April 2 2014 Social Psychology How we think in relation to others How other people influence not only our thinking but our actions How we treat relate to each other Conformity Obedience Group behavior Prejudice Attraction Aggression Social thinking Attribution theory Study of how we interpret analyze remember use information about the social world Attribution conclusion about the cause of an observed behavior event We explain others behaviors with 2 types of attribution Situational attribution factors outside the person doing the action e g peer Dispositional attribution person s stable enduring traits personality ability pressure emotions cause the action Errors in attribution Self serving bias tendency to view one s self favorably Fundamental attribution error tendency to attribute other peoples behaviors to their disposition to be less likely to consider situational causes Feelings ideas beliefs that affect how we approach react to other people objects Cultural differences Collectivist cultures Behavior of others attributed more to situation Credit for successes given more to others Blame for failures is placed on oneself Attitudes events ABCs Affect emotional reactions Behavior or behavioral intentions Cognitive Changing attitudes Central route persuasion relying on evidence logic Best when attitude is important to the person Peripheral route persuasion appealing to fears desires associations Best when attitude is unimportant to person Attitudes behavior Attitudes affect behavior when External influences are minimal Attitude is stable Attitude is specific to behavior Attitude is easily recalled Behaviors affecting attitudes Cognitive dissonance when our actions do not match up with our attitudes Cognitive dissonance theory resolving dissonance by changing our attitudes to fit our actions Foot in the door phenomenon tendency to be more likely to agree to a large request after agreeing to a small one e g agreeing to donate 20 to charity after agreeing to donate 5 Door in the face phenomenon tendency to agree to a smaller request after rejecting a larger one e g agreeing to donate 5 to charity after rejecting donating 20 We like who we agree to help dislike who we agree to harm adjusting attitude to Social situations have many ways of influencing our behavior attitudes beliefs actions Social influence decisions Conformity Change in behavior or belief as a result of real or imagined group pressure Why we conform Automatic mimicry Normative social influence Informational social influence Automatic mimicry Not by choice Contagious yawning arm folding hand wringing face rubbing etc Adopting regional accents grammar vocabulary Empathetic shifts in mood that fit the mood of others around us Adopting coping styles of parents or peers violence yelling withdrawal etc Choose to conform because we believe other peoples views are correct or that their Informational social influence behavior is appropriate When Situation is ambiguous There is a crisis Very difficult task Other people are are thought to be experts Normative social influence Conformity because we want to be liked thought of positively Can happen even in unambiguous situations Desire to be accepted fit in Leads to public compliance people act on group norms even if they disagree with them Conformity is most likely when Group is medium sized unanimous You admire are attracted to the group Culture encourages respect for norms Group tries to make you feel incompetent insecure closely watched You are not fully committed to one set of beliefs or style of behavior Why people obey Obedience to authority Need for consistency Escalation of commitment Strange situations Diffusion of responsibility Importance of roles Conformity
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