Social Psychology Notes

Definition: The idea that situational factors can exert a significant influence on individual behaviors.
Significance: As stated by Liberman (2005), understanding the power of the situation is crucial for comprehending social psychology.

Setup: Participants faced smoke entering the room, either alone or with others.
Findings: 75% of participants reported the smoke when alone, but only 10% did so when with 2-3 other individuals.

Setup: Participants conversed via intercom, one person pretended to have a seizure.
Findings: 85% sought help when alone vs. 31% in the presence of others.

Definition: The presence of others decreases the likelihood of helping behavior.
**Reasons for the Bystander Effect:
1. Interpretation Failure - Failing to notice the event.
2. Assumption of Responsibility - Diffusion of responsibility among bystanders.
3. Knowledge of Assistance - Lack of knowledge about how to help.
4. Decision to Help - Weighing the risks involved.
Pluralistic Ignorance: Everyone assumes others are not concerned, thus no one acts.

Normative Social Influence: Adhering to social norms to avoid rejection and gain approval.
Informational Social Influence: Conforming because we assume the group possesses more information, especially in ambiguous situations.

Setup: Participants asked to match lines in a group setting with confederates giving wrong answers.
Results: 1/3 conformed on a given trial; 75% conformed at least once.

Definition: Compliance with a direct request from an authority figure.
Milgram Experiment (1962): Investigated the willingness to obey authority despite moral objections.
- Methodology: Participants (teachers) administered electric shocks to learners as punishment for errors.
- Findings: 65% of participants administered the highest voltage shock.

Diffusion of Responsibility: When others are present, individuals feel less accountable.
Pluralistic Ignorance: Assuming that others are also reluctant to intervene.
Entrapment: Gradual escalation of involvement leads to continued compliance.

Internal Attribution: Assigning behavior to personal factors (e.g., personality).
External Attribution: Assigning behavior to situational factors (e.g., environment).

Overestimating internal influences and underestimating external factors in others’ behaviors while doing the opposite for oneself.

Definition: An unjustifiable negative attitude toward a group and its members, often involving stereotypes.
Components of Prejudice:
- Beliefs: Stereotypes about the group.
- Emotions: Hostility, fear, or discomfort.
- Behaviors: Discrimination against group members.

Explicit Prejudice: Consciously held negative attitudes.
Implicit Prejudice: Automatic, unconscious associations that influence behavior.

Categorization: Simplifying complex societies by grouping individuals into categories.
Ingroup Bias: Favoring one's own group, leading to prejudice against others.

Factors Influencing Attraction:
- Familiarity
- Similarity
- Reciprocity: liking those who express liking back.
Matching Hypothesis: We tend to partner with individuals of similar desirability.

Importance of Self-Disclosure: Sharing personal information deepens relationships and builds trust.
Intimacy Model: Development of intimacy depends on mutual self-disclosure and responses.

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love: Composed of Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment leading to different types of love (e.g., Companionate, Romantic).

Predictors of Divorce:
- Criticism, Defensiveness, Contempt, Stonewalling (The Four Horsemen).
Contextual Communication: Differentiating negative and positive behaviors can either help or harm problem-solving in relationships.