SOC 340 Notes

What is social psychology?

Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.

What is social influence? How is it applied?

Social influence refers to the ways in which individuals change their behavior to meet the demands of a social environment. It is applied in areas such as marketing, peer pressure, conformity, obedience, and persuasion.

What is direct vs. indirect social influence?

• Direct social influence involves explicit attempts to change behavior, such as commands from an authority figure or persuasive arguments.

• Indirect social influence occurs when individuals adjust their behavior due to social norms, expectations, or the mere presence of others.

What are empirical questions?

Empirical questions are those that can be answered through systematic observation, experimentation, or data collection, rather than through personal opinion or speculation.

What is folk wisdom and common sense? How is it different from social psychology? Why don’t we rely on it?

Folk wisdom and common sense refer to widely held beliefs and traditional sayings (e.g., "opposites attract"). Unlike social psychology, they are not systematically tested. We don't rely on them because they can be contradictory and are often based on anecdotal evidence rather than scientific research.

What is the fundamental attribution error?

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overemphasize personality traits and underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behavior.

What is the hindsight bias?

Hindsight bias is the tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that one "knew it all along" or that the outcome was predictable.

What happens when we fail to take into account the power of the situation?

We are more likely to blame individuals for their behavior rather than considering external factors, leading to inaccurate judgments and unfair assessments.

What is a hypothesis similar to?

A hypothesis is similar to an educated guess; it is a testable prediction about the relationship between variables.

What is behaviorism?

Behaviorism is a psychological approach that focuses on observable behaviors and the ways they are learned through interactions with the environment, often emphasizing rewards and punishments.

What does a scientist do if they think someone else’s research is flawed?

They conduct a replication study, critique the research in peer-reviewed publications, or design new experiments to test alternative explanations.

Why did Latane and Darley think no one helps out in an emergency?

They proposed the bystander effect, which suggests that people are less likely to help in an emergency when there are others present due to diffusion of responsibility.

What is observational research? What are its limitations?

Observational research involves watching and recording behaviors in natural or controlled settings. Limitations include the inability to determine causation and potential observer bias.

What does a schema encompass? How can a schema become accessible? What is/are the downside(s) to using schemas?

• A schema is a mental framework that helps organize and interpret information.

• Schemas become accessible through recent experiences, frequent exposure, or strong emotional connections.

• Downsides include stereotyping, confirmation bias, and misinterpretation of new information.

What is social cognition?

Social cognition is the study of how people process, store, and apply information about others and social situations.

What happens when people encounter a new situation?

They rely on past experiences, schemas, and heuristics to interpret and respond to the situation.

What is automatic thinking? How does it differ from controlled thinking?

• Automatic thinking is fast, unconscious, and effortless (e.g., recognizing a friend’s face).

• Controlled thinking is deliberate, effortful, and conscious (e.g., solving a complex math problem).

What is the self-fulfilling prophecy?

The self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when expectations about a person lead them to behave in ways that confirm those expectations.

What is priming?

Priming is the activation of certain associations in memory, influencing perception and behavior without conscious awareness.

Why is reality TV so attractive to people?

Reality TV appeals to people because it provides social comparison, entertainment, and a sense of voyeurism, allowing viewers to observe others’ lives.

What is social perception?

Social perception is the process of interpreting and understanding information about others, including their emotions, intentions, and personality.

What did Darwin assume about facial expressions? Are they culture specific?

Darwin believed facial expressions were universal and biologically hardwired. Research supports this, but cultural display rules can modify how emotions are expressed.

What is thin-slicing? How is it used?

Thin-slicing is the ability to make quick judgments about a person or situation based on limited information. It is used in areas like first impressions and snap decision-making.

What are cultural display rules?

Cultural display rules dictate how and when it is appropriate to express emotions in different cultures.

Know the research from Sam Gosling on introverts and extroverts.

Gosling's research showed that people's living spaces and online behavior can reveal personality traits, with extroverts preferring social and stimulating environments while introverts favor quiet, personal spaces.

Do great apes have a sense of self? How do we know?

Yes, great apes demonstrate self-awareness through mirror self-recognition tests, where they recognize their reflections and touch marks placed on their bodies.

What is the self-concept? How does our self-concept change with age?

The self-concept is our knowledge and understanding of ourselves. It evolves from concrete (physical traits, basic facts)in childhood to abstract (beliefs, values, identity) in adulthood.

What are the limitations of using introspection?

Introspection is limited because people often lack self-awareness, misinterpret their own thoughts, or justify actions after the fact.

Where do we learn causal theories and what are some examples?

We learn causal theories from culture, experience, and socialization (e.g., "lack of sleep causes bad moods" or "money leads to happiness").

What is self-awareness theory? What happens when we bring our self-concept into our consciousness?

Self-awareness theory suggests that when people focus on themselves, they evaluate their behavior based on their internal standards. This can lead to either alignment with values or discomfort if they fall short.

What was the difference between Mead and Cooley’s beliefs on the looking-glass self?

• Cooley believed that self-concept develops through how others perceive us.

• Mead emphasized the role of social interaction and role-taking in shaping the self.

What are Mead’s three stages in the role-taking process?

1. Preparatory Stage (Imitation) – Young children mimic others.

2. Play Stage – Children take on roles of specific people.

3. Game Stage – Understanding of generalized others and multiple perspectives.

What represents the generalized other?

The generalized other refers to the societal expectations and norms that shape an individual's behavior.

What are the traits of a narcissist?

Narcissists have inflated self-importance, lack empathy, crave admiration, and often exhibit entitlement and manipulative behavior.

What is self-esteem?

Self-esteem is an individual's overall evaluation of their self-worth.

What is cognitive dissonance? What does it lead to? How do we reduce cognitive dissonance?

Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort caused by conflicting beliefs or behaviors. It leads to attitude changes, rationalization, or behavioral shifts to reduce the inconsistency.

What is post-decision dissonance?

Post-decision dissonance occurs when a person feels uncertainty after making a choice, leading them to justify their decision.

What happens when decisions are irrevocable?

People experience stronger dissonance and engage in greater rationalization to justify their choice.

What is rationalizing? Why do so many people use it?

Rationalizing is the process of justifying actions or beliefs to reduce discomfort. People use it to maintain self-esteem and avoid admitting mistakes.