Social Psychology

1. Social Psychology

2. What is Social Psychology? Some Definitions Social Psychology: Scientific study of how individuals behave, think, and feel in social situations; how people act in the presence (actual or implied) of others

3. Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger) Contradicting or clashing thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, or perceptions that cause discomfort We need to have consistency in our thoughts, perceptions, and images of ourselves Underlies attempts to convince ourselves we did the right thing �

4. A feeling of uncomfortable tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts at the same time.

5. Three ways to deal with cognitive dissonance. Try to change one or more of the beliefs, opinions, or behaviors involved in the dissonance; Try to acquire new information or beliefs that will increase the existing consonance and thus cause the total dissonance to be reduced; or, Try to forget or reduce the importance of those cognitions that are in a dissonant relationship (Festinger 1956: 25-26).

6. Conformity Bringing one�s behavior into agreement with norms or the behavior of others in a group

7. Solomon Asch�s Experiment on Conformity You must select (from a group of three) the line that most closely matches the standard line; all lines are shown to a group of seven people (including you) Other six were accomplices and at times all would select the wrong line In 33% of the trials, the real subject conformed to group pressure even when the group�s answers were obviously incorrect!

8. Figure 16.4 Stimuli used in Solomon Asch�s conformity experiments. Figure 16.4 Stimuli used in Solomon Asch�s conformity experiments.

9. Group Factors in Conformity Groupthink: Compulsion by decision makers to maintain each other�s approval, even at the cost of critical thinking Group Sanctions: Rewards and punishments administered by groups to enforce conformity Unanimity: Unanimous agreement

10. Obedience (Milgram) Conformity to the demands of an authority Would you shock a man with a known heart condition who is screaming and asking to be released? Milgram studied this; the man with a heart condition was an accomplice and the �teacher� was a real volunteer; the goal was to teach the learner word pairs

11. Milgram�s Shocking Results 65% obeyed by going all the way to 450 volts on the �shock machine� even though the learner eventually could not answer any more questions The learner screamed and provided no further answers once 300 volts (�Severe Shock�) was reached Group support can reduce destructive obedience

12. More on Obedience Distance between the teacher and the learner was important Distance from the authority also had an effect

13. Figure 16.7 Physical distance from the �learner� had a significant effect on the percentage of subjects obeying orders. Figure 16.7 Physical distance from the �learner� had a significant effect on the percentage of subjects obeying orders.

14. Compliance Bending to the requests of one person who has little or no authority or other form of social power

15. Attitudes and Beliefs Attitude: Mixture of belief and emotion that predisposes a person to respond to other people, objects, or institutions in a positive or negative way Summarize your evaluation of objects

16. Attitude Components Belief Component: What a person believes about an object or issue Emotional Component: Feelings toward the attitudinal object Action Component: One�s actions toward various people, objects, or institutions

17. Attitude Components Belief Component: What a person believes about an object or issue Emotional Component: Feelings toward the attitudinal object Action Component: One�s actions toward various people, objects, or institutions

18. More on Attitude Formation Group Membership: Social influences from belonging to certain groups Mass Media: All media that reach large audiences (magazines, television) Mean Worldview: Viewing the world and other people as dangerous and threatening

19. Attitude Measurement and Change Reference Group: Any group a person identifies with and uses as a standard for social comparison Persuasion: Deliberate attempt to change attitudes or beliefs with information and arguments Communicator: Person presenting arguments or information Message: Content of communicator�s arguments Audience: Person or group to whom a persuasive message is directed

20. Brainwashing Brainwashing: Engineered or forced attitude change requiring a captive audience Generally three steps to brainwash someone: Unfreezing: Loosening of former values and convictions Change: When the brainwashed person abandons former beliefs Refreezing: Rewarding and solidifying new attitudes and beliefs

21. Cults Authoritarian group in which the leader�s personality is more important than the beliefs s/he preaches Group professes great devotion to a person or people and follows that person/people almost without question

22. More About Cults Cult members usually victimized by the leader(s) Will try to recruit potential converts at a time of need, especially when a sense of belonging is most attractive to potential converts

23. Social Learning Theory (Bandura) and Television Social Learning Theory: Combines learning principles with cognitive processes, socialization and modeling to explain behavior No instinctive (innate) desires for shooting guns, knife fights, and so on Aggression must be learned Weapons Effect: Observation that weapons serve as strong cues for aggressive behavior

24. Social Learning Theory (cont.) Disinhibition: Removal of inhibition; results in acting-out behavior that normally would be restrained Television seems to be able to cause desensitization to violence Desensitization: Reduced emotional sensitivity

26. Some Final Words About Cults Look for college students and young adults Some examples of cults: People�s Temple and Jim Jones, Heaven�s Gate, Branch Davidians, Osama bin laden and Al Qaeda Where does �Scientology� fit?