Ch 12 (EXAM 4) Flashcards
Actor-observer Bias
Tendency to attribute our own behavior (actor) to external factors while attributing the same behavior from other people (observer) due to internal factors
BOTH actor and observer
i.e.
When I’m speeding: Late
When others speeding: Rude
External factors
Cause is situational, beyond your control
Internal factors
Cause is character, personality
Fundamental attribution error
Refers to ONLY the observer part of actor-observer bias
Believe that others do things because of their internal traits
i.e. server is dumb because they got my order wrong
Very common mistake, be conscious of it to be more understanding of others
Self-serving bias
ONLY the actor part of the actor-observe bias
Tendency to make internal attributes for our successes and external attributes for our failures
i.e. excuses, self-serving
Not taking responsibility for failure but taking responsibility for success
Protects self esteem but also hinders improvement since everything is beyond your control
Just world hypothesis
Belief that the world is fair and that people get the outcomes they deserve: Karma
Allows people to feel that the world is predicable and just
Victim blaming: blames the victim for their misfortune, it must have happened to them because they were bad people
Attitudes
Our feelings, opinions and beliefs about people, objects, and ideas
Just because someone holds an attitude, doesn’t mean it will ALWAYS lead to an action
Attitudes affect actions, especially if:
1. Attitude is STRONG
2. You spend time talking about it and practicing it
3. It is directly relevant to you
Cognitive dissonance
Psychological discomfort rising from holding 2 or more inconsistent attitudes, behaviors, or cognitions
i.e. against texting and driving but you text in red light?
Treat with changing the behavior or changing the attitude
Self-perception theory
Actions influence attitudes when you’ve never though deeply about the attitude
Individuals make inferences about their attitudes by examining their prior behavior
Social roles
Expected patterns of behavior based on the position a person holds in a given group, culture, or situation
Your role in your group, can be as small as 2 and big as the world, can be permanent or temporary
Everyone holds multiple social roles, each with its own expectations
Shaped by culturally shared knowledge
Social norms
Unwritten rules about which behaviors are considered acceptable in a particular social group
Makes up social roles
Learned through observation and operant conditioning
Scripts
Package of knowledge about a particular kind of situation you’ve encountered frequently
Extension of social norms
i.e. when you go to a restaurant, you sit down, order, they take away the menu…
Social roles, norms, and past experiences contributes to scripts
Widely known with others in the cultural group, helps us communicate with others more efficiently and helps us know what to do
Also frees up mental space for other tasks
If something strays from script: discomfort, may adjust script or feel embarrassed/angry
Conformity
Change in a person’s behavior to go along with the group, even if you do not agree
Things that influence conformity:
1. Size of majority
2. Dissenter
3. Publicity
Occurs when people yield to real or imagined social pressure by aligning their attitudes with other people
Normative social influence
Conforming to group to fit in and to feel good and accepted by the group
Or not to be made fun of
Informational social influence
Conforming because they believe that the group is competent and correct
Usually in situations where there is a wrong answer
