PSYC 1113 Chapter 12 pt.2

Introduction to Social Psychology

• Definition: Social psychology is the scientific study focusing on how individual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by real or imagined presence of others (Gordon Allport).

Prosocial Spending and Happiness

• Research Overview: People report higher happiness levels when they spend money on others.

• Findings:

  • Correlation between spending on others and increased happiness observed globally.

  • Even toddlers exhibit joy from giving, indicating a deep-rooted psychological benefit.

  • Benefits arise when giving meets core human needs: relatedness, competence, and autonomy.

  • Positive effects of prosocial spending observable in both mind and body, indicating the potential for psychological applications.

Aggression and Altruism

• Helping Others:

  • Reciprocity: Concept of mutual support; "You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours."

  • Emotional Satisfaction: Helping others feels good despite the absence of direct reciprocation.

Evolutionary Perspectives on Prosocial Behavior

• Historical Context:

  • Ancestral communities were small and interpersonal help was reciprocated.

  • Today’s society with many strangers reduces certainty of reciprocity.

  • Despite changes, our brains evolved to derive rewards from helping others, a phenomenon termed evolutionary mismatch.

Sexual Strategies Theory

• Core Premises:

  • Multiple mating strategies evolved in humans:

    • Long-term committed mating

    • Short-term mating

    • Extrapair mating

  • Similarities and differences in strategies between genders based on adaptive challenges faced historically.

  • Women's preferences centered on resource security; men's strategies focus on reproductive value indicators.

Mate Preferences:

• Characteristics Valued in Potential Mates:

  • Women place higher value on financial stability and resource acquisition abilities in men.

  • Men prioritize physical attractiveness and reproductive health indicators in women.

• Significant Findings:

  • Study indicated significant sex differences in attraction; e.g., physical attributes ranked higher for men compared to women.

Attractiveness Cues in Females

• Key Indicators of High Reproductive Value:

  • Features: Full lips, clear skin, symmetry, low waist-hip ratio.

  • Traits evolve from ancestral cues linked with reproductive success.

Preference for Age in Mates

• Cultural Variance:

  • Men generally prefer younger partners across cultures.

  • Age preferences differ significantly according to cultural norms and contexts (Polygynous societies show more distinct preferences).

Spending Habits and Societal Impacts

• Influence of Gender Ratios on Spending:

  • Regional disparities (example: debt levels in differing sex ratios) influence expenditure habits.

Compliance Techniques in Psychology

• Foot-in-the-Door Technique:

  • Initial small request leading to higher chances of agreement on a subsequent larger request.

  • Mechanisms:

    • Self-perception theory: agreeing to a small request alters how individuals view themselves, increasing compliance to larger requests.

• Door-in-the-Face Technique:

  • Initial large request followed by a smaller request to leverage guilt or norm of reciprocity.

  • Requires the second request to follow shortly after refusal of the first.

• Low-Ball Technique:

  • Commitment to initial decision enhances positive evaluation of the choice, to justify it later.

  • Post-decisional dissonance leads individuals to feel compelled to uphold their initial agreement.

Conclusion

• Understanding these psychological concepts equips individuals with insights into interpersonal behaviors, mate selection, and compliance techniques, offering a deeper comprehension of social interactions.