Myers’ EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (6th Ed) Chapter 15 Social Psychology Modified from: James A. McCubbin, PhD Clemson University Worth Publishers

Social Psychology  Scientific study of how we think about, influence, & relate to one another  Attribution Theory  Tendency to give causal explanation for someone’s behavior, often by crediting either situation or person’s disposition

Attribution, Attitudes & Actions  Fundamental Attribution Error  Tendency for observers, when analyzing another’s behavior, to underestimate impact of situation & overestimate impact of personal disposition  Attitude  Belief & feeling that predisposes one to respond in particular way to objects, people & events

Social Thinking  Our behavior is affected by our inner attitudes as well as by external social influences Internal attitudes External influences Behavior

Social Thinking  Attitudes follow behavior  Cooperative actions feed mutual liking

Actions & Attitudes  Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon  Tendency for people who have first agreed to small request to comply later with larger request  Role  Set of expectations about social position  Defines how those in position ought to behave

 Cognitive Dissonance Theory  When attitudes & actions do not coincide, experience tension  Act to reduce discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of thoughts (cognitions) inconsistent Actions & Attitudes

Asch’s Conformity Experiments  Informational Social Influence  Influence resulting from willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality

Social Influence  Conformity  Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with group standard  Conditions that strengthen (p547)  Normative Social Influence  Influence resulting from person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval

Milgram’s Obedience Experiments  Social influences can make people conform to falsehoods or do destructive things

Group Influence  Social Facilitation  Improved performance of tasks in presence of others  Occurs with simple or well-learned tasks but not with difficult or not yet mastered tasks  Social Loafing  Tendency for people in group to exert less effort when pooling efforts toward common goal than when individually accountable

Group Influence & Effects  Deindividuation  Loss of self-awareness & self-restraint in group situations that foster arousal & anonymity  Group Polarization  Enhancement of group’s prevailing attitudes through discussion within group  Groupthink  Occurs when desire for harmony in decision- making group overrides realistic appraisal of alternatives

Social Relations  Prejudice  Unjustifiable (& usually negative) attitude toward group & members  Involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, & predisposition to discriminatory action  Aggression  Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy

Altruism  Bystander effect  Decision-making process for bystander intervention

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