Chapter 1: What is social psychology?

Question 1

What is social psychology?

Answer 1

The scientific study of the effects of social and cognitive processes on the way individuals perceive, influence and relate to others

Question 2

What are social processes?

Answer 2

The ways in which input from people/groups around us affect our thoughts, feelings and actions. Groups we belong to, relationships and pressure from others

Question 3

What are cognitive processes?

Answer 3

The ways in which our memories, perceptions, thoughts, emotions and motives influence our understanding of the worlds and guide our actions

Question 4

What is the global timeline of the history of social psychology? Name 4 aspects

Answer 4

1. Social psychology becomes empirical science
2. Social psychology splits from general psychology over what causes behavior
3. Rise of nazism shapes social psychology
4. Growth and integration

Question 5

How does the social psychologist approach differ from everyday approaches?

Answer 5

Use scientific method to investigate systematically and reduce risks of biases

Everyday approach: draw conclusions based on small samples

Question 6

How do social and cognitive processes intertwine? Name 2 aspects

Answer 6

1. Social processes influence our daily life even when alone
2. The social processes that affect us depend on how we interpret others and their actions, which concerns cognitive processing

Question 7

Of which domain was social psychology part of until the late 19th century? Why did it change after that?

Answer 7

Philosophy

It changed because researchers started using laboratory methods and experimental techniques to measure mental processes

Question 8

What was a popular idea in social psychology around 1900?

Answer 8

All social behavior stems from innate tendencies/instincts

Start of behaviorism

Question 9

Why was the growth of social psychology mainly concentrated in North America?

Answer 9

During WW2 many European social psychologists fled to America

Question 10

What is Gestalt theory and how did it contribute to the development of social psychology in the US?

Answer 10

Gestalt theory = view that the whole is greater than its parts
–> Took for granted that cognitive processes played a role in interpretations of social world

European psychologists had this view, US psychologists were behaviorists.

Question 11

What were the effects of WW2 on social psychology? Name 2 aspects

Answer 11

1. European psychologists fled to Europe
2. Ask questions about roots of prejudice because of the war

Question 12

What is the main thing about the growth and integration of social psychology in 1950-1960?

Answer 12

Integrated theoretical understanding of social and cognitive processes and their applications to important problems

Question 13

When was the cognitive revolution and what happened?

Answer 13

1960s: no domination behaviorism anymore
–> Cognitive themes were applied to more social topics (relationships, aggression, stereotyping)
–> Flourished 70-80s: more data on perception and memory

Question 14

What are 5 important applications of social psychology?

Answer 14

1. Health
2. Education
3. Law
4. Environment
5. Business

Question 15

What are the 2 fundamental axioms of social psychology?

Answer 15

1. Construction of reality = each person’s reality is a construction shaped by cognitive and social processes
2. Pervasiveness of social influence = other people influence all of our thoughts, feelings and behavior even when they aren’t physically present

Question 16

What are the 3 motivational principles?

Answer 16

1. Striving for mastery/control: people want to understand/predict social events to obtain rewards
2. Seeking connectedness: people seek support, liking and acceptance from others/groups they care about
3. Valuing me and mine/high self-esteem: people desire to see themselves and other people/groups connected to themselves in positive light

Question 17

Give an example of the valuing of me and mine motivational principle

Answer 17

People with illnesses can maintain a positive view of themselves by comparing themselves with others who are worse off

Question 18

Give an example of the motivational principle of seeking connectedness

Answer 18

Israeli and Palestinians do actions that benefit their group and not necessarily what benefits the whole (ending war) to feel connectedness

Question 19

Give an example of the motivational principle of striving for mastery

Answer 19

Seeking needs of a company when in a job interview

Question 20

What are the three processing principles? Give an example for each

Answer 20

1. Conservatism: individual’s/group’s views on the world are slow to change and can perpetuate themselves
   –> first impressions in job applicants
2. Accessibility: Information that is fastest available has most impact on thoughts and behavior
   –> if you judge beforehand that someone is dumb, they will most likely fulfill that expectation
3. Superficiality vs. depth: people put little effort into dealing with information, but when motivated, they consider info in more depth
   –> threats to our important goals can motivate us to consider info more in depth

Question 21

Which two categories of principles influence construction of reality and pervasiveness of social influences?

What do all of these principles account for?

Answer 21

1. Motivational principles
2. Processing principles

(See hamburger model)

They account for all types of social behavior (useful to destructive)

Question 22

Of what does the integrated model consist? What does it account for?

Answer 22

2 axioms: construction of reality + pervasiveness of social influence

3 motivational principles: mastery + valuing me/mine + connectedness

3 processing principles: conservatism + accessibility + superficial/deep

It accounts for all social behavior. The processes can create useful or ambiguous outcomes depending on situation and our ability to construct reality allows us to see the world as meaningful, but biases our perception