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SOCIAL PSYCH
attribution/ attribution theory
how we interpret the cause of a behavior, outcome, or circumstance
attribution theory is when a person interprets their behavior by either looking at an internal or external attribution
dispositional attribution
internal attribution: Behavior caused by the individual. Internal traits
if they fail a test its because they are stupid
siif they fall asleep during class its bc they are disrespectful
situational attributions
external attribution- behavior caused by circumstances
I failed my drivers test because I had a bad driving instructor
Explanatory style
the way one perceives successes or failures. How we interpret the world can effect our well being
can be optimist and pessimist
pessimist
views things as permanent/fixed and always negative
optimist
views things as temporary and being positive
actor observer bias
making myself situation. the other person blaming with internal traits
over emphsize my situation, overemphasize their personal qualities
If you’re late to a meeting, you might blame traffic or unexpected delays. But if someone else is late, you might think they’re disorganized or lazy. This is actor-observer bias
EXPLAIN OWN BEHAVIOR W EXTERNAL FACTORS BUT JUDGE OTHERS BASED OFF THEIR CHARACTER
fundamental attribution error
explaining others behavior
if someone cuts you off in traffic, you might think they’re rude or impatient, ignoring the possibility that they might be rushing to an emergency. You focus more on their actions than on any external situation that might have influenced them.
self serving bias
the tendency to credit ourselves for successes (internal) and blame external factors for failures. Protecting our ego
Ex: I got the job because I’m so responsible
Ex: I lost the job because the boss was tough and harsh.
internal locus of control
Holding yourself accountable for your successes or failures.
Ex: I got a bad grade so I’m gonna study harder. I didn’t get a bonus on my wage so I’m gonna work harder. I didn’t get into the soccer team so I’m going to gym
external locus of control
our success are out of your control and on luck or external factors
Ex: I want more money so I’m going to gamble. My test score is based on if my teacher is nice.
Mere Exposure Effect
Our attitude slowly becomes positive about someone/thing, the more often we see them/it. Liking things that you have already been exposed to more than something else. Liking familiar things, not new things.
Can lead to not exploring new options
Ex: When you don’t like someone at first but once you meet them, you start liking them. Choosing a dish because it is more familiar to you at a restaurant. Liking a song more when you heard it multiple times on the radio.
Self Fulfilling Prophecy
Your behavior can be influenced by another person’s expectations
Ex: your driving instructor is motivating and says you will pass, you will probably be confident and pass. If everyone is telling you that you will fail then you won’t do good and feel insecure.
Can be dangerous bc one shouldn’t decide their worth based on the acceptance of others,
Social Comparison
When people compare themselves to others and either feel too superior or too inferior to others. Upward: feel good about yourself when compared to others. Downward: bad.
Relative Deprivation
theory that suggests that people get unhappy when they compare themselves to others and feel bad about themselves. The theory is that it is bad for your mental health to do so.
Ex: feeling sad when seeing that everyone is more wealthy than you.
attitude
Stable beliefs/feelings towards someone
Stereotype
Characteristics associated with a group of members
All teenagers are on their phones
Social Identity
A person will most likely surround themselves with groups that boost our self esteem and with groups that have similar interests
Ex: athletic kids hang with athletic kids, but if a nerd joins, the nerd may feel in the outer circle and not feel confident.
Outgroup
A group that is outside our own group and seem threatening
Out-Group Homogeneity Bias
All people from an out group are the same.
Everyone from ridgewood school is mean
Ingroup
A group that you share beliefs with and a group that you believe is better than the other groups.
In-Group Bias
Belief that the group you identify with is better than other groups.
Ex: someone is talking bad abt ur friend being mean but u defend ur friend by saying that they were just having a bad day.
Our group is so much better than theirs.
ethnocentrism
Belief that whatever norms are in your country, are the same norms in the rest of the world or thinking that if other countries do som different then its weird
Ex: America thinks it’s normal not to have a bidet, whereas most of the world think its unhygienic not to have a bidet because it is normal in their culture.
Like cultural shock
Not xenophobia (fear of immigrants)
Cognitive Load
The amount of effort you have to put into doing a task.
ex : if u do a simple math problem then it requires low cognitive load. If you do precalc then it requires high cognitive load.
Ex: choosing what colleges you want to attend is a germane/high cognitive load.
3 types: intrinsic, extrinsic, and germane (low → high)
Prejudice
Having a negative attitude towards a group of people because they are different
Ex: a teacher in gym class believes that all girls in the class are bad athletes.
Discrimination
Unfair actions/behavior towards a group of people because they are different
Ex: not giving the girls in the class an opportunity to play in the gym because you believe they are unathletic.
Making laws that are sexist or racist.
Implicit Attitudes
Unconscious negative feelings or attitudes we have towards a group without knowing. This is bad cuz it can lead to discrimination and prejudice.
Sitting in a bus and unconsciously not sitting toward someone of a certain race
A boss unconsciously hiring men and assuming their better
Just-World Phenomenon
Basically karma. If you are a good person, good things will happen to you.
Ex: if someone lost their job they may say that it was because they are a bad person
Belief Perseverance
When you find information that proves your opinion wrong and you still don't want to believe the information.
Ex: When one believes a vaccine can cause a disease despite doctors and scientists saying it does not
Confirmation Bias
Searching up or looking at things that only prove your opinion right
Cognitive Dissonance
A discomfort between 2 contradicting things
Ex: you want to be more productive. But you watch TV and say its only for 1 day it’s not that bad.
Ex: saying you’ll stay on your diet but you have cheat days.
Social Norms
Unwritten rules or expectations/behaviors people expect depending on place or situation
Ex: it is an unwritten rule that it would be weird for freshmen to wear princess backpacks to school. Its only for the seniors.
Ex: if someone just wore a dress to school in the middle of december.
social influence theory
Social norms are influenced by others surrounding us.
Ex: In the US everyone wears western clothes because everyone surrounding us does so. In another country they may wear traditional clothes for their culture
Normative Social Influence
doing something bc others do it and you want to be accepted by them
Informational Social Influence
Doing something that someone has accurate info is doing.
Its ur first day of school and everyone is typing in their name on the computer. U do the same bc u assume they are correct as they have been to the school.
When everyone else raises their hand and says the same answer but then u start doubting if the answer that you got is correct or not. So you change your answer to what the majority is saying. You believe others have accurate answers.
halot effect
When you first meet someone and you see overall positive traits and then you assume that all their other traits are positive as well. Same with negative
If you see a well dressed pretty person, then you assume that they are kind and have other good traits.
Foot-in-the-Door Technique
Asking for a small request first to “open the door” to make the big request seem not too bad
Asking first can I go to Layla’s til 8. Then asking can I stay til 10. Then asking can I just sleepover
Door-in-the-Face Technique
Asking for a big request first to make the small request seem not too bad.
Ex: can I have $100 and the parent says no. can i have $50 then and parent says yes
Conformity
How likely we are to conform or do something because others are doing it.
Depends on the situation. Are you in a big group? New student?
People wearing baggy jeans because it became a trend and everyone surrounding is doing it.
Central Route Persuasion
Trying to persuade someone with facts or statistics. Convincing people who know about the topic and care about the topic
Ex: convincing people by presenting statistics.
Peripheral Route Persuasion
trying to persuade someone who doesn’t know much about the topic and is persuaded by attractiveness, credibility, or reputation
Ex: people in school trying to get students to vote for them by giving them candies
Usually young or uninformed people
Obedience
Changing your behavior because someone in authority tells you to
Connects to big historical events
Germans obeyed during horrific things to Jews during holocaust bc Hitler told them to do so.
Electric chair example: ppl shocking people in the electric chair because experimenters(ppl in authority)
Individualism
People are encouraged to follow their dreams and do things for themselves
Ex: people in US or western countries typically are encouraged to move out of their family’s house when going to a college or for a job whereas in other countries people stay near their family.
Typically European countries and USA
Collectivism
Prioritizing a group over an individual
Ex: staying past hours for work bc you believe that you have to finish the work as a team
Prioritizing family and doing things for your family. Living in the same home with your parents or finding a college near them
Usually in Asian culture.
Multiculturalism
Celebrating different cultures, respecting others’ values, and embracing them
Ex: in Canada there are festivals for different cultures.
Group Polarization
When people have a stronger opinion on a topic after talking to like-minded people
Ex: liberals having a neutral attitude towards liberal thoughts. But after talking to a group of liberals, they having a stronger/intense favor on liberal values
Groupthink
Pressure to conform so others in a group think you have the same belief as them. You want to keep peace in the group and not bring up anything contradicting
During a group discussion, one person has a different view but doesn’t bring it up because they’re scared no one else will agree with them on it.
Diffusion of Responsibility
When people feel less responsibility when in a group setting.
THE MORE PEOPLE, THE LESS RESPONSIBILITY WE FEEL
Social Loafing
When a person works less harder when working in a group.
Ex: relying on one person to do the work in the group and everyone else not doing anything
Feeling LESS RESPONSIBLE with MORE PEOPLE.
Caused by diffusion of responsibility
Deindividuation
when a person loses sense of responsibility and start acting crazy when they’re with a group of people
Ex: riots, mobs, crowd surfing
Social Facilitation
When people do a task better in front of a group of people
When running in a track competition, the crowd is cheering you on, which pushes you to run faster
Ex: running in a group, you had a faster running time. But alone, you ran slow. Doing a task with a group made the job easier.
Social Trap
Doing something for immediate benefit, while not considering that it will harm you in the long term or an overall group
Ex: fishers overfishing knowing it will increase their sales a lot, but disregarding that the fish population will decline in the future if they overfish.
DOING IT FOR PERSONAL GAIN, but WORSE OUTCOMES FOR THE GROUP
Not stopping to drive because everyone drives and you won’t make an impact on pollution by not driving. But later it will impact everyone and start to impact the environment
Superordinate Goals
Although there is tension between 2 groups, sometimes you can accomplish more by working together. Requires cooperation.
Prosocial Behavior
Any action that benefits another group or person. We do this because of altruism
Altruism
Doing something beneficial for another person even if it doesn’t benefit us. This is because we feel good after doing something nice.
Social Responsibility Norm
People will help those that are dependent on them
Ex: parents making sacrifices for their children because they know that the children depend on them.
A teacher making a sacrifice for the class during emergency
Older kids in a room with younger kids helping them during emergency
The Bystander Effect
The likelihood of a bystander helping is reduced when she/he sees other bystanders already helping.
Ex: in a class when a teacher asks a question and nobody answers. But when get privately tutored u answer the question bc u have more responsibility to answer. More likely to hold responsibility when there is an individual being told.
Real life example: when Kitty got murdered in public there were 30 witnesses. However, no one called the police because they all thought that someone else would’ve called. They felt responsible in a group. They are all waiting or wondering if someone else called the police.
Ex: someone has a seizure in public. No one is helping bc they assume that someone will help the person and feel they have less responsibility.
THE MORE PEOPLE THERE ARE, THE LESS RESPONSIBILITY YOU FEEL
We look at the group to see what they also think. Looking for the leader to guide you. But if there is no leader then no one does anything.
Caused by diffusion of responsibility
Social Exchange Theory
Reward/benefit - cost= outcome
Ex: if you pour a lot of effort into a friendship and ur friend doesn’t then you have a negative outcome and don’t want to be friends with them
Ex: John covers Maria for work when she doesn’t want to work a shift and Maria does the same. They both have similar rewards and costs. So they maintain a healthy relationship.
Reciprocity Norm
People will help those that helped them. They feel like they are in social debt. Bc she helped me now I owe her to help her back
Ex: she gave me homework answers, next time I’ll give the HW answers
False Consensus
The belief that your beliefs/thoughts are what most people would agree with.
Ex: a democrat thinks that most people would agree with them as it’s the “popular choice”
The belief that everyone has similar beliefs
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Psychologists that work for a company to put psychological principles
Ex: ensuring workers’ wellbeing, making a nice work environment, hiring the right people, psychological marketing tricks.
Ex: these psychologists make sure during the hiring process that everything is fair and you don’t have any bias
Ex: finding tricks to make employees work harder
Ex: finding what employees are specifically good at a topic and assigning them to that topic. Making the employees feel purposeful and that they are important.
