Final social psych

what makes social psychology a hub discipline?

it acts as a central connector

between various other fields of study.

 other disciplines connected to a hub discipline

sociology, political science, anthropology, and economics

 mystery of human behavior

 about unlocking why we do what we do, especially when we’re around others

what does contemporary social psychology emphasize most strongly when investigating the roots of intergroup conflict?

social identity and group dynamics

cultural perspective

looks at how culture shapes human thought, emotion, and

behavior

major distinction made between societies

individualism and collectivism

dynamical systems theory

 a way of understanding how complex patterns emerge over time from the interaction of many small, interconnected parts. used to study human behavior

contemporary use of the psychodynamic perspective in social psychology:

self interest vs “standards”, self-regulation theory and research, breakdown in self regulation and implicit attitudes

 social learning perspective:

we learn behavior by observing others, especially within social contexts. It’s all about how people, modeling, reinforcement, and environment interact to shape how we think, act, and feel.

contemporary expression of the social learning perspective in social psychology:

values, beliefs, attitudes, child rearing, persuasion, conformity, group dynamics, in group vs out group, and media influence

Correlation

establishing relationships between variables, measuring 2 or more characteristics in a large sample of people

how is correlation diff from causation

when 2 variables are related vs one variable produces a change

how to interpret positive correlations

one variable increases the other also increases, or when one decreases the other decreases too. they move in the same direction

how to interpret negative correlations

when one variable increases the other decreases, they move in opposite directions

advantages of using scientific method

aims to reduce bias and other limitations

function of a hypothesis

proposed explanation or prediction that is based on limited evidence, it serves as the starting point for further investigation

what happens to the theory if a studies results don’t support the hypothesis

independent variable has to be manipulated or changed in the study to test its effect on the dependent variable

dependent variable is measured and observed to see if it changes in response to the independent variable

purpose of the institutional review board IRB

to ensure that research is conducted in a way that protects participants rights well being and privacy

what conditions are psychologists allowed to conduct experiments that may cause discomfort to patients

informed consent, minimal risk, potential benefits, procedural safeguards, debriefing

big data

looks for patterns in large samples indulging surveys, historical records etc

how is big data used in social psychology research

study large scale behaviors, make predictions, and test theories that was previously impossible

three basic dimensions of attitudes

thoughts, feelings, and actions

belief perseverance

tendency for people to maintain their beliefs even in the face of contradictory evidence

thought-induced attitude polarization

refers to the phenomenon where thinking about an issue or engaging in a detailed evaluation of information can lead to a strengthening of ones initial attitude, even in the info presented is balanced or contradictory

need for closure

desire to reach a firm and definite conclusion on a topic or decision and to avoid uncertainty or ambiguity

when do individuals feel a heightened need for closure

time pressure

5 universal values

harm/care, fairness/reciprocity, ingroup/loyalty, authority/respect, purity/sanctity

some of the ways that individuals in interdependent and independent cultures think/ act differently

interdependent: obligation to other, reliance on group, group achievement, shame due to failing group

independent: individual rights, achievement and competition, self-sufficiency, shame due to individual failuremi

misattribution of arousal theory

suggests that people can mistake the cause of their physiological arousal, leading them to attribute their feelings to the wrong source- often with interesting psychological or emotional consequences

how does believing in a plecebo pill influence a person’s ability to tolerate discomfort

significantly increase a persons ability to tolerate discomfort, even with no active ingredients

six universal emotions

anger, suprise, disgust, happiness/joy, fear/ sadness

how do facial expressions affect emotion perception according to the facial feedback hypothesis

the way you move your face can send feedback to your brain that shapes how you feel

James-Lange theory of emotion

says your body reacts first, and your emotion comes after- based on how you interpret those physical changes

ex. see bear heart rate goes up feel fear because heart rate goes up

hedonic treadmill

the idea that people tend to return to a stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events in their lives, no matter how fast you run or big your steps are you end up in the same place

what does research on affective forecasting suggest on intense vs mild emotional states

intense emotional states cause us to over predict the intensity of our emotions and for mild emotional states we are more accurate predicting them

self-recognition

ability to recognize oneself as an individual, separate from others both visually and mentally, happens between 18-24 m’s

self-awareness

ability to consciously recognize and reflect on your own thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and identity

species that show self-awareness

orangutans, dolphins, elephants, birds

species that don’t show self awareness

gorillas, monkeys, dogs/cats

how do individuals descriptions of themselves differ in individualistic societies versus collectivistic societies

self is stable and unique

self as part of the group

self handicapping

action or choice of performance setting that enhances the opportunity to externalize failure and internalize success

sociometer hypothesis (leary et al 1995)

self esteem is not just an internal measure of our own worth but rather a social indicator that reflects how valued and accepted we are by others in our social group

according to the sociometer hypothesis, what is the difference between individuals with low self esteem vs high self esteem

high self esteem p are more outgoing healthier, and maintain social relationships

low self esteem p may struggle with self doubt and social anxiety

contingencies of self worth model (crocker and wolfe 2001)

how self esteem can be influenced by specific domains or areas of life where individuals base their sense of self-worth

how do personally important domains play a role in self esteem

they serve as the foundations upon which self-worth is built

self esteem

global evaluation of the self

how does self esteem differ from self concept clarity

how you feel about yourself vs how sure you are about those evaluations

how can an individuals culture affect their self esteem

culture shapes how individuals perceive themselves

individualistic - self esteem linked to personal success, self expression

collectivist - group harmony, fulfilling social roles, interpersonal relationships

how do social relations influence self esteem

as the way we interact with others and the way others perceive and respond to us can significantly affect how we feel about ourselves

self conscious emotions defintion

are a group of emotions that are linked to self reflection, self-evaluation, and the way we perceive ourselves in relation to social norms and others expectations

self conscious emotions examples

pride shame guilt envy embarrassment

ego depletion

the idea that self control is a limited resource that can become depleted, leading to less self-regulation

consequences of ego depletion

lying cheating avoidance aggression selfishness antisocial behavior

how can we impose self awareness in experimental settings

this can be done through a variety of manipulations that encourage self-reflection or bring attention to the self concept

general factors that promote self-awareness in humans

self relfelction or bringing attention to the self concept by manipulations

intrinsic motivation

motivation driven by enjoyment or interest in a given task

over justification effect

external reward diminishes intrinsic motivation for a task including offering money

example of over justification effect

child likes drawing, mom starts to give child stickers for drawing, child doesn’t like drawing as much

one major factor that makes an event stressful

perceived unpredictability

difference between promotion orientation and a prevention orientation

focus on growth and the pursuit of positive outcomes

focused on maintaining status quo, safety, and avoiding negative outcomes

difference between how individuals with a promotion vs prevention orientation think about a normal day

sees day as an opportunity to improve and excel

sees day as a means to prevent setbacks and make sure things run smoothly with no problems

representativeness heuristic

mental shortcut we use when making judgements about probability or likelihood based on how much something resembles a typical case or fits a stereotype, rather than using logic or statistics

actor-observer difference

tendency to attribute your own behavior when youre the actor to external situational factors and attribute others behavior when youre the observer to internal personal traits

halo effect

making generalized evaluations of a person based on a central trait

ex. attractive person is nice

reverse halo effect

cognitive bias where own negative trait or impression about a person leads you to assume they’re also unfriendly or not trustworthy-even if you know nothing about them

how may the halo effect impact teachers perception of bad behavior in children

two students talk during lesson,

teacher likes student a because they have good grades and is polite, thinks he must be tired today

student b struggles in class and is less social, teacher thinks he doesnt care about learning

how does an individuals level of need for closure impact their judgements of other people

stereotyping, less openminded

confirmation bias

tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms one’s pre-existing beliefs or looking for weight to evidence that confirms existing judgement

how do people fulfill their own confirmation bias

social interaction, political attitudes, sexism, racism, and conspiracy theories

self handicapping

cognitive strategy in which people craete obstacles or impair their own performance in order to have an external excuse ready in case they fail

why do people self handicap

protect their self esteem, avoid social judgement, and manage the emotional risks associated with failure

self fulfilling prophecy

occurs when a belief or expectation about a person or event leads to behaviors that cause the belief or expectation come true

example of self fulfilling prophecy

if a teacher expects a student to perform poorly, the teacher's low expectations can affect their interactions with the student, leading the student to underperform.

6 types of self presentation

ingratiation, self promotion, exemplification, supplication, nonverbal self presentation

ingratiation

to increase likability and gain approval or affection from others

self promotion

to highlight ones competence and achievements, making oneself appear capable and successful

intimidation

projecting an image of power and threat to induce compliance or fear in others

exemplification

to present oneself as morally worthy, virtuous, or self-sacrifical in order to inspire admiration or respect

supplication

to elicit sympathy or help from others by presenting oneself as vulnerable or in need

nonverbal self presentation

to convey a desired image or impression through body language appearance, and physical gestures

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

Psychological theory proposed in 1943 that humans are motivated by a series of hierarchical needs, basic needs at the bottom and higher needs at the top,

people need to fulfill lower-level needs before moving to higher level needs

bottom to top order for Maslows hierarchy of needs

physiological needs

safety needs

love and belonging needs

esteem needs

self actualization

loneliness

feeling that ones social relationships are less meaningful than one desires

how may experiences of loneliness differ based on biological sex

women - lack close one-on-one relationships

men - when isolated from group interactions

how has the creation of the smartphone impacted loneliness

expand the number of connections an individual can have

consequences of loneliness

social anxiety, depression and suicidality

purpose of nonverbal behavior

communicates more information than verbal behavior

why do we mimic the nonverbal behavior of others

establish and maintain the relations between people-build social connection and rapport

why males are more willing than females to have multiple sex partners

social norms and less emotional bonds

why is symmetry considered attracitve

superior genetic quality, less exposure to stressors during development

what do shoulder to waist and hip to waist ration indicate

biological markers of health and fertility

what makes shoulder to waist ratio attractive

signals testosterone levels, strength, muscle development, fertility, reproductive health

what brain chemical is most responsible for feeling of love

oxytocin

do we tend to feel attracted to people who are similar or dissimilar to ourselves

similar

what does the social exchange theory suggest about the dynamics of close relationships

cross-benefit analysis where individuals seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs

primary ‘bargaining chips’ for males and females in relationships ( baumeister and vohs 2004)

financial security and ability to provide for a family, physical strength and ability to protect

physical appearance, sexual appeal, fertility and reproductive capacity

behavioral control

ability to regulate your own actions, or sometimes the actions of others, in order to reach a goal, follow rules, or fit into social expectations

example of behavioral control

exam tmw, but phone is buzzing with social media notifs, put it on dnd and stay focused for next hour

persuation

changing peoples opinions beliefs of attitudes

example of persuasion

public health official gives students presentation on benefits of eating more fruits and veggies, says that eating more of both can boost your mood and energy, making students better at sports and school