Unit 4 Social Psych

Egosim

Behavior is based on how it serves the self

Altruism

Desire to help someone solely to benefit that person

Evolutionary Perspective

Genes that foster survival or reproduction get passed on

Kin selection

Behaviors that help a genetic relative are favored by natural selection; genetic relatives help ensure genes get passed on

Norm of Reciprocity

Expectation that helping others increases the likelihood they will help us in the future

Gratitude

Positive feelings from perception that another has helped you; functional in that it facilitates reciprocal altruism

Group selection

favors groups with an optimal balance of selfish and selfless

Empathy

Ability to put oneself in another’s shoes and feel what they are feeling

Toi and Baston

Empathy-Altruism Study

Gender

On average women do more emotional and long term helping

Aggression

Behavior intended to hurt another person

Hostile Aggression

intent to cause harm or pain (e.g. UF player was playing dirty, FSU player went out of his way to hurt him)

Instrumental aggression

intent is to cause harm or pain, but as a means to another end (e.g. An FSU player causes a UF player pain, but the ultimate goal is getting a first down)

Defensive aggression

intent is to cause harm or pain, but as a means to psychological or bodily defense (e.g. my dog nipping at me after I mess with him too much)

Innate aggression: evolutionary theory (women)

by parental investment theory, women have higher minimum obligatory investment; women are more selective and prefer high status/resource mates

Innate aggression: evolutionary theory (men)

men behave aggressively to establish dominance over other males and acquire status, prevent loss of mates or mate poaching

Testosterone

greater levels linked to greater aggression; elevated levels are found in men, prison inmates (violent offenders, people who have recently aggressed)

Challenge hypothesis

testosterone only relates to aggression when there are opportunities for reproduction

Dual hormone hypothesis

testosterone only (positively) relates to aggression when cortisol levels are low

Social learning

we learn aggression by observing others and imitating them (e.g. abusive parents, television/media violence, “Bobo doll” study)

Cultural differences in learned aggression

It is more accepted in the South for types of learned aggression to occur; cultural norm in the South that men are the leaders of a house

Culture of Honor

social norm of defending one’s reputation in the face of perceived threats

North: Farmers, livelihood not easily stolen, urban, honor not critical

South: herders, livelihood easily stolen, rural, honor critical

The “Culture of Honor” Study

Do regional cultural norms about honor lead to more aggressive responses to threat or insult?

Methods: male students from North/South states were invited to a lab under the guise of a separate tasks

Results” insulted southern men had higher scores of all DV's compared to insulted northern men

The “Culture of Honor” Study independent variables

IV1= North vs South, IV2= Insulted vs not insulted

The “Culture of Honor” Study dependent variables

DV1= stress/cortisol, DV2=, DV3=, DV4=

Gender differences in aggression

males: more physical aggression (fist fights, physical altercations), females: more relational aggression (gossiping, rumors, social exclusion)

Gender similarities: response to provocation

when insulted or given a chance to respond aggressively, both men and wi