Social Thinking Social psychology the study of Social thinking how we think about our social world Social influence how other people influence us Social relations how we relate toward other people Attribution ior ior Attributions judgements about the causes of our own and other peoples behavior and outcomes Personal internal attributions infer that peoples characteristics cause their behav Situational external attributions infer that aspects of the situation cause a behav 3 types of info determine the type of attribution we make Consistency Distinctiveness Art class is always boring high p s All classes are boring low s Only art is boring high p Consensus Other students say its great low s Other students say its boring high p When all 3 types of info are high we tend to make a situational attribution When consistency is high and the other two are low we tend to make a personal attribu tion Fundamental Attribution Error we underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the role of personal factors when explaining other peoples behavior FAE is reduced when people have time to reflect on their judgments or are highly moti vated to be careful FAE does not apply to our own behavior only other peoples Self Serving Bias the tendency to make personal attributions for successes and situational attri butions for failures Protects or enhances our self esteem Not used by people who are depressed Culture and Attribution FAE may reflect a westernized emphasis on individualism Members of other cultures are less likely to display a self serving bias Culture influences how we go about making attributions Impressions Primacy Effect our tendency to attach more importance to the initial information we learn about a person Tend to be more alert to info we receive first Initial info may shape how we perceive subsequent info Influences our desire to make further contact with a person Mental Set a readiness to perceive the world in a particular way Schemas mental frameworks that help us organize and interpret info Stereotype a generalized belief about a group or category of people Can bias the way we perceive other peoples behavior Self Fulfilling Prophecy our expectations affect our behavior toward a person which can cause the person to behave in a way that confirms our expectations Attitudes Attitude a positive or negative evaluative reaction toward a stimulus such as a person action object or concept Attitudes influence behavior more strongly when situational factors that contradict our atti Will have a greater influence on behavior when we are aware of them and when they are General attitudes best predict general classes of behavior and specific attitudes best predict tudes are weak strongly held specific behaviors Behavior influences our attitudes Theory of Planned Behavior our intention to engage in a behavior is strongest when We have a positive attitude towards that behavior When subjective norms our perceptions of what other people think we should do support our own attitudes When we believe that the behavior is under our control Cognitive Dissonance Festinger 1957 people strive for consistency in their cognitions belief or attitude Cognitive dissonance is created when two or more cognitions contradict one another People are motivated to reduce dissonance Changing one of their cognitions Adding new cognitions Counter attitudinal Behavior behavior that is inconsistent with ones attitude Produces dissonance only if we perceive that our actions were freely chosen Especially likely to cause dissonance if Behaviors produce foreseeable negative consequences Behaviors threaten our sense of self worth Self Perception Theory we make inferences about our own attitudes by observing how we be have Attitude is not produced by cognitive dissonance People experience heightened psychological tension when engaging in counter attitudinal Dissonance theory explains attitude change when counter attitudinal behavior threatens Self perception theory explains attitude change in situations that are less likely to create behavior Both seem to be correct self worth or is highly inconsistent significant arousal Persuasion Process Expertise Trustworthiness Physical attractiveness and likeability The message Communicator Credibility how believable we perceive the communicator to be Two sided refutational approach presents both sides of the issue Fear is effective when the message provides people with a way to reduce the threat Need for cognition Central route to persuasion people think carefully about the message and are influ enced b c they find the arguments compelling Peripheral route to persuasion people do not scrutinize the message but are influenced mostly by other factors like the speakers looks or an emotional appeal Social Norms shared expectations about how people should think feel and behave Often implicit and unspoken Regulate daily behavior without our conscious awareness Social Role a set of norms that characterizes how people in a given social position ought to be have Role conflict occurs when the norms accompanying different roles clash Norms Conformity Conformity the adjustment of individual behaviors attitudes and beliefs to a group standard Informational Social Influence following the opinions or behavior of other people bc we believe that they have accurate knowledge and that what they are doing is right Normative Social Influence conforming to obtain the rewards that come from being accepted by otehr people while at the same time avoiding their rejection Factors that affect Conformity Group size Increases as group size increases No increases over five group members Presence of dissenter Culture Greater in collectivistic cultures One person disagreeing with the others greatly reduces group conformity Minority Influence to maximize its influence the minority must Be highly committed to its point of view Remain independent in the face of majority pressure Appear to keep an open mind Maintain a consistent position over time Not appear unreasonable deviant or negative Obedience The Milgram Experiment 1974 One learner and one teacher Shock generator used to apply punishment Shocks grew increasingly intense with each mistake Factors that influence obedience Remoteness of the victim Closeness and legitmacy of the authority figure Diffucsion of responsibilty obedience increases when someon else does the dirty work Not personal characteristics Compliance should respond in kind then presents a
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