Psych 1101: Social Psychology

Exam 2

Social Psychology

Study of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the presence of others (Presence can be actual, implied, or imagined)

Dispositionism

Our behavior is determined by internal factors; Personality traits, temperment

Situationism

The situation, or environment, has the most powerful influence on a person’s behavior; You act differently in different situations

Attribution

Assumption about why someone behaved the way they did.

Internal Attribution

Behavior is due to who someone is as a person

External Attribution

Behavior is due to situational factors

Fundamental Attribution Error

Tendency to over-attribute other people’s behavior to internal characteristics; Situational factors are underestimated or ignored

Social Norms

Agreed upon rules for what is expected to happen; Varies between situations and cultures.

Social Role

The pattern of behaviors expected of a person in a particular situation; Stanford Prison Experiment

Social Influence

Ways in which people are affected by the real and imagined pressures of others

Conformity

Tendency to change our perception, opinions, or behaviors in ways consistent with group norms

Normative Influence

Influence stemming from fear of negative social consequences for defying a group; Can lead to conformity

Informational Influence

Influence that stems from the belief others are correct or know more that us

Acceptance

Conforming to a request (or norm) because you think it is the right thing to do

Compliance

Conforming to a request (or norm), even though you don’t necessarily think it is the right thing to do; Can happen at a group (conformity) or individual level

Liking Increases Compliance

People are more likely to comply with requests that come from a person they like

Reciprocity Increases Compliance

People are more likely to comply with requests that come from a person who has done them a favor

Door-in-the-Face Compliance Strategy

Ask someone for a really big request you know they will reject, and then after rejection, ask for a smaller request (which is what you really wanted all along). Uses reciprocity and anchoring

Obedience

Complying with a request from a person who holds power over you

Dr. Philip Zimbardo

Ran the Stanford Prison Experiment

(Stanley) Milgram Experiment

Studied participants willingness to obey an authority figure instructing them to complete tasks that went against their personal conscience