Chapter 14: Social Psychology Flashcards
Social Cognition
How people perceive, interpret, and categorize their own and others social behaviour
Attitudes
Positive or negative evaluative reactions towards a stimulus
Components of attitudes
Cognitive (beliefs, ideas)
Affective (emotions, feelings)
Behavioural (predispositions to act)
When do attitudes have the strongest influence on behaviour?
When situational factors are weak, or when the attitude is stable, specific to the behaviour, or easily recalled.
Central Route of Persuasion
Going directly to the rational mind, influencing attitudes with evidence and logic
Peripheral Route of Persuasion
Changing attitudes by going around the rational mind and appealing to fears, desires, and associations
Foot-in-the-door Persuasion
Get them to agree to something small so that they will agree to something larger later on
Door-in-the-face Persuasion
Ask them for something large, expecting a no, so that they are more likely to agree to a smaller request
Self-Perception Theory
Believes that when we’re uncertain about our attitudes, we assume what they are by observing our behaviour.
Implicit Attitude
An attitude of which the individual is unaware
Evolutionary perspective to stereotypes
Says that we stereotype as a means of survival
Realistic Conflict theory of stereotypes
Says that the amount of conflict between groups determines the amount of prejudice between them
Social Identity Theory of Stereotypes
Says that social cognitive factors contribute to the onset of prejudice
Attributions
Judgements about causes of behaviour and outcomes
Dispositional/Internal Attributions
Belief that behaviour is caused by the persons inner traits
Situational/External Attributions
Belief that behaviour is caused by the aspects of the situation
Fundamental Attribution Error
When explaining others behaviour, we tend to underestimate the impact of situational factors and overestimate the role of dispositional factors
Actor Observer Effect
In a situation, we tend to make situational attributions about our own behaviour and dispositional attributions about the behaviour or others
Self-serving Bias
When explaining our own behaviour, we tend to use dispositional attributions for successes and situational attributions for failures
Asch Comformity Studies
Proved that 1/3 of people will agree with obvious lies to go along with the group
When are you more likely to conform?
When you are not firmly commited to one set of beliefs or style of behaviour.
The group is medium sized and unanimous
You feel positive towards the group
The group tries to make you feel incompetent, insecure, and closely watched
Your culture encourages respect for norms
Normative Social Influence
Going along with others in pursuit of social approval or belonging, and to avoid rejection
Informational Social Influence
Going along with others because their ideas and behaviours make sense, the evidence in our social environment changes our minds
Factors that increase obedience
Remoteness of victim
Closeness and legitimacy of authority
Someone else doing dirty work
When all other participants obey and no one disobeys
Personal characteristics are not important
