Psych 111 1st Edition Lecture 19Outline of Last Lecture PersonalityI. Perspectives on Personalitya. Psychodynamic, psychoanalyticb. Humanistc. Behaviorald. Social Cognitivee. Traiti. 5 factor modelII. Group Differences in PersonalityIII. Determinants of PersonalityOutline of Current Lecture Social Psychology: Social CognitionI. What is social psychology?II. Distinction: Personality psychology/SociologyIII. AttributionsIV. AttitudesCurrent LectureSOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY: SOCIAL COGNITIONWHAT IS SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY?The study of how people think, feel, and act differently in different situationsPower of the situation“Self” shaped by external forces s development are shaped by context )WHAT IS SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY?1. Social Psychology is a SCIENCE2. Social Psychology Integrates the PERSON and the SITUATION to Explain Behavior.3. Social Psychology Considers the Role of SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE4. Social Psychology asks BIG QUESTIONSWe are interested in the classic debates about human behavior.OUTLINEWhat is social psychology?Distinction: Personality psychology/SociologyAttributionsAttitudesToday: Social cognitionHOW IS SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY DIFFERENT FROM PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY?PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGYEmphasis on “personality” or “trait” (e.g., John is nervous because he is a neurotic person.)SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGYThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.Emphasis on the situation (e.g., John is nervous because he is giving a lecture in front of400+ students.)HOW IS SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY DIFFERENT FROM SOCIOLOGY?SOCIOLOGYSociology is the study of society/groupsSOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY Social psych is the study of individuals in groupsATTRIBUTION PEOPLE ARE MEANING MAKERSWe constantly try to “make sense” of our worldThis applies to how we make sense of other peopleAttribution theories: how we explain others’ (and our own) behaviorEXAMPLEEmily fails to turn in her Hock reading assignment.1. Emily did not turn in her homework because she is lazy.2. Emily did not turn in her homework because she had an emergency.ATTRIBUTIONS (INTERNAL VS. EXTERNAL)INTERNAL ATTRIBUTIONSInternal causesTraits (e.g., Emily is lazy, Emily is irresponsible)EXTERNAL ATTRIBUTIONSExternal causesEnvironment (e.g., Emily had an emergency, Emily’s dog ate the homework)SYSTEMATIC ERRORS WE MAKE AS MEANING MAKERSFundamental attribution biasWhen we make judgment about othersActor-observer biasWhen I am the actor vs. observerSelf serving biasSomething good vs. something badSYSTEMATIC ERRORS WE MAKE AS MEANING MAKERS1st: Fundamental Attribution Error (Correspondence bias)Tendency for people to underestimate situational causes and overestimate dispositionalcauses on others’ behaviorSYSTEMATIC ERRORS WE MAKE AS MEANING MAKERS2nd : Actor-observer biasTendency to attribute one’s own behavior to situational causes and other’s behavior todispositional causesE.g., I had to drive like that because I was in a hurry!SYSTEMATIC ERRORS WE MAKE AS MEANING MAKERS3rd : Self-serving biasTendency to attribute personal failures to situational/external causes and personal successto dispositional/internal causes.CULTURAL DIFFERENCES CORRESPONDENCE BIASCorrespondence bias may be less prevalent in interdependent culturesWesterners (independent) more likely to attribute behaviors to dispositionsEasterners (interdependent) more likely to attribute behaviors to situationHowever, correspondence bias is prevalent in both cultures!OTHER ATTRIBUTION DIMENSIONS1. Internal vs. External Is it due to something about them (internal) or something about other people orcircumstances (external)?2. Stable vs. Unstable Will it be present again in the future (stable) or not (unstable)?3. Controllable vs. Uncontrollable Does the person have control over the outcome (controllable) or not (uncontrollable)?WELL, WHY DO WE CARE?Because the kinds of attributions you make have implications!Well-beingRelationshipHappy partners rely on Internal attribution.Unhappy partners rely on External attribution.YOUR PARTNER YELLS AT YOU DURING AN ARGUMENT.Happy partners rely on External attributionUnhappy partners rely on Internal attributionFAE: We make more internal attribution (other people)Actor-observer bias We do acknowledge external factors if we are an actor, but we fail to doso when we are an observerSelf-serving bias I am an actor: success  internal, failure  externalWHAT IS AN ATTITUDE?An evaluation of an object in a positive or negative fashionABC’S OF ATTITUDEAn evaluation of an object in a positive or negative fashion2 TYPES OF ATTITUDESEXPLICITAttitudes that we openly reportWhat we think we have “on the surface”“what’s your favorite movie?”“do you like bowling?”IMPLICITAttitudes that influence our feelings and behavior at an automatic, unconscious leveltreating someone differently because of race (even though you don’t explicitly thinkyou’re a racist)WHAT DOES THE IAT MEAN?if you have pro-white, anti-black implicit attitude…the pairs “GOOD-WHITE” and “BAD-BLACK” should have very quick reaction timesthe pairs “BAD-WHITE” and “GOOD-BLACK” should have very slow reaction timesHOW ARE ATTITUDES CHANGED?ExposurePersuasioncentral vs. peripheral routeCognitive dissonanceMERE EXPOSURE EFFECTAttitude toward things become more positive the more we are exposed to themPERSUASIONAn attempt to influence a person’s beliefs, feelings, or behaviors1) Central route2) Peripheral routeCOGNITIVE DISSONANCE Cognitive dissonance: Sometimes we persuade ourselves..People hold many attitudes about many thingssometimes 2 attitudes can conflictsometimes attitudes ≠ behaviorA conflict or mismatch doesn’t feel good; we want to reduce this dissonant feelingHow do we reduce it?1) We change one of the attitudes to fit the conflicted other2) We change either the the mismatched