PSYC 102 MT 2: Social Psyc 1

Social Cognition

• general ability to think abt other ppl’s intentions/why they believe stuff

• why someone act like that?

• how predict ppl actions for future?

Theory of Mind (ToM)

• ability to rep beliefs, desires, emotions, intentions of others

• related to perspective taking

  • imagine urself looking thru world thru other person’s eyes/shoes

• use behaviour to interpret what ppl feel

ToM Uses

• predict what other ppl do

• explain motives behind other ppls actions

• reason abt where u agree/disagree w them

• eg; knowing smt, thinking smt

Right Temporal-Parietal Junction (rTPJ)

• part of brain for thinking abt thoughts of others

• feelings/bodily sensations, not beliefs, thoughts n stuff like ToM

  • specifically why feel like this tho…

• necessary for ToM, need contextual knowledge

• eg; starving, sad, feeling tired

Attribution

• believe cause of behaviour is bcuz of personality/situation

• infer based on behaviour

3 Basis of Interpretation

1. Consistency: act same way in similar situation

   • high = personality (cuz do a lot personally)

     • John yells at his partner every time they discuss finances

   • low = situation (cuz don’t usually do it)

     • John never rlly yells during discussions about finances

2. Distinctiveness/uniqueness: act same in diff situation

   • high = situation (unusual for person to do, mightve been another rzn)

     • John also yells at coworkers, friends, and strangers

   • low = personality (usually don’t do it no matter what)

     • John never yells in other situations like arguing abt friends

3. Consensus: other ppl act same in similar situation

   • high = situation, low = personality

Fundamental Attribution Error/Correspondence Bias

• general bias to make personality attribution

• even when everything points to situation attribution

• eg; driver runs red light = bad driver

  • could be rushing to hospital

Actor-Observer Effect

• bias to make situational attributions of ourselves

• eg; run red light = not bad driver

  • I just didn’t have time to stop

Social Norms

• expectation of appropriate behaviour in culture

• break social norm = dispositional/personality

  • break norm a lot = social exclusion

• child see adult break social norm = think adult untrustable

• hard to change, differs w culture, makes attributions faster