HSB4M

 Social Science: broad field of study that looks at human behaviour  Three disciplines: anthropology, psychology and sociology  Typically social experiments investigate how someone's behaviour influences a groups behaviour or internal states, such as attitude or self-concept.

 If someone was attractive would you think they are more intelligent?  The halo effect is the bias where the perception of one trait (i.e. a characteristic of a person or object) is influenced by the perception of another trait (or several traits) of that person or object  An example: good-looking person = intelligent

 Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously  People reduce dissonance (discomfort) by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions  Studies show that we can change our beliefs very easily

 Robber’s Cave:  A group of twenty-two 11 year old boys were taken to camp at Robber’s Cave State Park, Oklahoma and formed two rival groups  Both saw the other as members of an “outgroup” or rivals  Eventually made peace  However....the happy ending was only achieved after the experiment was performed three times!

 Stanford Prison Experiment  What makes a person evil? Can a good person commit evil acts? If so, what can make people cross the line?  Students were asked to play role of guards/prisoners  Experiment stopped after only 6 days!

 measured the willingness of people to obey an authority figure even if it hurt someone else  In the original 1963 experiment 65% continued with the experiment to the final massive 450 volt shock

 People tend to think other’s think exactly like they do and that their opinions views are superior  People project their thinking on to others

 Would you help him?  Studies show that if your in a crowd you most like WILL NOT HELP!

 Try one today! Make up a fake news story...see what happens!