Chapter 14 Social Psychology Social psychology refers to scientific study of how people organize and interpret information about others Forming impressions o 1st impression is based on clothes gestures manner of speaking body build Each factor is associated with a schema Facial hair and t shirt liberal Suit and tie conservative o Primary effect better memory for initial experiences o Schemata are efficient but often inaccurate cognitive misers o Danger of first impressions Become self fulfilling prophesies Pygmalion effect expectations of teachers has a strong effect on students performance Stereotype a person schema based on distinguishing personal attributes age sex race o Attributions Attribution theory what determines whether we attribute behaviors of others to internal vs external causes Based on three factors Distinctiveness more distinctive more external Consistent more consistent more internal Consensus more in line with others more external Actor observer bias tendency to attribute others behavior to internal causes while attributing one s own behavior to external causes Called fundamental attribution error Defensive attribution people s desire to present themselves in a favorable light Just world hypothesis belief that people get what they deserve o Interpersonal attraction 3 main factors underlying attraction Proximity Similarity o No truth to opposites attract Physical attractiveness o The more average you are the more attractive you are o Attractive people seen as happier more intelligent and kinder o Attitudes stable set of feelings thoughts and behaviors towards someone or something Three components Evaluative beliefs about object Feeling toward object Behavior tendencies toward object Attitude development Parents reward punishment imitation Teachers peers Mass media Prejudice discrimination racism Prejudice unfair intolerant view of a group of people Discrimination unfair acts towards a group of people Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped to reduce discrimination it still exists Sources of prejudice o Frustration aggression theory when people feel exploited they will direct their anger at groups lower on the social scale Scapegoats o Authoritarian personality rigidly conventional law and order mentality respectful and submissive to authority o Racism view that certain racial or ethnic groups are innately inferior Changing attitudes process of persuasion Communication model the source of the message o More credible sources are more persuasive o Sleeper effect after time we forget the source and only remember the message o Messages which contradict our point of view will be discarded o Effective messages present both sides of an argument o Written medium best for complex arguments Key is to know audience o How can you shield yourself from persuasion Low self esteem more persuadable High intelligence less persuadable Be aware when you are the object of persuasion Cognitive dissonance holding two contradictory beliefs at the same time o Social influence study of how peoples thoughts feelings and behaviors are influenced by the presence of others Cultural influences behavior based on those around us leading to cultural truisms Norms culturally shared expectations of how to behave Different does not mean wrong Conformity when a person s own preferences yield to the norms of a larger group o Collectivist cultures stress social harmony and have high conformity rates Compliance change in behavior in response to explicit request Foot in the door effect asking for a small initial commitment makes people more likely to later comply with a larger commitment Lowball procedure seal the deal with deceptively attractive offer and add additional costs when you agree Door in the face effect asking for unreasonably large commitments when turned down people will be more willing to accept a small offer Obedience compliance with a direct command from an authority Stanley Milgram did groundbreaking research on this What leads to decreased obedience o Authority not in uniform o Authority not in the room o When teacher and victim in the same room o When one teacher rebels against the command o Social action Deindividuation loss of personal sense of responsibility when in a large group Helping behavior ill scratch your back you scratch mine Altruism presence of others makes us less altruistic bystander effect Factors that increase altruism o Distress in unambiguous o Increased sense of empathy o Being in a good mood Ostracism being rejected and ignored by others Leads to low self esteem and depression Activates the region of the brain which signals physical pain o Groups and decision making Individuals make better decisions than a group Social loafing people work less in groups Group cohesion group may be too similar
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