers to the immediate physical and social setting in which people live or in which something happens or develops. It includes the culture that the individual was educated or lives in, and the people and institutions with whom they interact. Social context can influence how someone reacts to something depending on their immediate social or physical environment. The social environment is a broader concept than that of social class or social circle.

Social context can be evident or subtle, real or imagined, conscious or unconscious, and it shapes all processes in the brain, from visual perception to social interactions. The social context network model explains how people process contextual cues when they interact, through the activity of the frontal, temporal, and insular brain regions.

Examples of social context include social systems, traditions, norms, organizations, social conflict, social conventions, social expectations, social status, mood, motivations, and shared experiences. Social context can be detailed, such as going to a party where everyone is accepting and chill as opposed to a party where everyone is cold and calculating.

In summary, social context refers to the immediate physical and social setting in which people live or in which something happens or develops. It includes the culture that the individual was educated or lives in, and the people and institutions with whom they interact. Social context can influence how someone reacts to something depending on their immediate social or physical environment.