Social Psychology Test 1 Chapter 1 What is Social Psychology Social Psychology The scientific studies of how people think about influence and relate to each other as groups and as individuals It allows us to make sense of this world Fields related to Social Psychology 1 Anthropology study of human culture 2 Economics study of how people exchange goods and services 3 Sociology study of societies and groups that form societies a Both focus on behavior Other fields within Psychology 1 Biological Psychology focus on what happens in the brain 2 Clinical Psychology focuses on abnormal behavior 3 Cognitive Psychology study though processes like memory b Interested in how people think individually 4 Personality Psychology looks at differences between individuals and their traits a Focuses on stability of traits and behavior Personality Psychology is considered the sister discipline of Social Psychology o Individual differences in people cause them to behave differently 2 forces that predict behavior social factors personality Conducting Social Psychology Research Reification Error treating abstract concepts as if they were concrete objects Empiricism knowledge is derived from observation Hindsight bias the tendency to exaggerate one s ability to have foreseen and outcome after learning about it I knew it all along The Scientific Method 5 steps 1 State the Problem 2 Hypothesis 3 Design Experiment 4 Test Hypothesis with data from experiment 5 Communicate results a Replicate results theory Two things that make a good 1 Economical simple 2 Falsifiable can be disproved Science aims to disprove hypothesis which in turn creates a theory Hypothesis an idea about the possible nature of reality a prediction tested in an experiment Ex Why is the winter cold Theory unobservable constructs that are linked together in some logical way Ex More sleep leads to higher grades Hypothesis are generated from theories and theories are created from confirmed 2 areas where social psychology is researched hypothesis 1 2 In the Lab In the Field What are the different methods used in research 1 Correlational Research 2 Experimental Research Correlation Research Correlation coefficient r ranges from 1 to 1 2 weak positive correlation 8 strong negative correlation 0 no linear relationship o Variables can be correlated but have no linear relationship The pros and cons of Correlational Research Correlational does not imply causation Cannot control cause effect It allows us to make predictions Experimental Research Pros and cons allows us to draw cause effect conclusions may not generalize real life conclusions Independent variable what we are manipulating in an experiment Dependent variable the measure of outcome Ex You want to know if you sleep better when drinking warm milk before bed IV warm milk DV sleep quality Operational definition how we will observe and measure an outcome Ex measuring aggression by using a teddy bear and seeing how many time you hit it Random assignment subjects have equal chance of being assigned to an experimental group Demand characteristics of a research design these may cause participants to react a certain way Reliability are the results the same every time Vs Validity are we measuring what we want to measure External validity can these outcomes be applied to other outside experiments Internal validity are the results caused by the variables in the study Main effects when an IV has an effect of similar magnitude and directions across levels of the other IV Averages the variables Vs Interactions when the effect of one IV on the DV depending on the other IV No interaction If same results Chapter 2 Culture and Nature Sociocultural perspective our beliefs attitudes and behavior are shaped by societal norms Focuses on differences between societal norms Miyamoto Kottayam Study The Fundamental Attribution error about distinguishing who is pro or anti death penalty Americans are more victims to F A E than Japanese people Sedikides et al Study Self enhancement study shows Americans believe they are better with self characteristics where Japanese believe they are better with interaction characteristics Collectivist cultures are focused on external reasons for behavior connection with others Vs Independent cultures more focused on internal reasons for behavior different from others 3 Components of Evolutionary Perspective 1 Heritability genes that are passed on from parents 2 Variation genes that can change randomly 3 Natural Selection survival and reproduction determines future random variation traits Natural selection is separated into 2 parts 1 Survival which is the ability to not die 2 Reproduction passing on your genes Evolutionary Perspective believes that our beliefs and behaviors are shaped by evolution Sociocultural Perspective believes that our behaviors and beliefs are structured by our upbringing and society How has research tried to combine evolutionary and sociocultural perspectives Evolution provides the framework of what goals you have and can work with while culture shapes how you achieve those goals Culture an information based system involving shared understandings and praxis that enables groups of people to live together in an organized fashion and get what they need Vs Vs Way in which people are different Food habits Religion Schooling Language Etc Ways in which people are the same We use language We breathe air Have language Share assumptions ideas Preserve knowledge Communicate future plans Deal with conflicts non violently Human Social Life Duplex mind Social Animals seeking connections with others wild animals also do this Cultural animals makes humans unique from all other animals we preserve knowledge deal with conflicts through conversation social acceptance built to relate selfish impulse vs conscious Put people first Duplex mind has 2 systems 1 Automatic system a Outside of consciousness sleep b Does simple jobs automatically c fast 2 Conscious system a b Slow c Flexible d Controllable Chapter 3 The Self 3 parts of the self Involves smaller more important parts of the brain 1 Self concept self awareness allows for your reflection on yourself and self esteem 2 Public Self aka interpersonal self helps to connect socially with other people 3 Agent Self aka executive function allows self control and taking control of situations How we gain self knowledge We see roles we play in society Our culture Learn from watching other people Looking glass self people learn about
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