1. Social Psychology

2. Agenda Announcements Reading Assessments What is Social Psychology?
Office Hours on Sunday
9-10:30, 1-2
Evaluations
Study Guides
Bonus Opportunities
Attend Seminar on Tuesday, 1:00-2:00, B14R108
Participate in an in-class study on Monday
Reading Assessments
What is Social Psychology?
Social Influence

3. What is Social Psychology?
Scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by others.
Can you think of an aspect of your life that is not influenced by the presence, expectations, or socialization of others?
Broad Field
Social Influence
Attitudes and Attitude Change
Prejudice and Discrimination
Positive and Negative Behavior

4. Social Influence
Broadly Stated: How the presence or actions of others affect behavior.
Main Categories:
Conformity
Compliance
Obedience
Group Effects

5. Conformity Adjusting our behavior or thinking toward that of others.
Two types:
Informative
Need for accuracy
Ambiguous situations
Sherif Example
Normative
Need to belong
Textbook definition
Asch and Smoke Examples

6. Compliance
Behavior that occurs in response to direct social pressure (i.e. a request).
Occurs often, in many situations.
Research is often applied in the area of Marketing and Sales

7. Cialdini’s Influence Principles
Consistency
Behavioral or Moral
E.g. Foot in the Door
Reciprocity
E.g. Free Samples, That’s Not All, Door in the Face
Liking
Familiarity, Trustworthiness
Social Proof
Compliance
Scarcity
Authority

8. Obedience A change in behavior in response to the commands of others
Milgram Obedience Studies
“Learning” Study
Ethical Implications
Factors that effect obedience
Personality
Immediacy
Authority/Legitimacy
Behavior of others

9. Group Phenomena Are two heads better than one?
What happens to the attitudes/beliefs of like-minded people when they get together?
Group Polarization
What happens when a group makes decisions?
Group Think
Lack of critical evaluation of group decisions
Does the presence of others help or hinder performance?
Social Facilitation
Difficulty of Task
Social Loafing
Self-Awareness