Chapter 3: Social Beliefs and Judgements Flashcards
What is “priming”?
Activating particular associations in memory
Priming is the awakening or activating of certain associations
How do our assumptions and preconceptions affect our perceptions?
Our preconceptions guide how we perceive and interpret information. We construe the world through belief-tinted glasses.
What is “belief perseverance”?
Persistence of one’s initial conceptions, such as when the basis for one’s belief is discredited, but an explanation of why the belief might be true continues.
What is the “misinformation effect”?
Incorporating “misinformation” into one’s memory of the event after witnessing an event and receiving misleading information about it.
What is meant by “reconstructing our past attitudes and behavior?”
When our attitudes change, we are inclined to forget out old attitudes or believe we always had our current ones.
Our memories also enable us to revise our own histories. We underreport bad behavior and overreport good behavior.
What is “intuition,” and how does that relate to controlled processing and automatic processing?
Automatic processing corresponds with iIntuition since it is effortless and without awareness.
Controlled processing is more deliberate and does not tend to rely on intuition.
What is the “overconfidence phenomenon?”
The tendency to be more confident than correct - to overestimate the accuracy of one’s beliefs.
What is “confirmation bias?”
A tendency to search for information that confirm’s one’s preconceptions.
When we are eager to verify our beliefs, but less inclined to seek evidence that might disprove them.
Appears to be a System 1 snap judgement.
What are “heuristics”?
Heuristics are simple, efficient thinking strategies.
A thinking strategy that enables quick, efficient judgements.
What are the different types of heuristics?
Can you give examples of these types?
Availability heuristic - the more easily we recall something, the more likely it seems. (e.g., population of Iraq vs. Tanzania)
Representative heuristic - Making a decision based on what the data is most representative of in our minds (e.g., Linda the bank teller)
What is Illusory correlation and control?
Illusory correlation is the perception of a relationship where non exists, or perception of a stronger relationship than actually exists.
What is meant by “regression toward the average?”
The statistical tendency for extreme scores or extreme behavior to return toward their average
How do moods affect judgement?
Good and bad moods trigger memories of experiences associated with those moods.
Moods color our interpretations of current experiences. And by distracting us, moods can also influence how deeply or superficially we think when making judgments.
What is “attribution theory?”
The theory of how people explain others’ behavior - for example, by attributing it either to internal dispositions (enduring traits, motives or attitudes) or to external situations.
What is “misattribution?”
Mistakenly attributing a behavior to the wrong source
What is the difference between dispositional and situational attribution?
Dispositional attribution is attributing behavior to the person’s disposition and traits.
Situational attribution is attributing behavior to the environment.
What is the “fundamental attribution error,” and what are some explanations of why we do this?
The tendency for observers to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences upon others’ behavior.
We make this attribution error partly because when we watch someone act, that person is the focus of our attention and the situation is relatively invisible. When we act, our attention is usually on what we are reacting to (the situation is more visible).
How do one’s expectations influence perceptions and judgements?
We find causes where we look for them. What we expect may guide our judgments and perceptions.
e.g., assuming a professor is outgoing, because we view them as a public speaker
What is a “self-fulfilling prophecy?”
A belief that leads to it’s own fulfillment
What is a “behavioral confirmation?”
A type of self-fulfilling prophecy whereby people’s social expectations lead them to behave in ways that cause others to confirm their expectations.
System 1
The intuitive, automatic, unconscious, and fast way of thinking.
Also known as automatic processing.
System 2
The deliberate, controlled, conscious, and slower way of thinking.
Also known as controlled processing.
Automatic processing
“Implicit” thinking that is effortless, habitual, and without awareness; roughly corresponds to “intuition.”
Also known as System 1
Controlled processing
“Explicit” thinking that is deliberate, reflective, and conscious.
Also known as System 2
