Psychology Notes Day 1 Why we study Psychology

Why do we study psychology ► To better understand why people act as they do ► Psy is the study of behavior ► What is behavior? ► Anything you say, think, or do

2-types of behavior ► Voluntary (you have control) ► Involuntary (you have no control) – heart beat, blood pressure ► Involuntary manslaughter???

Psychology includes all mental processes ► Thoughts ► Memories ► dreams

Psychology also study emotions ► Are emotions voluntary or involuntary ► Emotions effect behavior and mental processes ► Example anxiety=increased heart rate, nail biting, and an inability to concentrate

Psychology as a science ► It is a social science ► It deals with the structure of human society and the nature of the individuals that make it up ► Research and test theories ► Lots of gray area (ESP)

Our favorite question is WHY ► Why do people think, feel and behave in a certain way? ► There are lots of reasons: Personality, social norms, social pressures, personal beliefs and values, behavior results in a reward or fulfills an internal or emotional need. It could be simple learning or modeling… Each person and situation must be looked at individually

Has there ever been a time you did something that was against your values because of social pressure?

Social Influence ► Efforts by one or more individuals to change the attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, or behaviors of one or more others ► We frequently try to influence others or are influenced by others ► Varying levels of explicitness

Type of Social Influence ► Conformity: when we change our attitudes in order to adhere to existing social norms ► Compliance: direct request from one person to another ► Obedience: when someone orders another to perform some action, and the person complies

Continuum of Social Influence ► Social influences vary in the degree of pressure they exert on the individual and how much risk is involved in resisting that influence

Conformity ► In most contexts there are social norms: explicit or unspoken rules indicating how we should behave ► Explicit Examples? ► Implicit Examples?

Social Norms ► Every formal, informal, or awkward situation in you life is guided by social norms and etiquette ► Table manners, greeting/meeting new people, where you stand to pee (if you’re a guy)

Implicit Elevator Norms Made Explicit by: ElevatorRules.com

Elevator Norms ► Calling/Waiting ► If you are going up or down one floor, use the stairs! This rule should especially be observed during peak traffic times like morning and afternoon rush. ► Exceptions: 1. When you have a cart, stroller or large packages 2. When the elevator is empty 3. If you are disabled or injured

Elevator Norms ► Calling/Waiting ► NEVER re-push the call button after someone has already pushed it. This indicates that you either do not understand how the button works, or you do not trust the person that has already pushed the button to do an adequate job of it.

Elevator Norms ► Calling/Waiting ► Wait for the Door: If you arrive as a door is closing, regardless of how many people are in the car, DO NOT press the button. The people in the car are already prepared mentally for their trip and do not need to be interrupted. WAIT for the door to close completely before pressing the button.

Elevator Norms ► Boarding ► While waiting to board, stand AWAY form the door opening. DO NOT board the car unless you are sure no one is getting off on your floor. If there is someone exiting, allow them to clear the door before attempting to board.

Elevator Norms ► Where to Stand ► You should stand as close to a wall as possible. Consider your destination floor and stand near the back if you are going to a high floor. If you know you are getting off shortly, stand toward the front. If you choose to stand near the buttons, understand that you may have increased responsibility. ► Always allow as much space as possible between you and the passengers. Always stand facing the door.

Elevator Norms ► Pressing Floor Buttons ► No re-pressing: Pay attention to which buttons have been pressed when you enter the elevator. Once a button has been pressed, nothing more can be done. Re-pressing the floor button will not make the elevator get you to your floor any faster. Re-pressing is disrespectful to the person that has already pressed the button and is generally irritating.

Elevator Norms ► Pressing Floor Buttons ► Press for Others: If you find yourself close to the button panel in an elevator, you have the additional responsibility of button management. It is your job to make sure the other riders have had the button for their floor pressed. This keeps people from reaching through a crowd to the button panel and eliminates the stress for those that cannot reach the buttons.

Elevator Norms ► Pressing Floor Buttons: Make a Mistake? ► Take steps to ensure that the only buttons being pressed are the ones for which floor a passenger must exit. However, in the event that you mistakenly press a button for the wrong floor, wait until the doors open on that floor and apologize to those who remain in the elevator. You may press the door closed buttons to cut down on wasted time.

Elevator Norms ► Calling/Waiting ► If pressing the call button would require you to push through someone, it is acceptable to ask someone else to push the call button for you as long as they are not further away from it or unable to reach the button for you (i.e. coffee in their hands, etc.)

Urinal Norms

The Urinal Test

Easy Section: #1

Easy Section: #2

Kind of Tricky Section: #3

Kind of Tricky Section : #4

Subtle, Tricky, but Important to Know Section: #5

Very Tricky Indeed Section: #6

Easy Section: #1

Easy Section: #2

Kind of Tricky Section: #3

Kind of Tricky Section : #4

Subtle, Tricky, but Important to Know Section: #5

Very Tricky Indeed Section: #6

How do We Learn Norms? ► Social Modeling ► Operant Conditioning ► Classical Conditioning ► Others?

Are Norms a Good or a Bad Thing? ► Pros:? ► Cons:?

Cohesiveness ► We are influenced by those we like ► Cohesiveness is all of the factors that bind group member together ► High cohesiveness means we like, identify with, and feel strong ties to others ► This increases pressure to conform

Group Size ► Conformity increases with group size ► Asch found effect up to three ► Other research has found effect up to eight

Why do we conform?

Compliance ► Direct request from one person to another ► Much research conducted with ‘compliance professionals’

Cialdini’s Field Research: 6 Basic Principles of Persuasion ► Friendship/Liking: More likely to comply with those we like ► Commitment/Consistency: Once we commit ourselves to something, we are more likely to behave in a way that’s consistent with it ► Scarcity: We value scarce or rare things

Cialdini’s Field Research: 6 Basic Principles of Persuasion ► Reciprocity: more likely to comply with someone who has done a favor for us ► Social validation: likely to comply with things that we think others like us are doing ► Authority: more likely to comply with someone who holds legitimate authority

Friendship/Liking ► Impression management techniques ► Ingratiation: getting others to like us so they’ll be more likely to agree with our requests

Commitment/Consistency ► Foot in the door technique ► Requester begin with a small request and then, when this is granted, escalate to a larger one ► Saying ‘no’ after ‘yes’ is inconsistent ► Lowball procedure: offer a deal then, after the person has accepted it, change it

Reciprocity ► “do unto others as they have one unto you” ► Door in the face technique: begin with a large request and then retreat to a smaller one ► That’s not all technique: offer additional benefits to target persons ► Samples

Scarcity ► Playing hard to get ► Deadline technique

Obedience ► When someone orders another to perform some action, and the person complies ► Used less frequently than other techniques

Why do we obey?

► Diminished responsibility ► Social norms ► Foot in the door ► Little time for reflection