How can I improve my social skills?

Some of the items in Star Wars: The Old Republic refer to a "Social Rank", and they won't let me use them until I reach Social Rank 1 (or higher).

What are social points? How do I earn them? Aside from these Social Badges, are there any other benefits from doing so?

Solution 1:

They're earned from conversations.

Every time you choose a conversation option during a cutscene while in a party, you get Social Points. In multi-person conversations, each character will roll to see who gets the definitive answer and speaks aloud.

If your character wins the roll and speaks, you get 2 Social Points per person in the conversation (so 8 if you're in a full party). Everyone who didn't win the roll gets 1 Social Point per participant (4 in a full party).

I'm not sure if the rewards are greater in a Flashpoint, though.

Solution 2:

Social points are earned by completing quests with others as well as doing Flashpoints with groups of people. You get 2-4 per conversation option in a Flashpoint with 2 people, 3-6 with 3 and 4-8 with 4.

They're a way to get people to play with strangers I guess, but most already have a group they know going in so these points are relatively easy to earn, but take a while.