Development and Social Psychology Extra Notes Flashcards
examples of attributions ? (hint: 4)
- explanations
- excuses
- inferences we draw about causes of events and behaviours
- involve determining causes of people’ behaviour
why do we make attributions?(hint: 4)
-strong need to understand/make sense of events, experiences, behaviour, actions)
when do we make attributions?(hint:4)
- unusual events
- when events have personal consequences
- when others behave in unexpected ways
- when suspicious about another’s behaviour
Heider 1958 how do we explain behaviour? (hint: 2 factors)
-locate cause of behaviour either within a person (personal factors) or outside a person (environmental/situational factors)
Jones&Davis(1965), Kelley(1967) how do we explain behaviour? (hint: 2 factors)
- internal (personal dispositions,traits,abilities, feelings)
- external (situational demands, environmental constraints)
what kind of attribution do you make if you attribute the cause of behaviour to something within? i.e personality
- internal attribution
- we make a DISPOSITIONAL ATTRIBUTION
what kind of attribution do you make if you attribute the cause of behaviour to something outside the person we observe? i.e situation
- external attribution
- we make a SITUATIONAL ATTRIBUTION
whether behaviour is the same over time is considering what kind of information?
consistency
considering whether behaviour is unique to specific entity is considering what kind of information?
distinctiveness
considering whether other people in the same situation respond similarly is considering what kind of information?
consensus
example of low consensus with an internal attribution? (car example)
- very few car accidents at that time
example of high consistency with an internal attribution (car example)
- my friend has many car accidents
example of low distinctiveness with an internal attribution (car example)
-my friend has accidentals under many different conditions
example of high consensus with an external attribution (car example)
-many car accidents at that time
example of high consistency with an external attribution (car example)
-my friend has car accidents
example of high distinctiveness with external attribution (car example)
-my friend has accidents only under wet conditions
How do we explain our own (and others’) successes and failures? Weiner 1972
(hint: 4)
- internal/external
- stable/unstable
How do people with high self-esteem attribute their successes and failures?
- success attributed to internal causes (their own skill/ability)
- failures attributed to external causes (bad luck)
how do people with low self-esteem attribute successes and failures?
- success attributed to external causes (good luck)
- failures attributed to internal causes (own lack of skill or capability)
what is actor-observe bias?
- attribute behaviour of others to internal traits, but our own behaviour to situation variables
- fundamental attribution error
what is self-serving bias?
- attribute success to disposition
- attribute failures to situations
what are defensive attributions?
-attribute blame to victims for their misfortune
potential distorting effects of the confirmation bias?
- personal involvement with a specific theory
- overemphasize consistent data
- downplay/ignore inconsistent data
- design study to favor confirmation of theory
- report only consistent data
safeguards against sources of distortion?
- skepticism (high rejection rates of journals)
- non supporters attempt to replicate results
- researcher’s own awareness of confirmation bias/effects
distorting the perception of one’s behaviour relative to other’s is an example of ?
cognitive biases
what is comparative optimism?
- a cognitive bias
- helps maintain feelings of safety
what is false consensus?
- a cognitive bias
- helps maintain a sense of self-esteem
- overestimate how much other people agree with self
what is false polarization?
- a cognitive bias
- helps maintain view of self as more reasonable than those who would disagree
what is conformity?
- human social behaviour and beliefs are:
- homogeneous within groups
- heterogeneous between groups
- tendency to follow others in attitudes or behaviours
why do people conform?
- unsure of situation
- low group status
- lack info
- behaviour is public
positive aspect of conformity?
- allows individuals to feel connected
- society runs more smoothly
yielding to social pressure in public behaviour even though private behaviours have not changed is an example of?
compliance
what is groupthink
- compliance
- results in hesitation to dissent in order to preserve solidarity
what is group polarization
- compliance
- group discussion causes members to shift to more extreme positions
three examples of compliance techniques?
- foot in the door
- door in the face
- low ball
what is the foot in the door compliance technique
-start with a small request
-follow with large one
Example (sign this petition, now donate??)
door in the face compliance technique?
-start with large request, follow with small one that was desired the whole time)
(donate 1000$, or just 10$?)
low-ball compliance technique?
-make attractive initial offer
-after commitment, make terms less good
(person agrees to buy car, sales person says price was marked wrong)
what is obedience?
- form of compliance
- follow direct commands
- usually from someone in position of authority
how did stanley milgram test obediance to authority?
-shock experiment
how did obedience reduce in milgrams experiment?
- when teacher can see learner
- teacher holds learners hand to shock plate
- experimenter leaves
