Social Thinking

the process of explaining the causes of behavior

Ex. A student explains why a classmate failed an exam by considering their study habits or the exam’s difficulty.

attribution

What are the two main types of attributions?

Dispositional (internal) and situational (external).

Overestimating dispositional factors and underestimating situational factors when explaining others’ behavior.

Ex. A physician assumes a patient is noncompliant rather than considering financial barriers.

fundamental attribution error

When is the fundamental attribution error less likely to occur?

When explaining one’s own behavior.

Individualistic cultures favor _____ attributions; collectivist cultures favor _____ attributions.

dispositional, situational

People _____ their own traits, beliefs, and experiences onto others.

project

Overestimating how much others share our beliefs.

Ex. A student who cheats believes most students cheat on exams.

false consensus effect

How does environment influence perception of others? context affects:

interpretation of behavior

Assuming someone is rude without considering stress or situational constraints.

situational influence

Behavior is explained by personality, traits, or character.

Ex. A professor believes a student performed well because they are intelligent.

Dispositional attribution

Behavior is explained by environmental or external factors.

Ex. A patient misses an appointment due to transportation issues.

situational attribution

An unjustified negative attitude toward a group.

Ex. An employer assumes women are less suited for leadership roles

prejudice

What are the three components of prejudice?

Cognitive (beliefs), affective (feelings), behavioral (discrimination).

How do power and prestige contribute to prejudice?

Dominant groups maintain social hierarchies.

Economic inequality increases

intergroup tension

What emotions commonly fuel prejudice?

fear, anger, disgust

fear involved in being prejudice leads to

avoidance and hostility toward out-groups

How does cognition contribute to prejudice?

Through categorization and overgeneralization.

viewing out-group members as more similar to each other than in-group members.

Ex. An individual believes all members of another racial group behave similarly.

out-group homogeneity bias

A generalized belief about a group.

Ex. All asians are smart

stereotype

Are stereotypes always negative?

no, but they are often wrong

Social disapproval or devaluation based on perceived differences.

Ex. A patient with depression hides their diagnosis to avoid being treated differently.

stigma

What effects does stigma have?

Marginalization + reduced opportunities.

judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture.

Ex. A researcher labels another culture’s dietary practices as unhealthy without context.

ethnocentrism

Evaluating cultures based on their own norms and values.

Ex. A physician adapts treatment plans to align with a patient’s cultural values.

cultural relativism

Why is cultural relativism important?

Reduces bias and promotes understanding

Expectations lead individuals to behave in ways that cause the expectation to come true.

Ex. A student believes they are bad at chemistry and studies less, leading to a low exam score.

self-fulfilling prophecy

Anxiety caused by fear of confirming a negative stereotype.

Ex. An older adult performs worse on a memory task after hearing that aging leads to cognitive decline

stereotype threat

How does stereotype threat affect performance?

impairs performance

How can stereotype threat be reduced?

+ growth mindset and de-emphasizing stereotypes.

Self-fulfilling prophecy =

expectations shape outcomes