1. Social Psychology

2. The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
Social Psychology

3. Attribution Theory- we tend to give a causal explanation for someone’s behavior- often by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition
For us?
-situation
For others?
-disposition
Known as the Fundamental Attribution Error
Attribution

4. Attitudes and Behavior

5. Attitudes and Behavior
Attitude- a belief and feeling that predisposes one in a particular way to objects, people, and events
Example- I don’t like cats. If I see a cat, I will shoo him away.
Attitudes and Behavior

6. Foot-in-the-door Phenomenon
The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
Foot-in-the-door Phenomenon

7. Examples?
Role- a set of expectations about a social position, defining how a person should act
Roles

8. Zimbardo Prison Experiment
Philip Zimbardo paid people to participate in a mock prison.
Some acted as guards, others as prisoners.
Guards began to disparage and degrade prisoners
Prisoners broke down, rebelled, or became passively resigned
The two-week experiment was called off after 6 days because people took their roles very seriously.
Zimbardo Prison Experiment

11. Cognitive Dissonance Theory
If our attitudes and actions don’t agree, we have mental discomfort
To reduce the discomfort, our attitudes start to align with our actions or stated beliefs.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory

12. Social Influence
Conformity, Obedience, Group Influence

13. Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard
Asch Experiment
Conformity

14. Could be good or bad

15. Influences on conformity
one feels incompetent or insecure
the group has at least three people
the group is unanimous
one admires the group’s status and attractiveness
one has made no prior commitment to any response
others in the group observe one’s behavior
one’s culture strongly encourages respect for social standards
Influences on conformity

16. Types of social influence
normative-results from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval
informational- results from one’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality
Types of social influence

17. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W147ybOdgpE (start at 1:30)
(modern replication)
Milgram experiment

18. Social facilitation- improved performance on tasks in the presence of others (if the task is easy)
Social loafing- tendency for people in a group to exert less effort that they would individually
Deindividuation- the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in a group
Group polarization- the tendency for attitudes to become more polarized when with a group that agrees with that attitude
Group Influence

19. Prejudice

20. Superiority of a group Prejudice Discrimination A belief or feeling
An action
Superiority of a group

21. Social Roots of prejudice
Ingroup Bias
Social Inequalities
Scapegoating
Jane Elliot
Iowa class
Social Roots of prejudice

22. Cognitive roots of prejudice
Categorization
Vivid Cases
Just-world phenomenon- people think the world is just, so people get what they deserve
Cognitive roots of prejudice

23. What about individuals?

24. Aggression

25. Biology
Psychology
Genetics
Brain (frontal lobe or amygdala)
Hormones
Alcohol
Frustration-aggression principle
Hot temperatures
Learning
Media violence
Aggression- any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy

26. Media Watching violent media  thinking aggression is acceptable
What can we do?
Media

27. Game Theory

28. Game Theory The idea that we act based on how we think others will act
Examples?
-deciding which way to go around someone
-economics
Game Theory

29. Situations in which mutually destructive behavior is the result of people pursuing self-interest
Examples:
Dollar bidding game
Nuts game
Mutually Assured Destruction
Prisoner’s Dilemma
Social Traps

30. Another Example

31. Attraction

32. What influences attraction?
Proximity (mere exposure effect)
Physical Attractiveness
Similarity
What influences attraction?

33. Types of love Passionate Companionate
Aroused state of intense positive absorption in another
Usually at the beginning of a relationship
Deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined
Types of love

34. Strong Relationships Need:
Equity- getting as much as you give or vice versa
Self-disclosure- revealing intimate details about ourselves
Strong Relationships Need:

35. Altruism

36. Kitty Genovese Repeatedly raped and stabbed while calling for help
Why did no one come to her aid?
Kitty Genovese

37. People are less likely to help when others are present
Bystander Effect

38. Things that increase altruism
seeing someone else being helpful
not in a hurry
victim needs and deserves help
victim is similar to us
we are in a small or rural area
we feel guilty
we are focused on others and not preoccupied
we are in a good mood
Things that increase altruism

39. Social Exchange Theory
The idea that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
What do you think?
Social Exchange Theory

40. Superordinate goals- shared goals that override differences
Communication
Graduated and reciprocated initiatives to reduce conflict
-Ex. SALT talks
Cooperation