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Social Cognition

Social Cognition. Social cognition . Four core processes Select (social information) “Attention” is limited, and different people may focus on different features of the same situation. Interpret (social information)

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Social Cognition

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  1. Social Cognition

  2. Social cognition • Four core processes • Select (social information) “Attention” is limited, and different people may focus on different features of the same situation. • Interpret (social information) “Interpretation” is the process through which we give meaning to the events we experience • Remember (social information) “Memory” is the process by which we store and retrieve information for future use • Use (social information) “Judgments” are the process of using information to form impressions and make decisions.

  3. Two types of social cognition • Automatic thinking • Controlled thinking • The goals of social cognition • Conserving Mental Effort • Managing Self-Image • Seeking an Accurate Understanding

  4. GOAL: Conserving Mental Effort The world is complex and information-rich Humans have limited cognitive capacity • Simplification Strategies: • Schemas • Cognitive Shortcuts

  5. Simplification strategies • Schemas (scripts of how we act in the situation) • Self-fulfilling prophecies (changing the situation based upon your expectations) • Availability heuristic (ease with which something is brought to mind) • Representativeness heuristic (how similar is a typical case) • False-consensus (other people think like me) • Anchoring and adjustment heuristic (start at one point and adjust from there)

  6. What factors influence the use of cognitive shortcuts? • Increased use of cognitive shortcuts… • when we are Physiologically Aroused (e.g., horror movie) • during Phases of our Daily Cycle called circadian rhythms (e.g., “morning people” use cognitive short-cuts later in the day; “evening people” use short-cuts in the morning). • for people High in the Need for Structure, who agree with items like: “I don’t like situations that are uncertain.” • in Complex Situations that use up more attention • when there areTime Pressures because it takes time to fully interpret a social situation

  7. GOAL: Managing self-image Basic desire to avoid mistakes Want to control outcomes in life • Self-image Strategies: • Self-enhancement • Protection of self-image

  8. Goal: Managing self-image • Four core processes • Schemas • Self-fulfilling prophecy • Availability heuristic • Representativeness heuristic • False-consensus • Anchoring and adjustment

  9. GOAL: Seeking accuracy Basic desire to avoid mistakes Want to control outcomes in life • Accuracy Strategies: • Unbiased Information Gathering • Considering Alternatives

  10. Unbiased Information Gathering • Desire for accuracy leads people to pay special attention to new information(that may go against what they previously suspected). • With difficult decisions, it is often helpful to play the Devil’s Advocate – i.e., to consider the opposite side of the argument.

  11. What factors influence goal of seeking accuracy? • Mood - People who are mildly depressed are more thorough when thinking about social events. • Need For Cognition - People high in the need for cognition view thinking as fun, enjoy solving puzzles, and enjoy analyzing arguments. • Unexpected Events - Unexpected outcomes led participants to consider many more explanations. • Social Interdependence - We think carefully about other people when their actions have important implications for us & when we are accountable to others.

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