Social Psychology
Social Psychologist- Studies how we think about, influence, & relate to one another. See how people react in social situation.
Ex. The ball pit- get strangers to talk
Attribution Theory
Fritz- Explains someones behavior from the persons disposition or the situation. Why the media acts the way they do when bad things happen. Attributes peoples reactions.
Ex. Why do some people say one thing then others say another in a similar situation
Fundamental Attribution Error
Overestimating the influence of
personality
& underestimating the influence of situations.
Ex. They're just a "beep beep beep". Maybe they're that because they have a lot going on in life.
Attitude
Our feelings, often influenced by our
beliefs
, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, & events
Ex. If we
believe
someone is mean, we may
feel
dislike for the person &
act
unfriendly.
Central Route to Persuasion
Focus on the argument & get people to respond w/ favorable thoughts. Main route to persuasion.
Ex. People see that global warming is a problem so many are now going green.
Peripheral Route to Persuasion
Influenced by incidental cues.
Ex. When showing an add you show attractive people.
Ex. Models, athletes. If I put on the cool shoes then you'll run/jump fast.
Foot-In-The Door Phenomenon
Tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.
Ex. If you get this car, it's only $20 more for leather seats.
Ex.Put a political sign in someone's yard that is small, next time it may be a little bigger and so on.
Role
Set of norms about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.
Ex. Student- be on time, do the work, be respectful & pay attention.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
We act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent. When our awareness of our attitudes & of our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes. Think differently than you act.
Ex. I shouldn't do drugs but I'm going to do them anyways. Feel bad about it.
Ex. Want to increase tuition by $500. All students write about why it's good but we wouldn't want to write that. Offered $100 if you write it. Don't know what to do. Think of the good things it could do.
Conformity
Asch- Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard. Conditions that strengthen conformity- Feeling incompetent/insecure, attractiveness, 3 or more people, being watched, unanimous group
Ex. Undergrad not about to say the right answer when 3 grads just said the wrong one.
Asch
(Conformity)Had 3 graduate students & 1 undergrad who would look at 4 lines. ask questions like which matched the standard line. all 3 grads would say line 3, so the undergrad didn't want to say the real answer. In a group of 3 or more, you increase conformity. Undergrad sees them as more of an expert.
Milgram
Researcher", "Learner", & "Teacher." On learning- tried to show they were randomly assigning (everyone has = chance) people. Teacher had to read words & for each one the learner(actor) got wrong the teacher could shock them (shock was fake). Teacher felt so bad- didn't know it was fake until the end.
Stanford Prison Experiment - Zim Bardo
Created a mock prison in the Stanford basement. Guards controlled inmates. Guards given mirror glasses (like a mask-changes who you are). Chain on foot & # instead of name dehumanized prisoners. Also put in solitary confinement & taunted. Prisoners had breakdowns every day.
Normative Social Influence
Influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval.
Ex. To avoid rejection or disapproval from others, we clap when others do, eat when others do, & believe what others believe.
Informational Social Influence
Influence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality.
Ex. Rebecca Dalton went against it after driving 30miles on the highway going against traffic. Cops finally stopped her & said she was going the wrong way. She said she thought the other cars were the ones going the wrong way.
Social Facilitation
Stronger responses on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others. The presence of others boosts performance. When faced with a harder task, they're worse.
Ex. Drivers cut off 15% of time driving first 100 yards when there is another car around rather than when they're alone.
Ex. When a shooter is being watched & may get 80% on his own, may only get 70% while being watched.
Social Loafing
The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal that when individually accountable.
Ex. People blindfolded w/ head phones in & told to clap & shout as loud as they could so they did. The next time they thought they were with other people so weren't as loud.
Deindividuation
The loss of self awareness and self restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.
Ex. Screaming at a hockey game because it's what everybody's doing.
Group Polarization
The enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group. Attracts- already have what you believe.
Ex. Water is polar- two drops make one.
Ex. Pro Choice, Race for the Cure (The more they talk about it the more they believe it)
Groupthink
The mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives. Have a group & want to end up with harmony so go with the group.
Ex. Going to war right away after 9/11
Prejudice
Negative Attitude.
An unjustifiable (& usually negative) attitude toward a group & its members. Mix of beliefs(stereotypes), emotions(envy, fear), & action(to discriminate).
Ex. To BELIEVE that obese people are gluttonous, to FEEL dislike for an obese person , & to be hesitant to hire/date an obese person.
Stereotype
A generalized (sometimes accurate but often
overgeneralized
) belief about a group of people. May be some truth.
Ex. "Men are strong & should do all labor work." "Girls aren't good at sports." "All Muslims are terrorists."
Ex. Homosexuals being overly flamboyant.
Discrimination
Unjustifiable
Negative Behavior
toward a group and its members.
Ex. Not hiring someone because of race, not giving young people a chance.
In-group
Us"- people w/ whom we share a common identity.
Ex. Everybody in my Walton family & cousins.
Out-group
Them"- Those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup. Threaten our world.
Ex. People who are not my direct family or cousins.
Ingroup Bias
The tendency to favor our own group.
Ex. When you play a sport and you are playing a game with them, you favor your team.
Scapegoat Theory
The theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.
Ex. After 9/11, people were blaming and lashing out at innocent Muslims, which turned into stereotypes. Increased threats to get rid of Saddam Hussein.
Ex. Hitler's scapegoat was the Jews
Other-Race Effect
Recall faces of one's own race more accurately than faces of other races.
Appears b/w 3-9 months of age.
(Also called cross-race effect & own-race bias)
Ex. Showed white face or black face, then a tool or a gun. Most people remembered the black face with a gun.
Just-World Phenomenon
People believe the world is just & that people therefore get what they deserve & deserve what they get.
Ex. The bomber form Boston should be in prison or get the death penalty.
Ex. Prostitute gets raped who's wearing a skirt. She deserves it b/c of the skirt.
Aggression
Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy. Controlled by substances in the blood like hormones, alcohol, etc. Can be genetic.
Ex. Murders & assaults that occurred as hostile outbursts are aggression.
Frustration-Aggression Principle
The blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal- creates anger, which can generate aggression.
Ex. In the zone studying and someone interrupts and tells you to do something & ruins your zone.
Ex. Taking a test and a fire drill
Mere Exposure Effect
The phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them.
Ex. People more inclined to like or even marry someone who lives near us, sits by us in class, works together, or eat at the same place.
Passionate Love
Arousing state
of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the
beginning of a love relationship.
Theory assumes that- Emotions are physical arousal + cognitive appraisal AND arousal from any source can enhance one emotion or another.
Ex. Men walked across 2 bridges. One that was high & swayed and the other low and solid. A women would get them to fill out a questionnaire after they crossed & gave out her number if they had questions. The ones who crossed the high bridge w/ pounding hearts called.
Companionate Love
The
deep affectionate attachment
we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined. Can tell a person your deep down secrets.
Ex. Companion
Equity
A condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it. Both freely give & receive.
Ex. Sharing household chores & faithfulness. Hugs and kisses are nice but help is great too!
Self-Disclosure
Revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others.
Ex. Sharing our likes & dislikes, our dreams & worries, our proud & shameful moments
Altruism
Unselfish regard for the welfare of others. Deeper sense of empathy.
Ex. Paul a Hutu who ran Hotel Rwanda. He cashed in favors, bribed militia, & did other things which saved the 1,200 people living in his hotel.
Bystander Effect
The tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present. More prone to help if you're alone rather than in a group.
Ex. All 38 people in the Genovese murder. People saw and heard her and nobody ever called the police. The man came back 2 times and the 3rd time back he killed her. After the attack somebody finally called the cops.
Social Exchange Theory
The theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim to which is to
maximize benefits & minimize costs.
Ex. When considering if we want to donate blood, we weight the costs & the benefits. (May be painful and a lot of time but you'll feel less guilty and it's rewarding w/ good feelings).
Reciprocity Norm
An expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them.
Ex. You drop something and somebody helps you then next time you help them.
Social-Responsibility Norm
An expectation that people will help those dependent upon them. Helping those who need help even if the costs outweigh the benefits.
Ex. A man was waiting for a train & had a seizure & fell onto the tracks w/ a train coming at him. A man standing by quickly moved the guy and they were both safe.
Ex. If a older person, child, or homeless person is suffering then help them.
Ex. TV show What Would You Do?
Conflict
A
perceived
compatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.
Ex. Can't stay up and listen in class.
Social Trap
A situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior. Friends become enemies.
Ex. She said this & he did this so I did this. "Two wrongs don't make a right.
Mirror-Image Perceptions
Mutual views often held by conflicting people, as when each side sees itself as ethical & peaceful & views the other side as evil & aggressive.
Ex. Hitler- people are Jews or Catholic. Some are ethical and some are aggressive.
Ex. Our rival SFS is evil & aggressive & CCHS is ethical & peaceful.
Superordinate Goals
Shared goals that override differences among people & require their cooperation.
Ex. Children fighting with one another so they have to share the punishment together.
Ex. When one kid disrupts the whole class and everybody gets in trouble.
GRIT
Graduated & Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension- Reduction- a strategy designed to decrease international tensions.
Relative Deprivation
When you're deprived of something compared to someone. More well off b/c other people are more deprived.
Ex. Someone offered more money to be in a commercial than the other.