c13 Flashcards
Social Psychology
examines the influence of social processes on the way people think, feel and behave
Social Cognition
Initial Impressions: initial perceptions make a difference; and have shown strong effects
A person presented with positive traits first was found to be more sociable and happier
Social Influence:
the presence of others energizes performance
Social Norms:
shared expectations about thoughts, feelings and behavior; can vary by time and place; culturally sensitive
Social Role:
Social Role: a set of norms which characterize how people in specific social positions should behave
Role Conflict:
Role Conflict: norms accompanying different roles may clash
Conformity:
Conformity: the adjustment of people’s behavior, attitudes and beliefs to a group.
Informational social influence:
: follow the opinions of those we believe have accurate knowledge and believe they are doing the right or correct or desirable thing.
Normative social influence:
conform to obtain rewards that come from being accepted by other people while trying to avoid rejection.
Situational Influence on behaviors:
Situational Influence on behaviors: see others engaging in a behavior, likely to be influenced by it
Asch Conformity Study
When people were alone they got the answer correct
When in a group only ~ 25% appeared to remain completely independent in their responses.
Factors which affected conformity
Group size: conformity increased from 5-35% as group size increased
After 5 this stabilized
Presence of a dissenter: when someone else dissents he/she serves as a model and it significantly reduces conformity
Cognitive Dissonance
an unpleasant state that arises when a person recognizes inconsistencies in actions, attitudes and beliefs.
Strategies to reduce dissonance:
Focus on more supportive beliefs
Reduce the importance of the conflicting belief
Change the conflicting belief
Attitudes
a positive or negative evaluative reaction toward a person, object or concept
Attitude Strength: ABCD
the durability or impact of an attitude
Durability: if it lasts over time
Impact: if it impacts behavior or thoughts
Cognitive: beliefs about the object
Affective: emotional feelings about the object
Behavioral: predisposition to act in a certain way toward an object
Attitudes do not necessarily determine or predict our behavior
influenced by several factors
Attitudes influence behavior more strongly when the counteracting situational factors are weak
Attitudes
a greater influence over our behaviors when we are aware of them and when they are strongly held
Group effects-Social Loafing:
reduced effort that occurs when people work in groups
Group Polarization:
group discussions lead to more extreme positions
Groupthink:
groups may be less effective to keep agreement among members
Persuasion
the deliberate effort to change or impact one’s attitude