Chapter 1: Introducing the Science and Methods of Social Psychology

Question 1

What is Social Psychology

Answer 1

Studying how people think about, influence, and relate to one another

Question 2

What are the 3 aspects of Social Psychology

Answer 2

Social Thinking
Social Influence
Social Relations

Question 3

Social Thinking

Answer 3

How we perceive, believe, and judge one another

Question 4

Social Influence

Answer 4

How our culture, selves, biology, and groups are influenced

Question 5

Social Relations

Answer 5

How we help, harm, horny, and prejudise one another

Question 6

How does it differ from sociology

Answer 6

Focuses more on the individual

Question 7

Social Thinking: How do we construct our social reality

Answer 7

• We want reality to be explainable
• We explain behavior based on our needs
• We attribute consistent behavior to personality
• Our beliefs about ourselves affect our behavior

Question 8

Social Thinking: Our social intuitions

Answer 8

• Shape our fears and influences (eyewitnesses, HR pros)
• Nonconscious mind guides our thoughts and behavior
• Dual Processing: Brains operate on 2 basic levels (conscious and unconscious)
• Social intuitions can lead us astray (memory & attitudes)

Question 9

Social Influences: Shaping behavior

Answer 9

• Culture helps us define situations
• Behaviors are shaped by our immediate contexts

Question 10

Social Influences: Personal attitudes and dispositions

Answer 10

• Inner attitudes affect behavior
• Behavior affects our attitudes
• Personality dispositions affect behavior (attitudes are affected by these)

Question 11

Social Relations: Social behavior is biological behavior

Answer 11

• Evolutionary responses to social situations
• Brains contain biological events that affect behavior
• SOCIAL NEUROSCIENCE: Studies how are surroundings affect our brain chemistry

Question 12

Social Relations: Relating to others is a basic need

Answer 12

• Relationships can be a stress or a comfort
• Exclusion can cause pain
• Relationships contribute to self-esteem

Question 13

Obvious Value Influences in SP

Answer 13

• Research topics
• Cultural values
• Data analyis

Question 14

Subliminal Value Effects on SP

Answer 14

• Science is subjective
• Hidden values (labels, naturalism)
• Common practices

Question 15

Hindsight Bias

Answer 15

We exaggerate foresight after seeing the outcome

Question 16

Experimental Research: Ethics

Answer 16

• Grey area
• MUNDANE REALISM (life-like experiments) not needed
• EXPERIMENTAL REALISM (controlled experiments that target specific behaviors) is needed
• DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS (experimenter-provoked) minimized
• Informed consent needed
• Free counseling and debrief after participation

Question 17

Random Sample vs Random Assignment

Answer 17

• Random samples are selected from populations for surveys in all correlational research. These are useful in studying an accurate average of the population.
• Random assignment is used in experimental research - this is only possible if the theory is testing a variable that is not dependent on personal traits. Useful for finding cause-effect relationships across populations.

Question 18

Observational Research Methods

Answer 18

When experimental study is not possible, psychologists sometimes have to observe people in natural settings and use data analysis to observe causal relationships

Question 19

Generating a Theory

Answer 19

• Looking at the facts
• Analyzing events
• Simplifying these into testable predictions or hypotheses

Question 20

Components of Experimental Research

Answer 20

• Theory
• Hypotheses
• Random Population Selection
• Random Assignment (control vs experimental group)
• Controlled Environment
• Independent Variable
• Dependent Variable