2a: Social Psychology

Question 1

Define attitude

Answer 1

A positive or negative evaluative reaction towards anything (e.g. person, concept, object)

Attitudes influence behaviour more strongly when situational factors that contradict our attitudes are weak

Question 2

What are the 3 ways in which people resolve cognitive dissonance? (i.e. being a smoker and knowing it causes cancer)

Answer 2

1. Change behaviour - quitting smoking. BUT this is difficult and usually avoided
2. Acquire new information (look for exceptions) - “my grandad smoked for all his life and he lived to be 96”
3. Reduce importance of the cognition (belief/attitude) -
   Convince oneself that life is YOLO and you should live for the moment

Question 3

What is conformity and what factors influence it?

Answer 3

The desire to fit in and conform to the group’s judgement

1. Increases with group SIZE (up to 5)
2. Dissenter - 1 person disagreeing REDUCES conformity
3. Culture - greater conformity in collectivistic cultures

Question 4

What is obedience and what factors influence it?

Answer 4

People yield to instructions from an authority figure regardless of personal characteristics

Factors affecting obedience:

1. Remoteness of victim
2. Closeness and legitimacy of authority figure
3. Diffusion of responsibility - obedience increases when someone else does the dirty work

Question 5

What is social loafing and what factors influence it?

Answer 5

People give less individual effort when working in a group than working alone

More likely to occur when:

1. P believes that individual performance is not being monitored
2. The task/group has less value/meaning to P
3. P generally displays low motivation to strive for success
4. P expects other group members to put in high effort

More strong in men + individualistic cultures

Question 6

What is group decision making and what factors influence it?

Answer 6

Tendency of group members to suspend critical thinking because they are striving to reach agreement.

Most likley to occur when a group is:

1. Under high pressure to reach decision
2. Insulated from outside input
3. Has a directive leader
4. Has high cohesiveness

Question 7

What is bystander apathy and how do you overcome it?

Answer 7

Likelihood of action is less in a group due to embarassment, diffusion of responsibility and social comparison

5-step bystander process:

1. Notice someone on the floor
2. Decide if it’s really an emergency (Social comparison: how are others responding?)
3. Assume responsibility to intervene (Diffusion of responsibility: believing someone else will come help)
4. Self-efficacy in handling situation
5. Decision to help based on cost/benefit analysis (e.g. danger)

To increase helping behaviour:

1. Reducing restraints on helping
   Reduce ambiguity and increase responsibility
   Enhance concern for self image

2. Socialise altruism
Teach moral inclusion 
Mode/demonstrate helping behaviour
Attribute helpful behaviour to altruistic motives
Educate people about barriers to helping

Question 8

What are the 3 types of leadership styles?

Answer 8

AUTOCRATIC (holds all decision making power)
+ Quick decisions, clear hierachy of responsibility
- Can be demotivating, lead to errors

DEMOCRATIC (leader decides after consulting with group)
+ Enhances cooperation and motivation in team, leading to better quality decisions
- Time consuming, lead to disagreements

LAISSEZ FAIRE (leaves the decision to group)
\+ Allows autonomous thinking, expertise of group utilised
- Lack of direction and an ultimate responsibility holder