The study of how we think about, influence and relate to one another. Social Psychology 1 The study of how we think about, influence and relate to one another.

Ethnocentrism 1a Tendency to view the world through YOUR cultural biases Dress Activities Morals Emotional reactions – if others behave as we expect they are good / way we do not expect – bad 9/11 – Why would someone kill themselves for political/ religious beliefs?

How do we relate to others? Social Relations 2 Attraction Conflict and Prejudice Altruism and Peacemaking Aggression How do we relate to others?

How do we think about one another? Social Thinking 3 How do we think about one another?

SCHEMAS 3A Schemas are part of social cognition – study of how and what people learn about social relationships Person schema Judgments about the traits we and others possess Role schema Based on jobs people perform or social position they hold

Schemas 3b Event schema Self schema Also called scripts Behaviors we associate with familiar activities, events, procedures Self schema Personal information about ourselves Impacts/ distorts what we perceive, remember, behave Schemas are highly resistant to change.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies 4 Occurs when one person’s belief about others leads one to ACT in ways that induce the others to appear to confirm the belief. If you think someone finds you attractive, they more likely will!!!

Self fulfilling prophecy 4a Our schemas cause us to lead people to behave in line with our expectations Example: Blind date Described as “interesting/ smart” no mention of looks = loser You behave as if your decision or attitude is correct Treat your date coldly Your date decides you aren’t fun Prophecy comes true = blind dates are bad

Attribution Theory 5 The idea that we give a casual explanation for someone's behavior. We credit that behavior either to the situation or…. To the person’s disposition. Was my friend a jerk because she had a bad day or is just a bad person?

Attributing Behavior to Persons or to Situations 6 Attribution Theory: Fritz Heider (1958) suggested that we have a tendency to give causal explanations for someone’s behavior, often by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition. OBJECTIVE 2| Contrast dispositional and situational attributions, and explain how the fundamental attribution error can affect our analysis of behavior. http://www.stedwards.edu Fritz Heider

Attributing Behavior to Persons or to Situations 7 A teacher may wonder whether a child’s hostility reflects an aggressive personality (dispositional attribution) or is a reaction to stress or abuse (a situational attribution). Dispositions are enduring personality traits. So, if Joe is a quiet, shy, and introverted child, he is likely to be like that in a number of situations. http://www.bootsnall.org

Attribution 7a Key terms: Dispositional Situational Attributing behavior to internal traits Situational Attributing behavior to external factors Cognitive bias is involved Self effacing (modesty bias): blame ourselves for our failures; we downplay our successes

Attribution At Work 8

Attribution errors 8a Actor/ observer bias Self serving bias When we are the actor, we tend to attribute our own behavior to external causes When we are the observer of someone else, we tend to attribute their behavior to internal causes Self serving bias We take credit for success, blame external causes for failure Ultimate attribution error – we think negative actions of in group – have external attributions

Fundamental Attribution Error 9 The tendency to underestimate the impact of a situation and overestimate the impact of personal disposition. How do you view your teacher’s behavior? You probably attribute it to their personality rather than their profession.

Kelley’s theory of attribution 9a People (observers) make attributions about the actions of others (actors) CONSENSUS: degree to which other people’s behavior is similar to that of the actor Spanish teacher treats Georgia as if she isn’t bright Other teachers treat Georgia same way = Georgia isn’t very bright

Kelley 9b Consistency: degree to which the behavior occurs repeatedly in a particular situation Spanish teacher always treats Georgia same way Behavior has high consistency You attribute it to stable internal cause (teacher = nasty) or stable external cause (Georgia = not bright)

Kelley 9c Distinctiveness – extent to which a similar stimuli draw the same behavior from the actor Teacher treats all students in class as they are bright Highly predictable If not all students are treated the same, need to look for external attribution Way student behaves in class

More often, our actions affect our attitudes.

Attitudes Can Affect Action 11 Not only do people stand for what they believe in (attitude), they start believing in what they stand for. D. MacDonald/ PhotoEdit Cooperative actions can lead to mutual liking (beliefs).

Attitudes 11a Components of an attitude: Cognitive Beliefs about the attribute of the attitude object Think lawyers are crooks Emotional – affective Feeling about object – like or dislike Bad experience – it is easier to talk down about lawyers Behavioral Way of acting towards object Don’t interact with lawyers – stay away

Do our attitudes guide our actions? 12 Only if…. External pressure is minimal. We are aware of our attitudes. The attitude is relevant to the behavior.

Changing attitude 12a Shifting reference groups Family, roommates, friends Elaboration Likelihood Model Peripheral route Outside things – car: color, stereo system etc. Speaker’s appearance – Kennedy/ Nixon debate Central route Message itself How car runs Kennedy & Nixon & experience If you saw the debate on TV, thought Kennedy won; if you listened on radio, Nixon won

Actions Can Affect Attitudes 13 Why do actions affect attitudes? One explanation is that when our attitudes and actions are opposed, we experience tension. This is called cognitive dissonance. OBJECTIVE 5| Explain how the foot-in-the-door phenomenon, role-playing, and cognitive dissonance illustrate the influence of actions on attitudes. To relieve ourselves of this tension we bring our attitudes closer to our actions (Festinger, 1957).

What happens when we become aware that our attitudes don’t match or actions?

Cognitive Dissonance Theory 15 How does cognitive dissonance theory play a part in pledging a fraternity?

Cognitive Dissonance 15a What do people do if thoughts, beliefs and attitudes are not consistent? People either: Change attitude or change behavior We want consistency in attitudes and behaviors

Cognitive dissonance 15b What do we do? Avoid dissonant information Don’t like a person – stay away Be strong in our attitudes Feel strongly about an issue, SADD – get involved

Cognitive Dissonance Theory 16

Fiona 16a Private school: Tuition is too high Sees that the school needs money Maybe school has a point for high tuition. If dissonance is not resolved, will not be happy in the school.

Example 16b Jill does not like fast food restaurants. Problem – all of Jill’s coworkers go out at lunch to fast food restaurants Jill can: Bring a lunch and eat alone Change her attitude about fast food

Components of an attitude 16c Cognitive component: What does she think about the food served there? How does she resolve the healthy options Behavioral component: What does she do when she needs lunch? Emotional component: Everyone is going to fast food – what does she do?

Prejudice An unjustifiable attitude towards a group of people. Usually involves stereotyped beliefs (a generalized belief about a group of people). Overt Subtle

Key definitions 17a Stereotypes Prejudice Discrimination Perceptions, beliefs, expectations about members of a group Prejudice Positive or negative attitude based on membership in a group Discrimination Behavioral component of prejudice

Theories of prejudice 17b Motivational theory Prejudice against certain groups helps to enhance security Cognitive theory Assume that all members of a social category are the same Learning theory Learned from previous experience

Prejudice 17c Contact hypothesis: Stereotypes and prejudice will diminish as contact with group increases 2008 presidential election on racial attitudes In groups and out groups In group – common identity – who are your friends? Out group – perceive this group as different Ingroup bias – who do we think is best? pres

Why is there prejudice? 18 Categorization Vivid Cases (Availability Heuristic) The Just-World Phenomenon

Why does prejudice exist? 18a Just world If people didn’t live in tough neighborhoods, then problems would not happen If you drove into the city and your car was broken into, should not have been there. Vivid cases: Gran Torino movie Ethnic group - Hmong Categorization We tend to put people in groups.

Prejudice Over Time 19

Scapegoat Theory 20 The theory that prejudice provides an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.

Scapegoat theory 20a Someone needs to be held responsible Hitler: blamed Jewish people Why: his rise to power was based on blaming the world wide depression on other groups Why did people go along? There was someone to blame - made sense to them and helped explain bad situations in the country.

Attraction 21

Proximity 22 Geographic nearness Mere exposure effect: Repeated exposure to something breeds liking. Mirror image concept

Proximity 22a Mere exposure effect Repeated exposure to someone increases likelihood that you will like that person Developing relationships with reality stars – longer they stay on the show – more we identify with them

Similarity 23 Paula Abdul was wrong- opposites do NOT attract. Birds of the same feather do flock together. Similarity breeds content.

Similarity 23a We like things that are similar to things we like We like people who have similar views.

The Hotty Factor 24 Physically attractiveness predicts dating frequency (they date more). They are perceived as healthier, happier, more honest and successful than less attractive counterparts.

Physical attractiveness 24a Why do we like people who are physically attractive? What makes people watch beauty pageants? Why are stars so popular?

Reciprocal Liking 25 You are more likely to like someone who likes you. Why? Except in elementary school!!!!

Liking through Association 28 Classical Conditioning can play a pert in attraction. I love Theo’s Wings. If I see the same waitress every time I go there, I may begin to associate that waitress with the good feelings I get from Theo's. Misplaced slide – last one…

Liking through association 25a Like pizza from specific restaurant Same waitress whenever you go See the waitress, know that the pizza will be good Classical conditioning at work

LOVE 26 Passionate Love: an aroused state of INTENSE positive absorption of another. Compassionate Love: the deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.

What makes compassionate love work? 27 Equity Self-disclosure

Self perception theory Daryl Bern What if you don’t know how to feel or what your attitude should be? Look at past behavior – what was your attitude then. I’ve never had dogs. Dating someone with dogs. What must my attitude be regarding that dog? I look to my past.