PSYCH1X03 - Forming Impressions

Unit/Week 10

Forming Impressions (FI)

Using of information to form an impression of someone

FI
Social Psychology

Scientific study of how peoples’ psychology is influenced by other people

FI

Attribution

Attempt to interpret others’ behavior by assigning causes

FI/Attribution

Situational Attribution

Attribute behaviour to external circumstances instead of inherent to the person

• ↑C ↑D ↑C

FI/Attribution/Situational

Wider Situational Attribution

Behaviour is due to wider external circumstances unable to be observed

• ↕C ↕D ↓C

FI/Attribution

Dispositional Attribution

Attribution behaviour to being inherent to the person’s traits instead of situational

• ↓C ↓D ↑C

FI/Attribution

Fundamental Attribution Error

Over-estimate dispositional attributions & under-estimate situational attributions

• More applied to others than self

FI/Attribution/Fundamental Error

Individualistic Societies

Attribute more to dispositional than situational

• American adults attribute more dispositional

• American children attribute equally

FI/Attribution/Fundamental Error

Collectivistic Societies

Attribute more to situational than dispositional

• Indian adults & kids attribute more situationally

• Indian children 11+ overestimate situational

FI/Attribution

Covariation Theory

How attribution is assigned, based on 3 factors

• Consensus

• Distinctiveness

• Consistency

FI/Attribution/Covariation

Consensus

Other’s behaviour in same situation

• ↑C = others behave same

• ↓C = others behave different

FI/Attribution/Covariation

Distinctiveness

Individual’s behaviour in different situations

• ↑D = unique to situation

• ↓D = ordinary behaviour

FI/Attribution/Covariation

Consistency

Individual’s behaviour in same situation multiple times

• ↑C = same behaviour

• ↓C = different behaviours

FI/Attribution/Covariation

↑C ↑D ↑C

Situational Attribution

FI/Attribution/Covariation

↓C ↓D ↑C

Dispositional Attribution

FI/Attribution/Covariation

↕C ↕D ↓C

Wider Situational Attribution

FI/Attribution

Correspondence Inference Theory

Understanding of other people through analyzing behaviour, based on 3 factors

• Degree of choice

• Expectation

• Intended consequence

FI/Attribution/Correspondence Inference

Degree of Choice

Degree of freedom individual had to do behaviour

• Forced or voluntary

FI/Attribution/Correspondence Inference

Expectations

Degree of conformity to behaviour expectations

• Defied expectations = more information

FI/Attribution/Correspondence Inference

Intended Consequences

Degree of intent; goals, motivation, etc

FI/Biases

Self-serving Bias

Bias to positive self-evaluation

• Success = dispositional

• Failure = situational

FI/Biases/Self-serving

Above-average Effect

Believe self is above average at skills & qualities

FI/Biases

Actor-Observer Effect

Bias towards behavior

• Actions of self = situational

• Actions of others = dispositional

FI/Biases

Implicit Association Test

Test to measure bias by categorizing stimuli into 4, and pairing categories

• If participant thinks 2 categories are related = faster response

• If participant thinks 2 categories are different = slower response

FI/Biases/Implicit Association

Example: White & Black

“White” paired with “Good” & “Black” paired with “Bad”, and then switched

• Faster response to “White = Good" & “Black = Bad”

• Slow response to “White = Bad” & “Black = Good”

FI/Biases/Heuristics

Representative Heuristic

Classify people base on behaviour matching prototype, despite statistical improbability

• i.e. Assume Jen is feminist bank teller instead of just a bank teller despite higher statistical likelihood she is just a bank teller

FI/Biases/Heuristics

Availability Heuristic

Probability estimates are affected by ease of examples coming to mind

• i.e. Think shark attacks are more common after seeing news report of shark attack

FI/Biases/Availability Heuristic

Course Survey

Group A lists 2 improvements & Group B lists 10 improvements

• Group A: Lower rating, easy to think of a few problems

• Group B: Higher rating, hard to think of many problems

FI

Attraction

Attractive person has better impression, based on 4 factors

• Proximity

• Familiarity

• Physical attractiveness

• Others’ opinions

Pro File Picture Opinion

FI/Attraction

Proximity

Based on distance, physical & functional

• Tend to like those who are anticipated to meet; i.e. rate bibliography higher if told likely to meet author

FI/Attraction/Proximity

Physical Proximity

How close physically

• ↓ physical proximity = closer physically

FI/Attraction/Proximity

Functional Proximity

How often get to interact

• ↓ functional proximity = more interactions

FI/Attraction

Familiarity 

Rate familiar faces higher attractiveness, can be familiar to face never interacted with before like celebrity

• Self will rate mirror image of face better than non-mirror image because see mirror image more often, vice versa for friends & family

FI/Attraction/Familiarity 

Mere Exposure Effect

Attracted to something even if only exposed few times

FI/Attraction

Physical Attractiveness

Assume positive traits based on physical attractiveness

• i.e Assume beautiful person = kind, smart, etc

FI/Attraction/Physical Attractiveness

Halo Effect

Assume other positive traits based on a few positive characteristics

• Representative heuristic

  

FI/Attraction/Physical Attractiveness

Clifford-Hatfield Study

Teachers rated physically attractive children as more intelligent

FI/Attraction

Other’s Opinions

Attracted to those who are attracted to us, especially at low self-esteem

FI/Attraction/Other’s Opinions

Walster Study

Women with low self-esteem rated face of someone who liked them as more attractive

FI/Attraction/Other’s Opinions

Initial & New Impressions

1. Negative → Positive

2. Positive → Positive

3. Negative → Negative

4. Positive → Negative

Influenced by feelings of gains & losses. 

FI/Group Dynamics

In-group Members

Social group individual identifies with

• Hold positive attitude

• Feels as heterogenous (diverse) 

FI/Group Dynamics

Out-group Members

People who do not belong to in-group

• Hold negative attitude

• Sees as homogenous (same)

FI/Group Dynamics

Intergroup Bias

Positive bias towards in-group & negative bias towards out-group

• Stereotypes (Cognitive)

• Prejudice (Belief)

• Discrimination (Behaviour)

Can correct biases by changing implicit associations & conscious overriding

FI/Group Dynamics/Intergroup Bias

Stereotypes 

• Cognitive

Attribute specific characteristics to a group

FI/Group Dynamics/Intergroup Bias

Prejudice

• Belief

Negative attitude towards out-group, fail to realize individualism in out-group

FI/Group Dynamics/Intergroup Bias

Discrimination

• Behaviour

Negative behaviour towards out-group