Unit 4: Social Psychology (Part 1)

Person Perception

How we form impressions of people

Attributions

How we explain the causes of events

Attribution Theory

• Proposed by Frit Heider

• Explain behavior by crediting situation (Situational) or a person’s traits (Dispositional)

Fundamental Attribution Error

• When observers analyze a person’s behavior, they underestimate how the situation affects how that person acts

• ex. In class, I might see quiet but during a tennis match I’m perceived as loud

Actor-Observer Bias

• Tendency to attribute our behavior on external causes and other’s behavior on internal causes

• ex. when you trip, you blame the sidewalk. When someone else trips you blame their clumsiness

Prejudice

Unjustifiable and usually negative attitude towards a group

Stereotype

• Generalized belief about a group of people

• Often overgeneralized / overexaggerated

Discrimination

To act in negative and unjustifiable ways

Just-World Phenomenon

• The world is fair and people get what they deserve

• Good is rewarded and evil is punished

Ingroup

People who we share a common identity with

Outgroup

People who are perceived as different or apart from our ingroup

Ingroup Bias

Tendency to favor our own group

Scapegoat Theory

• When things go wrong, finding someone / a group of people to blame provides a target for our negative emotions

• ex. China during the pandemic

Other-Race Effect

Recall someone’s face from our own race more accurately

Attitudes

Feelings that are influences by our beliefs and predisposes us to respond a certain way

Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon

When people agree to do a small task, it’s easier to convince them to comply with a bigger task

Door-in-the-Face Phenomenon

Asking something unreasonable, then something reasonable so that person is more likely to agree

Role

Set of expectations (norms) about a social position

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

• Proposed by Leon Festinger

• We try to reduce the discomfort when our thoughts aren’t consistent (aka when out attitudes and actions clash - reduce by changing attitude)

Attitude Follows Behavior Principle

If you act a certain way, you’ll start to change your attitude to match

Peripheral Route Persuasion

• When people are influenced by incidental cues

• ex. Speaker’s attractiveness or celebrity influence / popularity

Central Route Persuasion

Influence using evidence and scientific based arguments

Social Facilitation

In the presence of others, performance on simple / well-learned tasks improve, while performance becomes worse on more difficult tasks

Social Loafing

Tendency for people in a group to do less / show less effort when trying to attain a common goal

Deindividuation

• Loss of self awareness and self restraint

• Usually happens when people are anonymous or “rowdy” when a large group of like-minded people participate (ex. online trolls)

Group Polarization

Beliefs / attitudes we bring to a group grow stronger when discussing with a group (ex. occurs more often due to the internet)

Groupthink

• Group members may not speak out if they have a view that goes against the majority (ex. not suggesting a restaurant because everyone else wants to go somewhere else)

• Increases with overconfidence → Prevented when a leader is open to the opinions of people in the group

Culture

Behaviors, ideas, and values shared by a group and passed on to other generations

Tight Culture

Clearly defined and reliably imposed norms

Loose Culture

Flexible and informed norms

Aggression

Physical / verbal behavior intended to harm

Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA) Gene

• Contributes to aggression

• Breaks down neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin

Aversive Stimuli

Unpleasant stimuli (ex. hot temp, pain, overcrowding) which can lead to irritation and hostility

Fustration-Aggression Principle

Frustration creates anger, which can cause aggression

Social Scripts

• Culturally modeled guide for how to act in certain situations

• We tend to imitate what we watch (ex. dangerous driving and violent video games)

Mere Exposure Effect

• Repeated exposure that leads to increased liking

• This can happen more with proximity as it allows us to see our friends more often

Reward Theory of Attraction

We like those whose behavior is rewarding to us (ex. helping achieve our goals)

Passionate Love

• We intensely desire being with our partner

• usually happens at the start of a relationship

Two-Factor of Emotions

• Emotions have physical arousal and cognitive appraisal

• Arousal can enhance emotions

Companionate Love

• Deep affectionate love we feel

• Oxytocin causes feelings of trust, calmness, and bonding

Equity

Both partners receive in proportion to what they give

Self-Disclosure

• Revealing intimate aspects of ourselves to others

• The more you disclose, the more your friend will disclose, and will increase liking / romantic feelings

Positive Support

Another key to enduring love, includes compliments and other positive interactions

Altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others

Diffusion of Responsibility / Bystander Effect

Describes how people are less likely to take action when others are present

Social Exchange Theory

• Social behavior is an exchange process

• Weigh cost of doing so (time, discomfort) to benefits (good feelings, social approval)

• ex. donating blood causes discomfort, but you could still save lives

Reciprocity Norm

Expectation that people will help those that help them (ex. “paying it forward” or favors)

Social-Responsibility Norm

Expectations that people will help those that need help, even if cost outweighs benefits (ex. young kids, caring for elderly)

Conflict

Perceived incompatibility of goals

Social Traps

2 parties get caught up in mutually destructive behavior

Mirror-Image Perceptions

We see ourselves as ethical and peaceful, while the other party is perceived as evil and aggressive (ex. political parties)

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Person’s expectations cause a situation to become reality

Superordinate Goals

Goals that override group differences and requires their cooperation