CHAPTER 2

Question 1

▫Describe different automatic social cognitive processes

Answer 1

Operant Learning - Increasing/decreasing events based on reinforcements and punishments.

Associational Learning - Associating object/event with a response (e.g. behavior, emotion), involves transference

Observational Learning - Learning through watching and seeing others’ behavior. (Learning from others’ experience of rewards/punishments(Vicarious reinforcement), Mimicking others’ behaviour)

Question 2

▫Define “schema” and “script”

Answer 2

Schema- Mental structure we use to coordinate information. Map of things in our brain.

Script- Procedural schema in your mind that guides what you think is normative behaviour in any given situation.

Question 3

▫Understand how schemas affect the way we process information

Answer 3

Nonconscious
Unintentional
Involuntary
Effortless
Schemas also affect how we process information in three ways :
1.More easily link targets with associated information
2.Apply schemas to “fill-in-the-blanks” about our world
3.Schemas direct our attention to information that conforms to our expectations.

Question 4

▫Describe why some schemas are more accessible than others

Answer 4

1. Longterm mentality - Chronically thinking about something for a long time.
2. Work in progress - Thinking about it all the time so at that moment you access it.
3. Priming your brain - When something unique happens right before the moment in question.

Question 5

▫Define and describe different heuristics

Answer 5

Availability heuristic –Judging based on the ease with which something relevant comes to mind.

Representativeness heuristic –Classifying something according to how similar it is to a typical case

Affect heuristic – Making judgments based on reliance on one’s affect

Anchor and adjustment heuristic –Overreliance on initial numerical information as a reference point

Question 6

How do schemas effect how we process information in three ways?

Answer 6

1. More easily link targets with associated information
2. Apply schemas to “fill in the blanks” about our world
3. Schemas direct our attention to information that confirms to our expectations.

Question 7

▫Describe various controlled processes

Answer 7

Conscious
Intentional
Voluntary
Effortful

Question 8

▫Describe various controlled processes

Answer 8

Overconfidence bias- tendency to overestimate our abilities, skills, judgments, different aspects of the self

Optimistic bias
▪You = good things
▪Other people = bad things
▪Why it’s beneficial:
▫More effective coping strategies for stress
▫Generally better health outcomes

Question 9

▫Understand the positive outcomes associated with the optimistic bias

Answer 9

Optimistic bias
▪You = good things
▪Other people = bad things
▪Why it’s beneficial:
▫More effective coping strategies for stress
▫Generally better health outcomes

Question 10

▫Explain the relationship between the overconfidence barrier, optimistic bias, and the planning fallacy

Answer 10

lecture 8