Helen Harton, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology University of Northern Iowa

First a little about me… Website: Social psychologist Study prejudice, social influence, romantic relationships Grew up in the Southeastern U.S. (North Carolina)

Where is Iowa?

Why study social psychology? It’s about how we see and interact with the world! It can help us Understand our own and others’ behavior Predict behavior Try to change behavior Lots of practical applications

Activity 1 Pair up with someone you don’t know Before you talk to that person, write down 4 things you think are true about him or her (e.g., their hobbies, likes, dislikes). Keep your list secret When you are both done, see whether you were correct

Now think about… Why did you think those things about your partner? Were you correct? Were there any things in the discussion that affected how you responded? What if I had been there watching you?

Information about you Take out a sheet of paper Don’t write in the upper left hand corner List your: Name address Major Year in school Career goals Why you are taking this class How many previous classes you have taken in psychology Something interesting about yourself Attendance sheet passed around

Syllabus

What is social psychology? The scientific study of the way in which people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the real, imagined, or implied presence of others

What is social psychology? Scientific Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors Implied, imagined, or actual presence of others Pretest!

Sandy Hook shootings December 18 Newtown, CT, USA 20 kindergarten children and 6 staff

Why did he do it? What do you think? adam-lanza-quiet-bright-troubled/story?id= adam-lanza-quiet-bright-troubled/story?id= To what extent do these attributions (“why’s”) have to do with the person vs. the situation?

Why even “good” people can do bad things

Bad apples, or a bad barrel?

Milgram, 1974 Men were recruited to take part in a study of learning When they arrive, they learn that they are to give electric shocks to another participant for incorrect answers.

The shocks increase in level up to 450 volts. The “learner” told participants that he had a heart condition and screamed in pain during the procedure.

What % of people would obey? Psychiatrists, general public, and students were asked how many people they thought would go “all the way.” They estimated <1% would go all the way and that nearly everyone would stop by 150 volts (when screaming starts).

But In reality, 65% of people obeyed until the end. The average high voltage was 405, and 80% of people continued even after Mr. Wallace began to scream.

“But it was an artificial situation…” Nurses asked By doctor they didn’t know To give unauthorized medicine At twice the regular dosage Over the phone 21 of 22 were stopped at the patient’s door as they were about to administer the supposedly lethal dose. Hofling et al., 1966

What if there is no authority?

Zimbardo, 1971 Normal, well adjusted college students recruited for a prison simulation and randomly assigned to be guards or prisoners.

Prisoners were arrested, booked, and taken to jail. Guards were given basic warnings and instructions and allowed to make their own rules.

On the second day the prisoners rebelled, and guards responded with reinforcements and carbon dioxide. They stripped prisoners, took away their beds, and put the ringleaders in solitary.

The guards tried to break prisoners’ solidarity. By the third day, one of the prisoners was under extreme duress, but by then the psychologists were so into their roles as wardens that they at first refused to release him.

What do these studies tell us? The power of the situation leads people to take on roles they usually wouldn’t and commit horrible acts, whether told explicitly to do so or not.

Get immersed in the role Agentic state—focus on authority, don’t feel responsible Binding factors—respect for authority, small, successive acts Consequences—dehumanization, routinization

Social psychology compared to folk wisdom/common sense sociology personality psychology

Major approaches Self-esteem Social cognition Evolutionary Cultural Social neuroscience Nonconscious processing