Social Psychology Module 1

Social Psychology Definition

the scientific study of how individuals’ thoughts, feelings and behavior are influenced by the presence of others

scope of social psychology

• social thinking

• social influence

• social relations

Features

• uses the individual as the unit of analysis

• behavior is the function of both the person and the environment

• pays attention to subtle influences

Norman Triplett

• 1897

• observed cyclists raced faster in the presence of others

• asked children to wind fishing reels and found better performance in the presence of others

Maximilien Ringelmann

• 1880s

• showed that individuals exerted less effort in groups

William McDougall and Edward Ross

• both published landmark texts using the title ‘social psychology’

• McDougall emphasized instincts and individual motivations

• Ross focused on group behavior and societal forces

Floyd Henry Allport

• emphasized group behavior is the behavior of individuals responding to social stimuli

• helped understand how stereotypes and discrimination develop

• contact hypothesis: states interaction b/w members of diff. groups can reduce prejudice in right conditions

Muzafer Sherif

• made students into groups and compete over resources which increased hostility

• introduced shared goals which reduced tension

Kurt Lewin

• introduced B = f(P, E)

• coined group dynamics

SPSSI

• Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

• 1936

• applied psychological knowledge to social problems (eg poverty, discrimination, war)

Leon Festinger

posits people experience psychological discomfort and seek to reduce it when they hold contradictory beliefs ( cognitive dissonance)

Stanley Milgram

• Obedience Experiment

• 1960s

• asked participants to give electric shocks to another person

• 65% delivered maximum shock

• revealed influence of authority on behavior

Philip Zimbardo

• Stanford Prison Experiment

• 1971

• participants assigned to pay guards quickly became abusive and prisoners exhibited emotional distress

• illustrated how easily people conform to roles

Types of Research Methods

• Descriptive Methods

• Correlation Methods

• Experimental Methods

Descriptive Methods

• aim to provide accurate portrayal of people’s behavior/thoughts

• include case studies, naturalistic observation and surveys

Correlation Methods

• examine relationships b/w variables

• identify patterns and predict behaviors

• cannot determine causality

Experimental Methods

• manipulate the independent variable to measure its effect on the dependent variable

• helps make strong causal claims

Social Psychological Research Core Values

• accuracy

• objectivity

• transparency

• replication

• ethical integrity

Social Thinking

• refers to how people understand themselves and others

• social cognition: focuses on representation and processing of social information

• Fundamental Attribution Error: overestimates personality factors and underestimates situational influences when explaining behavior

• involves attitudes which are evaluations of people, objects or ideas

Social Influence

• refers to how individuals are affected by the real/imagined presence of others

• includes conformity, persuasion, obedience and group behavior

• Bystander Effect: presence of others reduces the likelihood that anyone will help in an emergency

Social Relations

• Helping: influenced by the number of bystanders, the clarity of the situation, the relationship to the victim and the perceived cost of helping

• Aggression: intended to harm others

• Attraction: explains why people like or love others

• Prejudice: operates unconsciously and is sustained through cultural narratives, social norms and institutional structures

Individualistic Cultures

• emphasize autonomy and self-expression

• US / UK

Collectivist Cultures

• emphasize interdependence, social roles and harmony

• India / Pakistan / Sri Lanka

Ingroup/Outgroup Bias

• exemplified by discrimination against Dalits, communal tensions b/w religious groups and linguistic/regional rivalries

• explained by social identity theory which says individuals derive part of their self-esteem from the groups they belong to

Collective Identity

Indians experience the self as interdependent, defined by family roles, social duties and group belonging

Bystander Apathy

• A teenage girl was molested in Guwahati in 2011, but few people intervened

• each individual assumed someone else would help so no one did

Social Psychology on Media Studies

Effects of Violent Video Games

Methods

• laboratory studies

• correlational research

• Longitudinal studies

Outcome

increase aggression temporarily, but effects are moderated by various factors

Contemporary Applications

• public policy

• legal systems

• health promotion

• mental health and social support

Scientific Values of Social Psychology

• Accuracy

• Objectivity

• Open-mindedness

Emergence of Social Cognition

• 1980s

• focused on the ways people form schemas, make attributions and rely on heuristics

• brought attention to the invisible mental processes that guide social interaction