Social Psychology Ch. 18 and 19

1. Social PsychologyCh. 18 and 19 McElhaney

2. “Humans are social Animals” The Study of Human interaction • Branch of Psych that analyzes how behavior is influenced by presence of others • Studies how we behave, think, feel in Social Situations. • Based on the concept of an Attribute: the cause of behavior

3. Groups Influence our Behavior • Culture = ongoing pattern of life that is passed from one generation to another. • Components of Culture include: • Language, marriage customs, concepts of ownership, sex roles

4. Roles • We all hold social roles • Positions in the structure of a group • Patterns of behavior expected of persons in various social positions • Roles are Ascribed- assigned to a person • not under a person’s control • Roles: • Mother • Boss • Student • Each has different expectations or sets of behavior.

5. Achieved Roles= the opposite of assigned roles • Voluntary roles • Attained by special effort • Spouse • Teacher • Scientist

6. Stanford University Impact on social roles Inmates + guards Males in a simulated prison Found destructive roles- cause role behaviors They had assigned social roles- “In only a few days, our guards became sadistic and our prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress.” Zimbardo Study-

7. Zimbardo Results • Many destructive relationships have a source in Learned Roles.

8. Role Conflicts • Two or more roles make conflicting demands • Coach and parent • Clashing demands for work, family, school

9. Factors to Cohesion=closeness Degree of attraction among group members Commitment to remaining in group Cohesive groups: Sit/sand together Pay attention to one another Mutual Affection Behavior is coordinated Work better together Group Structure and Cohesion

10. Status • A person’s social positionin a groupdetermines his or her status- or level of social power & importance. • Higher status = privileges • Higher status people are treated better- Well dressed

11. Norms • Unspoken rules or guidelines • Are an accepted standard for appropriate behavior for a specific group • Lax norms cause lax behavior

12. Social Influence • A person’s behavior influences another. • A convergence of beliefs, attitudes = change in behavior

13. Personal Space and Proxemics • Too close = discomfort

14. What motivates us to join a group? • “Desires for • Self-evaluation • Self-protection • Self-enhancement • Influence which group we join. Are motives for associating with others

15. Affiliation-basic principle • Basic human trait • A desire to associate with other people • Connected to needs of: • Approval, support, friendship, information • Helps alleviate – fear and anxiety • We prefer to be with people in similar circumstances

16. Festinger said group membership fills need for: Social Comparison- standard to judge yourself Comparing your own actions, feelings, opinions, abilities… Must be compared to people of similar background, abilities, circumstances Downward Comparison: Comparison- for self-enhancement- self protection Comparing to someone who ranks lower Upward Comparison: Comparison with people of higher status- for self improvement Behavior of Groups: Group Membership

17. Social Relationships • Interpersonal Attraction= affinity to another person • Is the basis for most voluntary social relationships

18. Factors that Influence Attraction • Physical proximity • Physical attractiveness • Halo Effect- tendency to generalize favorable impression to personal characteristics • Attractive people have perceived likeable characteristics • Beauty vs. Personality = Which works best? • (page 675) • Competence- we are attracted to talented people • Similarity-age, sex, race, background, interests, attitudes, beliefs

19. Relationships • Self-Disclosure- • Over Disclosure- • Reciprocity- • Gendered Friendships

20. Social Perception and Attribution • Attribution= is a cause for behavior • Attribute- (verb) place cause • through observation of others Inferences/judgments about causes of behavior

21. Attributional Theory • We tend to ascribe or attribute causes of behavior to: • External causes: outside a person • Internal causes: inside a person

22. What should one consider when making attributions? Factors of Attribution

23. Factor of Attribution:Situational Demands • SD = pressures to behave in certain ways in particular settings and social situations • The “situation demands certain behavior” • Discount: Downgrade or disregard internal causation when specific External causes are clear… • Consensus- agreement, when an attribution is associated to many • people- external causes

24. Errors in Attribution • Fundamental Attribution Error: • to wrongly attribute actions of others to internal causes • We have a tendency to think actions of others are caused by internal forces • Actor-Observer Bias: • (I vs. They) • As actors- we find external explanations for our own behavior. • As observers- we attribute behavior of others’ wants, motives and personality traits

25. Social Exchange Theory“How profitable is the relationship?” • Exchanges of attention, info, affection, favors • Says: we all consciously weigh social rewards and costs • Relationships must be profitable to participants: • Rewards vs costs • Fun vs Self Esteem

26. Love and Liking Factors • Romantic Attraction: • Interpersonal attraction + emotional arousal • Love = combinations • Intimacy, passion, commitment and sexual desire • Lovers see partners in idealized ways • Helps create the relationship they wish for.

27. Love and Attachment • Child care-giving attachments have impact on adult attachments • We use early attachments as mental models (We become what we learn) • Secure- • Avoidant- • Ambivalent-

28. Attachments • Secure Attachment (59%) = friendly, good natured, likeable • See others as well intentioned, reliable, trustworthy • Generally not worried about being abandoned • Avoidant Attachment (25%): • Fear of intimacy, tend to resist commitment • Pull back when things don’t go well • Suspicious, aloof, skeptical • Have difficulty trusting • Get nervous when people get too close emotionally

29. Ambivalent Attachment • Mixed emotions and Conflicting feelings • Affection, anger, emotional turmoil, physical attraction, doubt • Self regard- misunderstood, unappreciated • See others- unreliable, unable or unwilling to commit to lasting relationships • Worry- partners don’t really love them or may leave, they want to be close but have doubts

30. Evolution and Mate Selection:Men • Evolutionary psych= study of evolutionary origins of behavior or patterns • Patterns: • Men are interested in casual sex • Men prefer younger, more physically attractive partners • Men are jealous over real or imagined infidelity • Men look for reproductive capabilities, youth, health, beauty

31. Evolution and Mate Selection: Women • Prefer slightly older partners • Industrious, high status, economic success • Become upset by emotional infidelity more than sexual unfaithfulness • Evolved- • Nurturing of young • Interest in longevity of relationships

32. Social Influences • “Changes in behavior are induced by action of others.” • Types of Social Influence: • Suggestion • Intensive Indoctrination • Group Pressure= Conformity • Obedience

33. Group Pressure= Conformity • People become aware of differencesbetween themselves and actions, norms or values of others in group. • Conformity= pressure for uniformity of members • “Brings one’s own behavior into agreement with norms or the behavior of others” • Norms= unspoken rules of conduct, normal or acceptable behavior

34. Conformity • Conformist- to not be considered strange or frightening • Conformity refers to an individual’s behavior that adheres to the behavior patternof a particular group- that a person belongs to. • Non-conformist- independent thinking

35. Who Conforms? • People with high needs for structure • Anxious • Low self esteem and low self confidence • Concerned with approval • Culture that emphasizes group cooperation

36. Solomon Asch • Studied conformity- found that people conform to the will of the group-

37. “The Power of Conformity”Asch (1955) Social Pressure • Summarize the Theoretical propositions • Describe the method • Summarize the results • Significance of Study • Factors that impact Conforming Behavior • Social Support • Attraction • Size of Group • SEX

38. Group Factors in Conformity • To enforce conformity= group sanctions • Negative= ridicule, laughing, staring, social disapproval, rejection/exclusion • Sanctions work only if the subject wants to be part of the group.

39. Social Support- for Non-conformists • Support for non-conformists- When someone agrees with non-conformist • It encourages- resistance to conformity • Attraction: More attraction to the group (Reference Group) -> the more likely you are to conform to behavior and attitudes of group. • Size of the Group: • The tendency to conform increases as the size of the group increases (6-7) • Sex/Gender • There is some evidence to suggest women are more likely to conform • People conform when appropriate behavior is unclear. • Culture impacts conformity • Collectivist Countries: Goals of the group in relation to goals of the individual.

40. What is Group Think? • Phenomenon of group behavior: • People want to maintain approval- even if decisions are bad. • Authority- group members hesitate to question authority • They think as a group instead of thinking about outcomes independently

41. To Prevent Group Think:Define group roles • Critical evaluator • Stick to the facts-avoid bias • Include “devils advocate” • Group accountability • Search for alternative solutions • Re-evaluate important decisions

42. When is it appropriate to resist authority?: Obedience • Milgram Study: Obedience Study(1963) • Yale University, • “Obey at Any Cost” Subjects “gave” electric shocks to “learners” giving shocks.

43. Milgram’s Ideas • The tendency to obey is deeply ingrained. • It cancels out a person’s ability to behave morally, ethically, and sympathetically. • People have a tendency to obey people of authority- even if they violate their own codes of behavior. • They would inflict pain on people if ordered to do so.

44. Milgram Findings and Implications • Distance to subject being shocked was a factor • Closer to victim= less obedience • Distance of Authority figure = direct relationship to obedience- • Farther away = less obedience • When orders come from authority figures- people rationalize that they are not responsible. • **A personal act of courage or moral fortitude by one or two members of a group may free others to obey- unjust authority.

45. Compliance- • One person bends to the authority of another person who has little authority • Pressure to comply- affects everyday people

46. Compliance and Sales Pressure • Foot in the Door: a person who first agrees to a small request- will more likely comply with a larger demand • Door in the face: With the idea of refusing a large request is a tendency to comply with a smaller request. • Low Ball: get the person to commit to an act, then make terms of acting less desirable

47. Passive Compliance • Quietly bending to unreasonable demands or unacceptable conditions • People have a tendency to avoid confrontation • Ignore- personal insults, rebuffs, sacrifices of dignity

48. “Not Practicing What you Preach”By LaPiere (1934) on Attitudes • Summarize the Theoretical propositions • Describe the method • Summarize the results • Significance of Study • Factors impacting consistency between attitudes and behavior • Strength of Attitude • Stability of attitude • Relevance of attitude • Salience of attitude • Situational pressures

49. LaPiere- Attitude Thought and Action • Factors impacting consistency between attitudes and behavior • Strength of Attitude- • Stability of attitude • Relevance of attitude • Salience of attitude • Situational pressures

50. Social Pressures • We are constantly under pressure to conform, obey, comply- • We need to recognize and resist these pressures.