Social Psych chapter 1

Social Psychology

• Definition: The scientific study of the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors of individuals in social situations. It examines how people think about, influence, and relate to each other.

Key Questions for Social Psychologists

• Why do people risk their lives?

• Why do people stay in cults?

The Power of the Situation

• Study: Participants were told they had to give a short speech and were either told they had plenty of time or were running late. They all passed a man who needed help.

  • Results: 601 participants helped the man when not in a hurry.

Fundamental Attribution Error

• Definition: The failure to recognize the importance of situational influences on behavior. It is the tendency to overemphasize the importance of traits when explaining behavior.

Channel Factor

• Definition: Small situational factors that can have a large impact on behavior, guiding it in a particular direction.

  • Example: Participants were more likely to receive a flu shot if they were given a campus map highlighting the health center.

Gestalt Psychology

• Concept: People perceive objects and situations as wholes, rather than as collections of parts.

  • Example: There is no triangle in the middle; rather, our minds create the perception of a triangle based on context.

Construal

• Definition: The perception of something that includes interpretation by the mind.

  • Example: Receiving feedback at work can be seen as constructive criticism or as an unfair attack, depending on one's mindset and previous experiences.

Schema

• Definition: A knowledge structure consisting of an organized body of stored information.

  • Example: Entering a restaurant and expecting the server to sit you down based on past experiences.

Stereotypes

• Definition: Schemas that are applied specifically to people or individuals.

Processing Types

• Automatic Processing: Fast, difficult to control, and effortlessness; usually the default mode.

• Controlled Processing: Slow, under control, and effortful; requires motivation and ability.

  • Example: High impact decisions and unfamiliar situations.

Natural Selection

• Concept: Molds animals and plants such that traits enhancing survival are passed on.

Universal Human Behaviors

• Examples: Living in a family, childhood fear of strangers, and emotional responses.

Theory of Mind

• Definition: The ability to understand others' mental states, beliefs, desires, and intentions, which helps anticipate people's responses.

Evolutionary Psychology

• May help explain sex differences, particularly regarding parental investment

• Recognizes that reproductive strategies differ for males and females.

• Note: Evolutionary psychology is more descriptive than prescriptive.

Avoiding Naturalistic Fallacy

• Caution against beliefs that what is "natural" is inherently good or right.

Cultural Differences

• Westerners tend to be more individualistic, while non-Westerners tend to be more collectivistic.

• Example: Under threat, low-impact decisions may arise from a cost-benefit analysis related to beliefs about what is considered "natural."