SOCIAL THINKING (Cognition) Attribution & Attitudes
Why did he take a 90,000 pay cut?
How do we perceive others? 1. Physical Appearance 2. Need to explain or Attribute 3. Influence of Behavior 4. Effect of Race
Person bias in attributions Fundamental Attribution Error/Bias- too much weight to personality over situation Conditions promoting person bias = Observer Conditions promoting a situation bias = Actor ( Self Serving Bias)
Stanford Prison Experiment http://www.youtube.co m/results?search_query =%22stanford+Prison+E xperiment%22&search= Search Look for FAE- Observer & Actor Bias Role playing can impact behavior after role is repeated.
Abu Grauib Prison Censored
How can I get others to comply? Foot in Door Phenomenon- the tendency for people to comply with larger actions after first agreeing to smaller actions. EX: “Brainwashing” during the Korean War Impact on Charitable donations
How to get others to comply? Norms of Reciprocity Defined: Behavior received is behavior given Door in Face Phenomenon Small favors are granted following a large (often unreasonable ) request
Prior Information Effects Mental representations of people (schemas) can effect our interpretation of them Kelley’s study -warm or cold -Impact of blonds on learning -elderly adjectives on walking -thoughtful terms on patience Kelley prompted students view professor as either warm ( kind thoughtful) or cold ( harsh judgment) By using words… students rated professor accordingly
Effects of Personal Appearance The attractiveness bias Rated higher on intelligence, competence, sociability, morality studies teachers adults unattractive & attractive child’s misbehavior judges &prison sentences
Cognitive Dissonance Theory Defined: Individuals are motivated to align attitudes and actions or distress occurs. Example: Amira thinks studying is for geeks… She studies for 10 hours for AP bio… can change studying… must cahnge attitude
Festinger & Carl smith( 1950’s) - Boring task -Ask to lie and give $1 or $20 to do it. -Those paid $ 1 had better attitudes because lacked sufficient external reward to lie