Social Thinking & Influence

Social psychology

The study of how we think about, influence, and interact with others.

Attribution theory

We explain people’s behavior by either blaming their personality or the situation they’re in.

Fundamental attribution error

We tend to overestimate personality and underestimate the situation when judging others’ behavior.

Attitude

Our feelings, shaped by beliefs, that influence how we react to people, objects, and events.

Peripheral route persuasion

Being influenced by surface-level factors (e.g., a speaker’s attractiveness).

Central route persuasion

Being influenced by strong arguments and logical reasoning.

Foot-in-the-door phenomenon

People who agree to a small request are more likely to agree to a bigger one later.

Role

A set of expectations about how someone in a certain position should behave.

Cognitive dissonance theory

When our actions and beliefs don’t match, we feel uncomfortable and try to fix the conflict by changing our beliefs.