C hapter Sixteen Social Psychology © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Chapter SixteenSocial Psychology

Social Psychology

Study of how others influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions

OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT OTHERS

Attributions

AttributionHow we explain our own

and others’ actions

Mistaken Attributions Fundamental attribution

error (FAE)Self-serving bias

Fundamental Attribution Error

Attributing people’s behavior to internal (dispositional) causes rather than external (situational) factors; related to the actor-observer bias

Explanations for the FAE:Saliency Bias Focusing on the most noticeable (salient) factors when

explaining the causes of behaviorJust-World PhenomenonTendency to believe that people generally get what

they deserve

Fundamental Attribution Error

Self-serving Bias

Taking credit for our successes and externalizing our failures

Culture and Attribution

Collectivistic cultures tend to be more aware of situational constraints for others

Less likely to experience the FAE and self-serving bias

Attitudes

Learned predisposition to respond cognitively, affectively, and behaviorally to a particular object

Cognitive Dissonance

Unpleasant tension and anxiety caused by a discrepancy between an attitude and a behavior

A way to create attitude change

ANIMATIONAttitudes and

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive DissonanceFestinger and Carlsmith (1959)

Cognitive Dissonance: An Example

Cognitive Dissonance: Summary

OUR FEELINGS ABOUT OTHERS

Prejudice and Discrimination

Prejudice A learned, generally negative, attitude toward members

of a groupThree components:1. Thoughts (stereotypes)2. Feelings/Emotions3. Behavioral tendencies (possible discrimination)

Implicit BiasHidden, automatic attitude that may serve as a guide to

behaviors independent of a person’s awareness or control

Stereotype A set of beliefs about the characteristics of

people in a group that is generalized to all group members; the cognitive component of prejudice

Discrimination Negative behaviors directed at members of a

Major Sources of Prejudice and Discrimination

Stereotypes and Classification

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

Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination

Cooperation and Common Goals Encourage cooperation and not competitionIntergroup Contact Close interaction, interdependence, equal statusCognitive RetrainingPerspective taking, focus on similaritiesCognitive DissonanceExamples that don’t conform to prejudiced views

Interpersonal Attraction

Positive feelings toward anotherThree key factors:1. Physical attractiveness2. Proximity3. Similarity

WILEY VIDEOWishful Seeing

WILEY VIDEOGender and Love

Physical Attractiveness

• Factor in initial liking• Physically attractive individuals of all ages

receive more positive interactions, success, and health benefits

• Perceived attractiveness is also influenced by nonphysical traits

• Matching hypothesis—people of equal attractiveness tend to select each other as partners

Flirting

Women• Often initiate• Glances• Smile• Hand gestures• Primping• Sit straighter• Body orientation• Whispers• Touches• Play behaviors

Men• Make the first approach• Look for clear signals

Proximity

Attraction based on geographic closeness

Important for initial liking

Mere exposure—repeated exposure increases liking, unless it is a negative stimulus

Similarity

Major factor in long-term relationshipsPrefer similarity in many different aspects of life

and personhood“Birds of a feather flock together”Need complementarity—attraction toward

those with qualities we admire but personally lack

Need compatibility—attraction based on sharing similar needs

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love

Three Components of Love IntimacyPassionCommitment

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love

Types of Love

Romantic• Intense feeling of attraction

to another within an erotic context and with future expectations

• Near universal• Typically short lived• Largely based on mystery

and fantasy• Interference can increase

these feelings

Companionate• Strong and lasting attraction

characterized by trust, caring, tolerance, and friendship

• Grows stronger with time• Overlook each

other’s faults

Culture and Attractiveness

Some universals:Men—maturity, ambitiousness, financial

resources (suggest support for partner and family)

Women—looks and youth (suggest fertility)Also differences in what is considered beautiful

OUR ACTIONS TOWARD OTHERS

Social Influence

Which line (A, B, or C) matches the line on the right (X)?

Two primary types of social influence:• Conformity • Obedience

Conformity

Changing behavior because of real or imagined group pressureNormative Social InfluenceConforming to group pressure out of a need for approval and

acceptanceNormCultural rule of behavior prescribing what is acceptable in a given situation

Informational Social InfluenceConforming because of a need for information and directionReference Groups People we conform to because we like and admire them and

want to be like them

Obedience

Following direct commands, usually from an authority figure

Milgram’s Studies of Obedience

Obedience

Four factors in obedience:1. Legitimacy and closeness of the authority

figure2. Remoteness of the victim3. Assignment of responsibility4. Modeling or imitating others

Reducing Destructive Obedience

• Socialization• Power of the situation—e.g.,

roles• Groupthink• Foot-in-the-door—small

requests build to larger requests

• Relaxed moral guard• Disobedient models

Group Processes

Group membershipGroup decision making

Group Membership

RolesStanford Prison Study (Zimbardo)

Group Membership

Deindividuation—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

Groupthink• Faulty decision making that

occurs when a highly cohesive group strives for agreement and avoids inconsistent information

Groupthink

Aggression

Any behavior intended to harm another living being

Some approaches for reducing aggression:• Catharsis

typically doesn’t help• Incompatible responses• Improve social and communication skills

WILEY VIDEOTeen

Steroids

Aggression

Biological Factors• Instincts• Genes• Brain and Nervous System• Substance Abuse and Other

Mental Disorders• Hormones and

Neurotransmitters

Psychosocial Factors• Aversive Stimuli• Frustration-Aggression

Hypothesis—blocking of a desired goal (frustration) creates anger that may lead to aggression

• Culture and Learning• Violent Media

Altruism

Actions designed to help others with no obvious benefit to the helper

Explanatory models:1. Evolutionary—favors survival of

one’s genes2. Egoistic—motivated by

anticipated gain3. Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis—

due to empathy for someone in need

Altruism

Altruism and Decision Making

Diffusion of Responsibility—dilution (diffusion) of personal responsibility for acting by spreading it among all other group members

C hapter Sixteen Social Psychology © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Documents

C hapter p 1 1 - Wiley

C hapter Eight Thinking, Language, and Intelligence Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Sixteen Sixteen Issue 13

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. C HAPTER 11 COOKING VEGETABLES

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. C HAPTER 3 TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. C HAPTER 20 COOKING FISH AND SHELLFISH

SIXTEEN SIXTEEN issue 16

Sixteen Sixteen Issue 12

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. C HAPTER 29 FOOD PRESENTATION

C hapter Fifteen Therapy © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

C hapter Seven Memory Copyright© 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. C HAPTER 32 QUICK BREADS

SIXTEEN SIXTEEN ISSUE 9

Sixteen Sixteen Issue 14

C hapter Eighteen Psychology at Work in the Global Economy © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Sixteen Sixteen Issue 25

Sixteen Sixteen Issue Five

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. C HAPTER 35 PIES AND PASTRIES

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. C HAPTER 13 LEGUMES, GRAINS, PASTA, AND OTHER STARCHES

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. C HAPTER 23 HORS D’OEUVRES