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Social Psychology. Other people and us. Major Themes. Human beings are fundamentally social by nature Humans are shaped by and shape the society and culture in which they live Each person has, as a survival tool, the ability to formulate stereotypes. Who are you?.
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Social Psychology Other people and us
Major Themes • Human beings are fundamentally social by nature • Humans are shaped by and shape the society and culture in which they live • Each person has, as a survival tool, the ability to formulate stereotypes
Who are you? • What social factors have influenced you to become who you are? • Do you feel that you are more alike or different than • A) someone your age from your cultural/ethnic background who grew up in your ancestral country of origin? • B) someone your age from a different cultural/ethnic background who grew up on your block?
Social Psychology • Thoughts about others • Feelings toward others • Actions toward others
Key Terms • Attribution—principles used to judge the causes of events and our own and others’ behavior • Fundamental attribution error—misjudging the causes of others’ behavior because of overestimating internal personal factors and underestimating external situational influence
Key Terms • Saliency bias—tendency to focus on the most noticeable factors when explaining the causes of behaviors • Self-serving bias—taking credit for our successes and externalizing our failures • Attitude—learned predisposition to respond cognitively, affectively, and behaviorally to a particular object
Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Confirmation Bias • Confirmation bias—we tend to accept data/input that confirms what we already believe to be true • Cognitive dissonance theory—we discover inconsistencies between our attitudes and/or behaviors, we experience discomfort which we try to alleviate through attitude changes
Prejudice and Discrimination • Stereotype—a set of beliefs about the characteristics of people in a group that is generalized to all group members • Prejudice—a learned, generally negative, attitude toward members of a group; it includes thoughts (stereotypes), feelings and behavioral tendencies (possible discrimination) • Discrimination—negative behaviors directed at members of a group
Prejudice • A learned response • A mental shortcut • Ingroup and outgroup • Economic and political competition • A form of displaced aggression
Ingroups and Outgroups • Ingroup Favoritism—Viewing members of the ingroup more positively than members of an outgroup. • Outgroup Homogeneity Effect—Judging members of an outgroup as more alike and less diverse than members of the ingroup.
Attraction • Physical Attractiveness (symmetry) • Proximity • Similarity
Love • Eros—erotic love/romantic love • Philia—fraternal love (love between friends or siblings) • Agape—unconditional love (companionate love)
Social Influence • Conformity—Changing behavior as a result of real or imagined group pressure • Obedience—Following direct commands, usually from an authority figure
Conformity • Normative social influence—Conforming to group pressure out of a need for acceptance or approval • Informational social influence—Conforming to group pressure out of a need for direction and information • Reference Groups—People we conform to or go along with, because we like and admire them and want to be like them
Obedience Factors • Power of authority • Distance between the teacher and learner (i.e., in the “shock experiment”) • Assignment of responsibility • Modeling/imitation
Group Membership • Roles in groups • Deindividuation—Increased arousal and reduced self-consciousness, inhibition, and personal responsibility that sometimes occurs in a group, particularly when the members feel anonymous
Group Decision Making • Group polarization—Group’s movement toward either riskier or more conservative behavior, depending on the members’ initial dominant tendency • A form of “confirmation bias” • As the ends of the spectrum get redefined, so does the “center”
Group Decision Making • Groupthink—Faulty decision making that occurs when a highly cohesive group strives for agreement and avoids inconsistent information • Newly married couples • Iraq war
Aggression • Biological factors • Instinct • Genes • The brain and nervous system • Substance abuse and other mental disorders • Hormones and neurotransmitters
Aggression • Psychological factors • Aversive stimuli • Culture and learning • Media and video games
Controlling Aggression • Catharsis • Incompatible responses • Improve social and communication skills
Altruism • Actions designed to help others with no obvious benefit to the helper • Egoistic model—Helping that is motivated by anticipated gain—later reciprocation, increased self-esteem, or avoidance of guilty and distress • Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis—Helping because of empathy for someone in need
Altruism • Helping breaks down in a crowd largely due to: • Diffusion of responsibility—Assuming someone else will take action (or responsibility)
Unlearning prejudice and discrimination • Cooperation • Superordinate goals • Increased contact • Cognitive retraining • Cognitive dissonance