Social Psychology Chapter 13
Social Psychology . . . the study of how people think about, influence, and relate to other people
Cognitions
Influences
Relations
Social Cognition How people select, interpret, remember, and use social information
Person Perception . . . The process by which we use social stimuli to form impressions of others physical attractiveness -“Beautiful is good� stereotype - Self-fulfilling prophecy - Youthfulness first impressions
Heuristics ‌cognitive shortcuts that speed decision making
Stereotypes ‌define stereotypes here define stereotypes here
Stereotype Threat a self-fulfilling fear about being judged on the basis of a negative stereotype about our group
The Self as a Social Object Self-Esteem positive illusions – views of ourselves that are not necessarily rooted in reality self-serving bias – tendency to take credit for success and deny responsibility for failure self-objectification – tendency to see oneself primarily as an object in the eyes of others
Attitudes Attitudes are beliefs about people, places, and ideas. Can attitudes predict behavior? ‌when attitudes are strong, are rehearsed, and when a person has vested interest Can behavior predict attitudes? ‌cognitive dissonance and self perception
Cognitive Dissonance Theory Discomfort caused by two dissonant thoughts attitude vs behavior Dissonance reduced by changing behaviors to match attitude changing attitudes to match behavior
Self-Perception Theory Individuals make inferences about their own attitudes by perceiving their own behavior
Influences The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior
Persuasion Occurs when an individual tries to change another person’s attitudes Successful Persuasion foot-in-the-door technique door-in-the-face technique
Social Behavior we behave in social ways toward the people around us two extremes of human social activity: - altruism - aggression
Prosocial Behavior Explanations of Altruism: Evolutionary Psychological factors mood, empathy Sociocultural factors market economies, investment in established religion, gender
Prosocial Behavior The Bystander Effect individuals are less likely to help in an emergency when others are present diffusion of responsibility Media Influence
Aggression Biological Influences Evolutionary views Genetic basis Psychological Influences Frustration Sociocultural Influences Culture: Honor Culture Media Violence
Group Influence Deindividuation erosion of personal identity and responsibility anonymity Social Contagion spread of behavior, emotions, and ideas Group Performance social facilitation: arousal with well-learned tasks social loafing: reduced accountability
Group Decision Making Groupthink
group harmony impaired decision making and avoidance of realistic appraisal
Relations The way in which two or more people are connected; how they effect one another
Intergroup Relations Group Identity us versus them Social Identity define ourselves in terms of group membership Ethnocentrism favoring one’s own group over other groups
Close Relationships Attraction Proximity Ă ďƒ mere exposure effect We like those who like us Similarity consensual validation