AP Psychology - Module 74: Attribution, Attitudes, and Actions

Social Psychology

The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

-Explains why the same person will act differently in different situations.

Attribution Theory

The theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the person's stable, enduring traits (dispositional attribution) or by the situation (situational attribution)

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency for observers (when analyzing others' behaviors) to underestimate the impact of the situation and to OVERESTIMATE the impact of personal deposition (behavior).

-Us: More likely to blame situation on behavior

-Others: Blame on behavior/personality traits

Attitudes

Feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose (inclined, liable) us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.

-Attitude affects actions, actions affect attitude

What are the two forms of persuasion?

1. Peripheral Route Persuasion

2. Central Route Persuasion

Peripheral Route Persuasion

Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness

-HOT or funny: Going around the outside

-Produces >fast< results, doesn't engage systematic thinking

Ex: Perfume ad with a smoking hot dude

Central Route Persuasion

Occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts.

-Occurs when people are naturally analytical or involved in the issue.

-Makes sense, not necessarily

-Shoots with you the truth, direct

Ex: Health ad promoting vitamins, supplements, healthy eating, workout equipment, etc.

Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon

The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a laRGER request

-To get people to agree to something big, start small and build.

Role

A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

-Behaviors at first may feel phony/fake, but as you act the role, it late becomes YOU.

Philip Zimbardo

Known for the Stanford Prison Experiment

-Role-playing for prison experiment.

Standford Prison Experiment

The experiment had male college students volunteer to be guards and prisoners in a simulated prison. Purpose was to see the effects of authority of role playing. The "guards" developed disparaging (little worth for others) attitudes and some even came up with cruel routines, and "prisoners" began to take their roles seriously. The experiment became TOO MUCH and had to be called off after 6 days.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort/tension/remorse (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example when we become aware that our attitudes and actions clash, we reduce the dissonance by changing our attitudes.

-The less coerced (to persuade unwillingly) and more responsible we feel for troubling act, the more dissonance we feel.

-May start believing in something you didn't really believe in the beginning.

Leon Festinger

Came up with the cognitive dissonance theory

What are the components for cognitive dissonance to occur?

Belief + Inconsistent Behavior + Tension

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COGNITIVE DISSONANCE