1. Introduction to Psychology Social Psychology

2. The study of how we behave, think, and feel in social situations How the situation shapes our behavior

3. Attribution The process of making inferences about the causes of one’s own or others’ behavior External and Internal Attributions

4. External: attributing behavior to causes outside of the person (the situation) Internal: attributing behavior to causes within the person (one’s personality)

5. Fundamental Attribution Error The tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal causes We tend to attribute our negative behaviors to external causes, not our personality

6. Social Comparison Theory Festiger We compare ourselves to others to evaluate our actions, opinions, and abilities

7. Upward and Downward Comparisons Upward: comparing ourselves with someone who ranks higher For self-improvement Downward: comparing ourselves with someone who ranks lower For self-esteem

8. Social Influence Conformity Asch line study 1 student was tested, 6 confederates 75% yielded at least once

9. Diffusion of Responsibility We don’t act because we believe that others will or should intervene Kitty Genovese: 38 witnesses

10. Diffusion of Responsibility We are more likely to act when: We are the only person there to help Personal responsibility diminishes most when there are: few victims, and if we don’t know them many potential helpers

11. Diffusion of Responsibility We intervene when we feel more competent The bystander effect: when the presence of others inhibits helping **explicitly assign responsibility to individuals

12. Pluralistic Ignorance When a bystander checks the reactions of others to determine how to respond Interpreting emergencies Asking for clarification in the classroom

13. Belief in a Just World A belief that people get what they deserve; bad things do not happen to good people To protect our sense of invulnerability Can lead to blaming the victim

14. Belief in a Just World Individuals with a strong belief in a just world: Tend to be less charitable Help with injustices only when they can be quickly rectified

15. Altruism: When do we help? Good mood effect Negative state relief

16. Interpersonal Attraction Physical proximity: increases the frequency of contact between people Similarity: similar people are attracted to each other Self-disclosure: moderate disclosure leads to reciprocity; too much is problematic

17. Halo Effect Halo effect: when we generalize a favorable impression to other, unrelated qualities Often with beauty: what is beautiful is good

18. Obedience: Stanley Milgram To study obedience to authority