Lecture 10 Outline of Last Lecture 1. Attributions2. Covariation Theories3. Attribution BiasesOutline of Current Lecture 1. Effects on Impressions2. Implicit personality theory/Primacy effect3. ABC’s of AttitudeCurrent LectureFrom Inferring Dispositions to Forming Impressions- How do we combine all personal attributions and judgements? (summation or averaging?)- Averaging but not weighted- Anderson’s (1981) information integration theory, impressions are formed of others based on weighted averaging of their personal dispositionsEffects on Impressions- Perceiver characteristics- Different standards, mood- Priming effects- Frequently or recently used trait words to influence impressions- Target characteristics- People most agree about other’s extroversionImpact of trait information on our impressions of others depends on 2 contextual factors- Implicit Personality Theories: theories about what types of personality traits go together- Primacy Effect: Info has greater impact when presented early rather than laterOnce people form impressions, difficult to change- People engage in confirmation bias, tendency to seek, interpret & create info that verifies existing beliefsSelf-fulfilling ProphecyStage 1.) Perceiver forms impression of target personStage 2.) Perceiver behaves in way consistent with impression SOA 223 1nd EditionStage 3.) Target person adjusts behavior to correspond with perceiver’s actionsAttitudes- Attitudes don’t predict behaviors as much as people think- Behaviors predict attitudes more than people thinkABC’s of AttitudeA- Affective: EmotionsB- Behavioral: Actions result from attitudeC- Cognitive: Knowledge about- Evaluation of person, place, object, event or behavior- Positive, negative, or both- Explicit or ImplicitNegative attitudes have more impact than positive attitudesAttitudes vary on Intensity/strength and accessibility Measurement of Attitudes- Self-Report measures- single, global items. Attitude scales (Likert Scale) OBVIOUS- Covert measures- Observable behavior, internal physiological reactions, facial electromyography, speed of response on computer- Implicit attitudes measured by Implicit Association TestAttitude Sources- Genes- Mere exposure effects (familiarity)- Classical conditioning- Operant conditioning- Our behaviors- Current needs- Reference groupsPredicting behavior from attitudes- Attitudes may be poor predictors of behavior (LaPiere 1930)- 1960s research review- Meta-analysis concluded there was no evidence attitudes reliably predict behaviorsWhy Attitudes are poor predictors some of the time…- Attitudes may conflict with other influences on behaviors- social norms/situational factors- General attitudes may not match specific targets- attitudes better predict behaviors when specific attitudes toward behavior are measured- Some behaviors may be so automatic that you don’t think about them- Behavior unconsciously influenced by situation when we don’t noticePredicting Attitudes from Behavior- Attitudes may be poor predictors of behaviors, but behaviors are good predictors of attitudes- Attitudes may change in order to be consistent with