Group 8 Social Psychology

scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by others

Attitudes and social cognition

evaluations of people, objects, ideas, and behavior Attitudes

Persuasion changing a person’s attitude depends on a number of factors, including: message source: Who is the attitude communicator? attitude communicator: person delivering the message characteristics of the message: What is the message like? characteristics of the target: Who is receiving the message?

mental processing that occurs when a persuasive message is evaluated on the basis of irrelevant or extraneous factors Routes to Persuasion mental processing that occurs when a persuasive message is evaluated by thoughtful consideration of the issues and arguments used to persuade

Attitude-behavior link attitude influences behavior general consistency between attitude and behavior attitudes are fairly consistent Cognitive Dissonance: Behavior Influences Attitude mental conflict that occurs when a person holds two contradictory attitudes if thoughts can be justified by: modifying one or both cognitions changing perceived importance of the cognition adding additional cognitions denying that cognitions are related

cognitive process by which people understand and make sense of others and themselves Social Psychology

Forming Impressions Schemas Central Traits set of cognitions about people and social experiences stereotypes Central Traits major traits considered in forming impressions of others identified traits depend on culture, age, gender, etc.

the theory that considers how people decide the specific causes of a person’s behavior Attribution Theory

Situational Causes of Behavior Dispositional Causes of Behavior causes of behavior that are external to a person Dispositional Causes of Behavior perceived causes of behavior brought about by a person’s traits or internal personality characteristics Attribution Biases and Errors halo effect: attribute positive characteristics to someone initially understood to have positive traits assumed-similarity bias: think others are similar to oneself self-serving bias: attribute personal success to personal factors and failure to external factors fundamental attribution error: overattribute behavior to dispositional rather than situational causes

Social Influence and groups

process by which social groups and individuals exert pressure on an individual, either deliberately or unintentionally Social Influence

Social Pressure also known as Peer Pressure three types of social pressure Conformity Compliance Obedience distinction between the three types depends on the nature and strength of the pressure

a change in behavior brought about by a desire to follow the beliefs or standards of other people Conformity

Causes for conformity characteristics of the group attractiveness and status/social standing situation in which the individual is responding public or private setting type or kind of task ambiguity and competency unanimity of the group presence of a social supporter Groupthink group members share a strong motivation to agree and cannot critically evaluate other points of view Social Roles expectations for people occupying a given social position

behavior that occurs in response to direct social pressure Compliance

Causes for compliance foot-in-the-door technique small request precedes larger request door-in-the-face technique large request precedes smaller request that’s-not-all technique offer a “reduced” cost not-so-free sample norm of reciprocity Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology focuses on work and job related issues worker motivation satisfaction, safety productivity also focuses on operation and design of organization

a change in behavior in response to the commands of others Obedience

Stanley Milgram experiment largest laboratory demonstration of obedience understand obedience to figures of authority specifically the Holocaust Would we be able to withstand the intense power of authority?

Prejudice and discrimination

Foundations of Prejudice and Discrimination stereotypes → prejudice → discrimination stereotype: set of generalized beliefs about a group and its members prejudice: negative or positive evaluation of a group and its members discrimination: behavior directed toward individuals on the basis of membership in a particular group observational learning: children learn discrimination by watching their parents, peers, mass media, etc. social identity theory: people use group membership as a source of pride and self worth; judge themselves and others in terms of their group membership

subfield of social psychology that seeks to identify the neurological basis of social behavior Social Neuroscience

reducing Prejudice and discrimination increasing contact between the target and holder of the stereotype making values and norms against prejudice more conspicuous providing information about the targets of stereotyping increasing the sense of social belonging of ethnic minority students Implicit Association Test (IAT) measure of prejudice measurement of unconscious, private attitudes instant reactions betray inner thoughts more accurate assessment of discrimination

Positive and negative social behavior

positive feelings for others; liking and loving Interpersonal Attraction/Close Relationship

Motivations for affection LOVE passionate or romantic love intense absorption with someone including arousal, interest, and caring for another companionate love strong affection for those with whom our lives are deeply involved Loving and liking are qualitatively different psychological states. LIKE proximity others who live nearby mere exposure people you see a lot similarity Those who are like us; reciprocity-of-liking effect physical attractiveness beauty equals likability

Robert Sternberg’s components of Love love has three parts decision/commitment: initial thoughts of love and long-term feelings of commitment to maintain love intimacy: feelings of closeness and connectedness passion: motivational drive relating to sex, physical closeness, and romance different combinations produce different kinds of love

intentional injury of, or harm to, another person Aggression

Approaches to Aggression Instinct Approach Sigmund Freud identified aggression as a primary instinctual drive. Konrad Lorenz believed humans had a fighting instinct that builds up and must be released; the longer the aggression builds, the more violent the catharsis(process of discharging built-up aggression). Frustration-Aggression Approach blocked goals → frustration → anger → aggression aggressive cues: stimuli associated with and triggers aggression Observational Learning Approach emphasizes social and environmental conditions aggression learned by viewing rewards and punishment that models provide

Dealing effectively with anger calm down look again at the anger-provoking situation from the perspective of others minimize the importance of the situation use language effectively by saying “I” not “you” “I felt hurt when....” not “You did....wrong.” fantasize about getting even DON’T ACTUALLY DO IT! relax

noticing a person, event, or situation that may require help Helping others Prosocial Behavior: behavior deemed appropriate by society such as helping Diffusion of Responsibility: belief that responsibility for intervening is shared among those present Prosocial behavior does not have to have a self-sacrificing component; altruism, helping another without regard for self-interest, does. interpreting the event as one that requires help assuming responsibility for helping deciding on and implementing the form of helping

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