Social Psychology and Personality - Study Notes

Attribution Theory: Explains how we interpret our own and others' behaviors.
- Internal Attribution (dispositional): Behavior is due to personal traits.
- External Attribution (situational): Behavior is due to external factors.
Person Perception: Influenced by:
- Mere Exposure Effect: Preference for things seen frequently.
- Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Expectations influence others' behaviors.
Attribution Biases:
1. Self-Serving Bias: Credit successes to oneself, blame failures on external factors.
2. Just-World Hypothesis: Belief that everyone gets what they deserve.
3. False Consensus Effect: Overestimating how much others agree with us.
4. Halo Effect: Positive impression in one area influences judgments in others.
5. Fundamental Attribution Error: Overemphasizing personal factors for others' actions.
6. Actor-Observer Bias: Different explanations for our actions vs. others'.
Explanatory Styles: Affects mental health and resilience.
1. Optimistic Style: Good events seen as internal, stable; bad events as external, temporary.
2. Pessimistic Style: Good events attributed to external factors; bad events to internal, stable issues.

Locus of Control: Belief about what influences success/failure.
- Internal Locus: Personal control.
- External Locus: External factors control outcomes.
Social Comparison: Comparing oneself to others shapes self-esteem.
- Upward Comparisons: Compare to those better off.
- Downward Comparisons: Compare to those worse off.
Stereotypes: Generalizations impacting social interactions and behavior.
- Formed by cultural norms, social experiences, and media portrayals.

Implicit Attitudes: Unconscious beliefs shaping behavior.
- Potential for microaggressions and unconscious discrimination.
Belief Perseverance: Resistance to changing beliefs despite contradictory information.
Cognitive Dissonance: Discomfort from conflicting beliefs/actions leading to adjustments.
Altruism vs. Aggression: Selfless behavior vs. intended harm.
Social Norms: Rules guiding behavior in social contexts; vary by culture.

Psychodynamic Theory: Personality shaped by unconscious influences (Freud's id, ego, superego).
Defense Mechanisms: Strategies used to cope with stress unconsciously (e.g., denial, repression).
Humanistic Theory: Focuses on self-actualization and personal growth.
- Unconditional Positive Regard: Support without conditions.
- Self-Actualizing Tendency: Drive towards reaching full potential.

Social-Cognitive Theory: Personality formed by interaction of thoughts, behaviors, and environment.
Traits: Stable characteristics influencing behavior (Big Five traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism).
Self-Efficacy: Belief in one’s ability to succeed; impacts motivation.

Types of Motivation:
- Intrinsic: Driven by personal satisfaction; Extrinsic: Driven by external rewards.
Lewin’s Motivational Conflicts:
1. Approach-Approach: Choosing between two good options.
2. Approach-Avoidance: Choosing an option with pros and cons.
3. Avoidance-Avoidance: Choosing between two undesirable outcomes.

Physiological Theories of Emotion:
- James-Lange: Emotions result from awareness of physiological reactions.
- Cannon-Bard: Emotions and reactions occur simultaneously.
Broaden-and-Build Theory: Positive emotions enhance creativity and relationships.
Cultural Influences: Emotional expressions vary across cultures due to display rules, gender norms, and societal expectations.