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PSY150- Social Psychology-Ch12

Social Psychology Overview

  • Study of human thinking, feeling, and behavior influenced by individuals or groups.

  • Key Areas:

    • Intrapersonal Topics: Emotions, attitudes, and self-perception.

    • Interpersonal Topics: Helping behavior, aggression, group dynamics, prejudice, discrimination, and attraction.

Situational Influences on Behavior

  • Zimbardo's Prison Study: Examined how social roles and norms impact behavior.

    • Conclusion: Environment significantly influences behaviors of individuals within social roles.

Attributions in Psychology

  • Situational vs. Dispositional Attributions:

    • Situationism: Behavior determined by the environment (favored by social psychologists).

    • Dispositionism: Behavior determined by internal factors like personality traits (favored by personality psychologists).

Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)

  • Definition: Overemphasizing internal factors when explaining others' behavior while underestimating situational influences.

  • Quizmaster Study (1977): Questioners appeared smarter because participants didn't account for situational advantages.

  • Cultural Influence: Individualistic cultures demonstrate higher rates of FAE.

Actor-Observer Bias

  • Definition: Explanation of others' behavior through internal factors, while explaining one's own behavior through external factors.

  • Example: Males provide situational explanations for their preferences (e.g., liking a kind girlfriend) but may attribute others' preferences to internal traits.

Self-Serving Bias

  • Definition: Tendency to attribute positive outcomes to internal factors and negative outcomes to external factors.

  • Attribution Dimensions:

    • Locus of Control: Internal vs. external control.

    • Stability: Changeability of the circumstances.

    • Controllability: Extent of control over circumstances.

Just-World Hypothesis

  • Belief that people get what they deserve, leading to victim blaming and ignoring systemic issues affecting individuals.

Social Roles and Norms

  • Definition: Patterns of expected behavior in given settings.

  • Social Norms: Expectations of acceptable behavior for group members.

  • Scripts: Knowledge of expected sequences in specific situations (e.g., behavior in elevators).

Influence of Groups on Behavior

  • Groups impact individual thoughts and behaviors through:

    • Group Polarization: Discussion leads to extreme positions.

    • Groupthink: Cohesive groups prioritize harmony over better decisions.

    • Social Facilitation: Performance improves on simple tasks when observed but worsens on complex tasks.

    • Social Loafing: Decreased effort when working in larger groups.

    • Deindividuation: Reduced self-awareness leading to impulsive behavior in groups.

Aggression in Behavior

  • Definition: Intention to harm or cause pain.

  • Types of Aggression:

    • Hostile Aggression: Motivated by anger with intent to cause pain.

    • Instrumental Aggression: Motivated by achieving goals.

  • Causes: Situational factors, learned behaviors, and biological influences (testosterone, amygdala).

    • Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis: Higher frustration leads to increased aggression.

Bystander Effect

  • Definition: Individuals are less likely to help when others are present.

  • Reasons for Bystander Apathy:

    • Diffusion of responsibility.

    • Fear of social blunders.

    • Reduced accountability in larger groups.

  • Example Study: Latané and Darley’s smoke-filled room study demonstrated bystander apathy.

Conclusion

  • Acknowledgment of social influences is crucial in understanding human behavior.

  • Emphasis on proactive actions in emergency situations—ensuring clarity and direct appeals for help.