An Invitation to Social Psychology

Social Psychology

The scientific study of the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors of individuals in social situations.

What was the Milgram Experiment?

Psychologist Stanley Milgram and a partner wanted to study how people follow evil orders. Milgram had people be the “teacher” and the partner would be the student. The teacher would ask the student questions. If the student got them wrong, the teacher would shock the student with electricity. The teacher could not see the student. (The student was not really being shocked) 65% of the teachers reached maximum Voltage. This showcases the power of the situation

Seminary students study?

In one study, princeton seminary students were told to give a sermon in another building. One group was told they had plenty of time to get there, another group was told they were running late. On the way to the building, both groups passed a old man in need of help. The group was had plenty of time offered to help the man at 60%. The group that was running late only offered to help the man 10% of the time

Dispositions

Internal factors, beliefs, values, personality traits, and abilities that guide behavior

Fundamental Attribution Error

The failure to recognize the importance of situational influences on behavior, along with the corresponding tendency to overemphasize the importance of dispositions on behavior.

Attributing your own behavior to outside circumstances, and other’s behavior to their own character

Nudge, don’t push?

The idea that small factors can have big impacts on choices people make.

Gestalt psychology

meaning “form” or “figure,” an approach that stresses the fact that people’s perception of objects involves active, usually nonconscious interpretation of what the object represents as a whole.

Naive Realism

The belief that we see the world directly, without any complicated perceptual or cognitive machinery “doctoring” the data

Constructal

One’s interpretation of or inference about the stiumuli or situations that one confronts

Schema

A knowledge structure consisting of any organized body of stored information that is used to help in understanding events. How we know how to behave in different social situations (fast food resturant vs 5 star resturant)

Stereotypes

A belief that certain attributes are characteristics of members of a particular group. Schemas we develop for different groups of people. Make social interactions easier because people know what to expect

Automatic Processing

Involuntary and unconscious, gives rise to implicit attitudes and beliefs that cannot be readily controlled by the conscious mind.

Controlled Processing

conscious, systematic, and deliberate. It can override automatic responses. Results in Explicit attitudes which we are aware of

Are we aware of nonconcious processing?

No! one example of this is when people are asked to rate the accuracy of a news source, they end up sharing more accurate news on facebook! We also tend to mirror the body language of people we are near

Why do we use nonconcious processing?

Nonconcious processing is much faster than concious. In nonconcious processing, people can do multiple tasks at once

Natural Selection

An evolutionary process that molds animals and plants so that the traits that enhance the probability of survivial and reproduction are passed onto future generations. Inpacts behavior as much as it does physical traits

What are some examples of Universal behaviors seen in natural selection?

Marraige, Work being divided by gender, preference for you own kids, ingroup vs out group, death rites, childhood fear of strangers,

Why do humans live in groups?

Better care for offpsring, protection from predators, greater ability to get resources

Language?

Infants are born with the ability to aquire any language. Twins can develop their own language in the crib. Language allows us to live in groups.

Theory of Mind?

The ability to recognize that other people have beliefs and desires and that understanding others’ beliefs and desires allows us to understand and predict their behavior. One theory is that people with autism do not have this

Naturallistic Fallacy

that the way things are is the way they should be. A (false) belief that human behavior is only determined by genetics

Social Neuroscience

how changes in brain activity influence social behavior. fMRIs are used when looking at brains for this as it shows increased bloodflow to certain areas

Amydagla

area of the brain involved in gut feelings, processing emotions, and survival responses

Nucleus Accumbens

Area in the brain that has tons of dopamine receptors. This area processes reward, motivation, pleasure, and reinforcement learning

PreFrontal Cortex

Area of the brain where we process complex thoughts and emotions.

True or False: The area of the brain that alerts people to danger isn’t fully developed until early adulthood

True!

Neocortex

The area of the brain that differentiates the human brain from other mammals. It is the size that differntiates us. Involved in abstract reasoning, abstract throught, memory, and a neural network that allows us to experience the feelings of others

What is an important legacy for humans?

Our great flexibility, which allows us to live in different enviorments, which may be a reason humans have different cultures

Independent (Individualistic) Cultures

a culture in which people tend to think of themselves as distinct, individual social entities, tied to each other by voluntary bonds of affection and organizational memberships but essentially separate from other people and having attributes that exist in the absence of any connection to other. People who are more independent show a higher gray matter level in the region of the brain that thinks about the self

Interdependent (Collectivist) Cultures

a culture in which people tend to define themselves as part of a collective, inextricably tied to others in their group, and place less importance on individual freedom or personal control over their lives

Working class people are more ____ culture

Interdependent

Can a person change their interdependent/independent personality based on the situation?

YES!

What are two factors that influence indepenent vs interdependent?

Economic: How money is made?

The degree on which complex social interactions are based on associations with kin?

Tight vs Loose Culture?

Tight: strict rules governing behavior, and conformity to those rules is demanded.

Loose: rules are fewer and less strictly enforced.

What can lead to tight cultures?

When they face external threats such as war, food insecurity, or natural disasters

Culture and Gender Roles?

Gender roles are varied around the world (Sweedish women being half of parlement vs women being slaves in others)

Monogomy and Polygyny are the most common type of marital relations. In Europe, extramarital affairs is common. While in other cultures, people who have affairs are executed.

Native Americans have “two spirit” people. Who are a distinct gender, nither male or female

Are these culture/gender roles arbitrary or do they have economic/practical purpose?

primogeniture

A rule that only the firstborn male could inherit land. Was created so that estates would not be broken up into small pieces, which would lead the power of the family to decrease.

WEIRD Society?

Western Educated Industralized Rich Democratic. The majority of social psychology has been studying these cultures/societies

How has culture affect how people see the world?

Our first years were focused on survival, which hardwired our brain for it

Evolution has prewired our brain to be able to adapt to a wide range of behaviors

What do Social Psychologists study about in regards to social media?

How social media affects our lives, our communication with other people

What do social psychologists study in regards to the “good life”

What makes us happy depends critically on our life stage, cultural background, and upbringing.

Social psychologists have identified simple practices that boost happiness.

Social psychologists have also identified practices that help us handle stress.