Social Cognition (Chapter 4) --- Social Psych

What are Snap Judgments?

Conclusions we make in a fraction of a second, unconsciously

What do Snap Judgments predict vs. what do they NOT predict?

They predict self-judgment, but NOT behaviors

What is Firsthand Information?

Information based on personal experience or observation

What is an example of a statement based on Firsthand Information?

"In my experience..."

Why is Firsthand Information often biased?

People have different experiences, but we somehow believe ours is better

What part of firsthand events do we remember?

We only remember the interpretation, not the events themselves

What is Pluralistic Ignorance?

A misconception of a group norm when people act at odds with their true preferences because they fear social consequences

Give an example of Pluralistic Ignorance

Difficult class topics: No one asks questions because everyone else is pretending to understand

What is the issue with Secondhand Information?

Transmitters of information are often biased, inaccurate, and sometimes intentionally misleading

What kind of information do we pay more attention to when receiving Secondhand Information?

We pay more attention to negative information than positive information

What are Ideological Distortions?

People may be biased when transmitting information because they wish to foster specific ideas in others

What are Order Effects?

The order in which items are presented have a powerful influence on judgment

What is the Primary Effect?

What information we hear first affects us the most

Give an example of the Primary Effect's positive outcome

If a person is described first with positive traits (smart, intelligent, impulsive, critical, and envious), they will be seen as more favorable by others

What is the Recency Effect?

What information we hear last affects us the most

Give an example of the Recency Effect's negative outcome

If a person is described last with positive traits, they will be seen as less favorable by others

What is Temporal Framing?

Framing something as it relates to time (The "when")

What is Construal Level Theory (thinking in advance)?

Thinking about a task in advance is abstract thinking

How do you think about a task in advance (Construal Level Theory)?

Focus on how it will benefit us in the long run (no concrete info)

What is Concrete Thinking?

Thinking about a task that's right around the corner

What does Concrete Thinking focus on?

The details the task will entail

What is Spin Framing?

Something that can be presented neutrally, but is spun to be seen as favorable or unfavorable

Which is more appealing for consumer behavior: Positive or Negative Framing?

Positive is more appealing for consumer behavior

Give an example of Positive Framing in consumer behavior

73% lean meat vs. 25% fat

Which draws more attention than positive information: Positive or Negative Framing?

Negative draws more attention than positive information

Give an example of a Negative Framing's application

Donations (must be framed negatively)

What is Confirmation Bias?

The tendency to test an idea by searching for evidence that would support it

What is an example of Confirmation Bias?

Trying to show that something is true

What is Motivated Confirmation Bias?

People who want to maintain a certain belief

What is Bottom-Up Processing?

Taking information piece by piece

How do you start off with Bottom-Up Processing?

Start off with no information or stereotypes

What is Top-Down Processing?

Guided by prior knowledge and stereotypes already stored

How is information handled in Top-Down Processing?

Information is filtered & interpreted by expectations

What are the four things that Schemas influence or guide?

1. Influence memory

2. Guide attention (selective)

3. Guide behavior

4. Guide inferences & construals

What is Priming?

Schemas that were recently activated (partly activated) can influence judgements

What is the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

If you have a generalization about yourself, you will fulfill it

What else can a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy apply to?

A generalization others may have about you

What is Reason?

Logical examination of the facts (Slow, more controlled)

What is Intuition?

Rapid responses based on associations that automatically come to mind

What is Overconfidence?

The tendency of most people to overestimate their own skills

What is a common saying related to Overconfidence?

"Passionate" is synonymous with "being wrong"

What are Heuristics?

Mental shortcuts that allow us to make decisions quickly & efficiently

What is the Availability Heuristic?

What's more available in your brain

What effect does the number of examples you have on your judgment?

The number of examples you have makes you underestimate or overestimate

What types of events are Most Overestimated due to Availability Heuristic?

Flood, Tornadoes, Homicide, Fire, etc

What types of events are Most Underestimated due to Availability Heuristic?

Diabetes, Asthma, Stroke, Lightning, etc

What is Fluency?

How easily you process information influences your judgement

Give an example of how Fluency affects processing

Reading something in hard font makes it harder

What is the Representative Heuristic?

A prototype (model) that influences the judgement of cause and effect

Give an example of the Representative Heuristic

If the event looks like it causes the outcome, then they believe it's true

What is the Planning Fallacy?

Underestimating how much time things would take

What is the Forer Effect?

When something that is vague and applies to everyone feels like it's more tailored to you

What is an alternative description of the Forer Effect?

Ignore the statements that don't apply to you