1. Thinking About Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior 2e Charles T. Blair-Broeker Randal M. Ernst

2. Variations in Individual and Group Behavior Domain

3. Social Psychology Chapter

4. Social Thinking and Social Influence Module 34

5. Introduction Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

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

7. Social Thinking Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

8. Social Thinking: Attributing Behavior to Personal Disposition or the Situation Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

9. Attribution Theory Theory that we tend to explain the behavior of others as an aspect of either an internal disposition (an inner trait) or the situation

10. Situational Attribution Attributing someone’s actions to the various factors in the situation

11. Dispositional Attribution Attributing someone’s actions to the person’s disposition, i.e. their thoughts, feelings, personality characteristics, character, morality, etc.

12. Situational Attribution

15. Dispositional Attribution

18. Attribution

19. Fundamental Attribution Error Tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal disposition rather than to situations People tend to blame or credit the person more than the situation

20. Social Thinking: Attitudes and Actions Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

21. Attitude Belief and feeling that predisposes someone to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events

22. Attitudes Affecting Actions Many studies suggest a person’s attitudes do not match their actions Attitudes can predict behavior if the circumstances are right: –Outside influences are minimal –People are aware of their attitudes –Attitude is relevant to behavior

23. Attitudes Affecting Actions

24. Actions Affecting Attitudes Under some circumstances one’s actions can influence attitudes. They include: –Foot-in-the-door phenomenon –Role playing –Cognitive dissonance

25. Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon Tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request

26. Role Playing Playing a role can influence or change one’s attitude Zimbardo’s Prison Study –College students played the role of guard or prisoner in a simulated prison. –The study was ended when the guards became too aggressive and cruel.

27. Zimbardo’s Prison Study College students played the role of guard or prisoner in a simulated prison. The study was ended when the guards became too aggressive and cruel.

28. Cognitive Dissonance Theory Theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent When our attitudes are inconsistent with our actions, we change our attitudes to reduce the dissonance.

29. Cognitive Dissonance Theory

33. Social Influence Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

34. Social Influence: Conformity and Obedience Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

35. Conformity Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard

36. Solomon Asch (1907-1996) Social psychologist who researched the circumstances under which people conform

37. Asch’s Conformity Study

38. Factors Increasing Conformity The person feels incompetent or insecure. The group has three or more people. The rest of the group is unanimous. The person is impressed by the status of the group. No prior commitments were made. The group is observing the person respond. One’s culture encourages conformity.

39. Stanley Milgram (1933-1984) Social psychologist who researched obedience to authority

40. Obedience Tendency to comply with orders, implied or real, from someone perceived as an authority

41. Milgram’s Obedience to Authority

42. Milgram’s Obedience to Authority (Data from Milgram, 1974)

43. Milgram’s Obedience to Authority

44. Obedience to Authority Play “Obedience: The Milgram Study” (4:04) Segment #34 from Psychology: The Human Experience.

45. Social Influence: Group Influence Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

46. Social Facilitation Improved performance of tasks in the presence of others Occurs with simple or well learned tasks but not with tasks that are difficult or not yet learned

47. Social Facilitation

48. Social Loafing Tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable People may be less accountable in a group, or they may think their efforts aren’t needed.

49. Deindividuation Loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity People lose their sense of responsibility when in a group.

50. Social Influence: Group Interaction Effects Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

51. Group Polarization Enhancement of a group’s already existing attitudes through discussion within the group

52. Groupthink Mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision- making group overrides a realistic appraisal of the alternatives

53. Eight symptoms of groupthink: Illusion of invulnerability Belief in inherent morality Stereotyped views of out-groups – Direct pressure on dissenters Self-censorship Illusion of unanimity. Self-appointed ‘mindguards’

54. Preventing Groupthink One or more members as devil’s advocate Subdivide the groups and come back together to discuss differences Last chance meeting after consensus to express remaining doubts Use outside experts to challenge prevailing opinion Each member discusses with a trusted associate

55. Social Influence: Our Power as Individuals Module 34: Social Thinking and Social Influence

56. Self-Fulfilling Prophecies When we believe something to be true about others (or ourselves) and we act in ways that cause this belief to come true

57. Minority Influence Minority groups can influence the majority Minority groups must be firm in their conviction Rosa Parks

58. The End

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