CHAPTER 18

 Attitude – any belief that includes an evaluation of some object, person, or event and predisposes us to act in certain way toward that object, person, or event.  Attitudes affect Actions  Our attitudes affect our actions – but do you think our attitudes always affect our actions? … Sometimes our actions can affect our attitudes.

 Role Playing  When you adopt a new role, you desire to follow the social prescriptions of that role.  Ex. You get married; you want to be a caring and supportive spouse  Ex. You are asked to play the role of a guard for 1 to 2 weeks so you play that role.

Stanford University, California  2 week simulated prison study right before college students come back  2 dozen students (paid 15$ day)  Purposely chose “well adjusted” middle class students with no prior background with emotional/psychological disorders. Asked them questions such as drug use.  After they have sample Q. What comes next?  Randomly assignment- flip a coin.

 Uniforms, whistles, billyclub, sunglasses Q.Why?-  Orientation telling them they couldn’t physically touch them but could remove them of their individuality, dehumanize, control them as guards would.  Local Police do a mock arrest, handcuff them in public, fingerprint blindfold and take to the basement of psychology building- where little rooms were converted into cells. Hall closet became solitary confinement.  Psychology Professor became the Superintendent.  They used an ex-felon to assist in creating the mock prison 

 Results: Had to be stopped after 6 days. Each day the abuses became harsher  Made them eat cold sausages, pushups, solitary confinement, took away their beds  Prisoners began to have emotional breakdowns.  YouTube - The Human Behavior Experiments 2006 YouTube - The Human Behavior Experiments 2006  Results: Good people put in situations can commit bad acts. Most people looked at the guards as being evil, sadistic. Another example is slave owners whipping slaves. Evil act committed by normal everyday person.  This was an experiment conducted in a controlled setting. Q. Can we Generalize to the larger world? 

 Abu- Ghraib- prison in Iraq where Iraqi prisoners have been allegedly tortured- illegal in war, Sadaam is on trial for several war crimes including torture. Bush administration denied any torture goes on, then photos released showing malnourished prisoners, naked, dogs attacking. The world saw a few of these photos, embarrassing to US. Then we said there have been some abuses. Abuses vs. Torture 

. The generals say 99.9% of soldiers behave admirably. “there are a few bad apples everywhere” Q. What does he mean by a few bad apples? Psychologists argue that the lessons from the Stanford Prison Experiment can be used to explain Abu Graib and the abuses at Guantanomo (US prison in Cuba)

. A few of the soldiers that were in the photos have been punished, but no higher level officers have. Many believe the conditions were in place for the soldiers to commit these illegal acts, that the military institution allowed it, set the environment for it to take place. Many argue that these soldiers were actually good men placed in a bad situation similar to what we read about the Nazi war criminals.

 Deindividuation – reduce self-consciousness and personal responsibility. Members are made to feel anonymous.

 We can influence our attitudes by altering our actions  Ex. If you are prejudice of a certain racial group. How can you attempt to eliminate your prejudice?

 Cognitive Dissonance Theory - Psychological discomfort (dissonance) occurs when our behaviors threaten our beliefs about ourselves. We reduce this dissonance by changing our attitudes.

 1. Recall an event in which you caused mental, emotional and/or physical harm on another person  2. Explain why you did this?  3. Recall a time when someone else inflicted mental, emotional and/or physical harm to you?  4. Explain why this person did this to you?

1.You text and drive, knowing that doing so is dangerous and illegal in some places. 2. Ex. In the 7 th grade you and your friends go to a CD store and get the 5 finger discount (steal). You have been raised to believe that stealing is wrong. Dissonance (tension, discomfort, guilt) arises. How do you remove the dissonance?

3. You believe that you are a smart person but you do lousy on a test. 4. You believe that you are a very good athlete but you lose the game.

5. A young mother thinks of herself as an honest person and tries to raise her children that way. Yet, she writes notes excusing them from school for illnesses when they are not sick. 6. A student who hates psychology class is asked by her teacher to encourage a group of students to take psychology next year. She does speak to the other students.

 1950’s – subjects perform boring tasks (Subjects agreed that the task that they performed was boring) and then are paid to tell the incoming subject (actually a confederate) that they enjoyed the task.  After lying to the confederate, the subject was asked to reveal his/her real attitude toward the boring task.  Participants who were paid $20  Lied and told the next person it was so much fun!!  Still found the task boring will later asked about the task  No Dissonance – felt that their payment justified their lies  Participants who were paid $1  Lied and told the next person the task was fun  Later when asked… they reported that the task was actually fun for them.  Those paid $1 experience dissonance and changed their attitudes to match their behaviors (telling others it was fun)

 Lawyers defending guilty murderers or corporations that are polluting waters.  Stock Market Traders that cheat people out of hard earned money.  People who work for Corporations that have brought up on ethical violations charges.  Ex. Bank of America (2008 Stock market collapse).  Ex. Transocean (not having oil rigs up to safety regulations).

 Zimbardo and Cognitive Dissonance Zimbardo and Cognitive Dissonance  Cognitive dissonance (Dissonant & Justified) Cognitive dissonance (Dissonant & Justified)

 The Foot-in-the-Door phenomenon (compliance strategy)  Small request is made, Small request is agreed to, larger request is made.  You are more likely to agree to the larger request having agreed to the small task.

 Ex. Salesman asks you to test drive a new car, you agree to drive the car, then salesman ask you to purchase the car  My wife asks me to get her a soda; I agree and on my way to the kitchen. She asks me to make her a sandwich too.  Parent asks you to go turn off the lights in your room, and then she yells down the hall to pick up your dirty clothes while you’re there.

 Door-in-Face phenomenon (compliance strategy)  a large request is made, large request is rejected, more likely to agree with a more reasonable request  Ex. Dad… can I stay out Friday night until 4AM? No way… that’s far too late for you to be out. Then can I stay out until 1 AM?

 Mere exposure effect – the more we are exposed to something the more we will come to like it.  Ex. New product that has been advertised on radio and TV. If you have heard these ads (been exposed) then you are more likely to buy it.  Blind taste tests and research on the effectiveness of advertising proves this. (Miller Brewing vs. Anheiser Busch)  Ex. Candidate that spends more money on campaign much more likely to win

 Norms of Reciprocity – if people do something nice for you, you feel obligated to do something nice in return  Ex. Someone helps you with homework you want to help them  Ex. Businessmen take their clients (people that they need) out to dinner or give them tickets to a Panthers game.  Q How might a salesman use this knowledge to help them gain a sale?

 Central Route to Persuasion – present information with strong arguments, facts and logic  Ex. – politicians use this approach when they know their audience has a need for substance and need to show their knowledge. Route is usually used in the presidential debates.  Q. How would a car salesman use this?

 Peripheral route to persuasion – emphasize emotional appeal, focus on positive feelings, and focus on personal traits.  Ex. – Route is used during national convention.  Ex MSNBC (most of their audience being Democrats) and Fox News (most of their audience being Republicans) AND most talk radio (Rush Limbaugh) use this approach to gain viewers and make money.  Q How could a salesman use this approach to persuade you to buy?

 Psychology And Advertising :40 secs.-2:40 Psychology And Advertising :40 secs.  Political groups and route to persuasion:  Q. More central or peripheral:  (JFK, LBJ and politicsof fear, Obamacare (government takeover, cannot keep your urrent plan or current doctor)…gov’t shutdown…why are groups so opposed to it?  YouTube - Science Of Persuasion YouTube - Science Of Persuasion