Intro + Dual Processing Flashcards
Social Agent
Definition: A social agent is an entity, typically a person, that actively participates in and influences social interactions, possessing goals, intentions, and the capacity to understand and respond to the actions of others.
Explanation: Imagine a game of chess. Each player is a social agent, anticipating their opponent’s moves and strategizing accordingly. Social agents are not passive; they actively shape the social landscape through their choices and actions.
Dyadic/Triadic interactions
Definition: Dyadic interactions involve two individuals, while triadic interactions involve three, each impacting the dynamics and communication patterns significantly.
Explanation: Imagine two friends discussing a movie (dyad). Adding a third friend changes the conversation, potentially introducing new perspectives or conflicts (triad). The number of participants alters the power dynamics and communication flow.
Consistency Seeker model
Definition: The Consistency Seeker model posits that individuals are motivated to reduce inconsistencies between their cognitions, emotions, and behaviors, striving for internal harmony.
Explanation: Imagine a scale: If beliefs and actions clash (e.g., believing in environmentalism but driving a gas-guzzler), the discomfort motivates change, either adopting eco-friendly habits or adjusting beliefs. This drive for consistency shapes our judgments and actions.
Naive scientist model
Definition: The naive scientist model posits that individuals act as intuitive scientists, actively gathering and analyzing information to form causal explanations of their social world.
Explanation: Like scientists forming hypotheses, we actively seek information to understand others’ behavior. For example, we observe someone’s actions and look for patterns to determine their personality traits or motivations. This contrasts with models suggesting we are more passive in our social cognition.
Cognitive miser model
Definition: The cognitive miser model proposes that humans use the least amount of cognitive resources necessary to make social judgments, prioritizing efficiency over accuracy.
Explanation: Imagine you’re at a party. Instead of deeply analyzing every person, you use mental shortcuts (heuristics) to quickly form impressions. This saves mental energy, though it may lead to biases.
Motivated tactician model
Definition: The motivated tactician model posits that individuals strategically utilize both efficient, automatic cognitive processes and more deliberate, controlled processes depending on their goals and the demands of the situation.
Explanation: Imagine a chef: for familiar dishes, they rely on automatic skills (X-system). For complex, new creations, they engage in careful planning (C-system). This reflects how we flexibly use cognitive resources based on our motivations and situational context.
Activated actor model
Definition: The activated actor model posits that social cognition is a dynamic interplay between automatic and controlled processes, where the context activates specific cognitive resources.
Explanation: Imagine a chef: Automatic processes (X-system) are like their ingrained knife skills; controlled processes (C-system) are like consulting a recipe. The ‘activated’ part means the situation dictates which skills are needed most.
Mentalism
Definition: Mentalism is the theoretical stance that internal mental states, such as beliefs, desires, and intentions, are causally efficacious in explaining human behavior.
Explanation: Imagine trying to understand why someone chose a certain ice cream flavor. A mentalist approach would focus on their preferences (beliefs about taste) and desires (wanting a refreshing treat). This contrasts with purely behavioral explanations that ignore internal states.
WEIRDs
Definition: WEIRDs refers to participants from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic societies, whose overrepresentation in psychological research limits the generalizability of findings to other populations.
Explanation: Imagine studying problem-solving only with chess champions. WEIRD participants, while convenient, aren’t representative of humanity’s diversity, potentially skewing our understanding of social cognition across cultures. Findings need to consider this sampling bias.
Dual modes
Definition: Dual modes refer to the two distinct processing styles, automatic and controlled, that humans use to navigate social situations, characterized by differences in speed, efficiency, and conscious awareness.
Explanation: Imagine a spectrum: on one end, quick, gut reactions (automatic); on the other, slow, deliberate thinking (controlled). We shift between these modes depending on the situation’s demands and our cognitive resources. For example, automatically smiling at a friend versus carefully crafting a response to a complex question.
Continuous modes
Definition: Continuous modes refer to the seamless and integrated operation of cognitive processes, where automatic and controlled processes blend without distinct phases.
Explanation: Imagine a skilled driver: they automatically steer and brake (automatic processes), but consciously navigate complex intersections (controlled processes). This integrated, fluid processing is a continuous mode.
Unimode model
Definition: The unimode model posits that the same cognitive processes underlie both automatic and controlled social cognition, differing only in the depth and speed of processing.
Explanation: Imagine a car: automatic processes are like driving on autopilot (fast, effortless), while controlled processes are like navigating a complex route using a map (slower, more deliberate). Both use the same engine (cognitive system), but operate at different levels of engagement.
Cognitive efficiency
Definition: Cognitive efficiency refers to the brain’s capacity to process information accurately and swiftly while minimizing cognitive resources.
Explanation: Imagine your brain as a computer; cognitive efficiency is like having a fast processor that uses minimal energy. It involves using mental shortcuts (heuristics) and relying on automatic processes to handle routine tasks, freeing up resources for more complex problems.
Social flexibility
Definition: Social flexibility is the capacity to adjust one’s social behavior and cognitive processes to different social contexts and demands.
Explanation: Imagine a chameleon changing its colors to blend in with its surroundings. Similarly, socially flexible individuals adapt their communication style, emotional expression, and even their thinking patterns to fit various social situations, demonstrating effective social navigation.
Automatic processes (X-system)
Definition: Automatic processes (X-system) refer to mental operations performed unconsciously and effortlessly, influencing our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors without deliberate control.
Explanation: Imagine driving a familiar route, you’re not consciously thinking about each turn; it’s automatic. Similarly, X-system processes like implicit biases operate outside awareness, shaping judgments and actions swiftly. This contrasts with the slower, more deliberate C-system.
Controlled processes (C-system)
Definition: Controlled processes (C-system) are slow, deliberate, and conscious cognitive operations that require significant mental effort and are highly flexible.
Explanation: Imagine trying to solve a complex math problem. Unlike automatic processes, this requires focused attention and conscious effort, drawing on your working memory and executive functions to reach a solution. It’s the opposite of the X-system’s quick, intuitive responses.
Cognitive prime
Definition: A cognitive prime is an implicit memory effect in which exposure to one stimulus influences the response to another stimulus.
Explanation: Imagine a word puzzle where seeing the word “ocean” makes you faster at solving words related to water. The initial exposure to “ocean” primes your cognitive system, making related concepts more accessible. This happens outside of conscious awareness.
Affective prime
Definition: An affective prime is an affective stimulus presented before a target stimulus, influencing the processing and evaluation of that target.
Explanation: Imagine tasting a delicious chocolate before rating a new wine. The chocolate’s pleasant taste (the prime) might make you rate the wine more favorably than you otherwise would, even if the wine itself is only average. This is because the affective prime pre-activates positive feelings that carry over.
Behavioral prime
Definition: A behavioral prime is a preceding stimulus that subtly influences subsequent behavior without conscious awareness.
Explanation: Imagine a subtle scent of baking bread making you more likely to help someone. The smell (prime) unconsciously activates associated behavior (helping), illustrating how primes shape actions.
Proceduralization
Definition: Proceduralization is the process by which initially controlled cognitive processes become automatic and effortless through repeated practice and experience.
Explanation: Imagine learning to ride a bike. Initially, it requires conscious effort and concentration. With practice, balancing and pedaling become automatic, freeing up cognitive resources for other tasks. This shift from controlled to automatic processing is proceduralization.
Goal-directed automaticity
Definition: Goal-directed automaticity refers to the ability of automatic processes to be flexibly deployed in the service of current goals.
Explanation: Imagine learning to drive. Initially, each action requires conscious effort. With practice, shifting gears becomes automatic, yet you can still consciously override it if needed, demonstrating goal-directed control over even automated processes. This flexibility is key to goal-directed automaticity.
B.U.C(K).E.T (Belonging, Understanding, Controlling, Enhancing self, Trusting in-group)
Definition: B.U.C(K).E.T. is a mnemonic representing five fundamental human need; Belonging, Understanding, Controlling, Enhancing the self, and Trusting the in-group, that significantly influence social cognition and behavior.
Explanation: Imagine a bucket needing to be filled. Each component of B.U.C(K).E.T. represents a vital element. If one is lacking (e.g., a lack of belonging), the entire sense of well-being and social interaction is affected. This model highlights the interconnectedness of these needs in shaping our social perceptions and actions.
Experience-sampling
Definition: Experience-sampling is a research method that involves repeatedly collecting data from participants at random moments throughout their daily lives, providing a real-time snapshot of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Explanation: Imagine a researcher texting you throughout the day, asking about your current emotional state or social interaction. This method captures naturally occurring events, reducing recall bias common in retrospective studies. It’s particularly useful for understanding the dynamic interplay of social cognition in everyday life.
Random probes
Definition: Random probes are a research method in social cognition where participants are unexpectedly asked to report their thoughts and feelings at random intervals.
Explanation: Imagine a researcher unexpectedly pinging you throughout the day to describe your current thoughts. This method captures real-time mental processes, offering a less biased view than structured methods like think-aloud protocols. It’s particularly useful for understanding spontaneous social cognition.
Think aloud
Definition: Think-aloud protocols involve verbalizing one’s thoughts and reasoning processes while performing a task, providing insights into cognitive strategies.
Explanation: Imagine solving a puzzle. A think-aloud protocol would be you describing your thought process. “I see a blue piece…it might fit here…no, let’s try the red one.” This reveals your problem-solving approach, useful in understanding social cognition processes.
Naturalistic social cognition
Definition: Naturalistic social cognition examines social cognition in real-world settings, emphasizing the dynamic interplay between individuals and their environments.
Explanation: Unlike lab studies, naturalistic social cognition observes how people think and interact in everyday life. Imagine studying how people form impressions at a party versus in a controlled experiment; the party offers a richer, more nuanced understanding of social cognition in action.
Role play participation
Definition: Role play participation is an active learning strategy where individuals assume specific roles to simulate real-world social interactions, enhancing understanding of social dynamics and cognitive processes.
Explanation: Imagine a courtroom drama; each participant embodies a character (witness, lawyer, etc.) to experience the interplay of perspectives and decision-making. This mirrors how we navigate social situations by mentally simulating others’ roles, enriching our social cognition.
Categories of thought (Operant vs. Respondent, Stimulus dependent vs. Stimulus independent)
Definition: Categories of thought are classified based on whether they are learned through operant or respondent conditioning and whether their activation depends on the presence of specific stimuli.
Explanation: Imagine learning to fear dogs (respondent) versus learning to fetch a ball (operant). Respondent thoughts are automatic, triggered by stimuli, while operant thoughts are learned through reinforcement and may not require specific stimuli for activation. This relates to automatic vs. controlled processes.
Impression formation (Evaluation of others)
Definition: Impression formation is the process by which individuals perceive, organize, and interpret information about others to form judgments and evaluations.
Explanation: Imagine meeting someone new. You observe their behavior, listen to their words, and note their appearance. You then integrate these observations to create an overall impression, positive, negative, or neutral, influencing your subsequent interactions. This is impression formation.
Attribution (Evaluation of causes)
Definition: Attribution refers to the cognitive process of inferring the causes of events, behaviors, and outcomes, shaping our understanding of ourselves and others.
Explanation: Imagine a friend failing an exam. You might attribute this to lack of preparation (internal cause) or an unfair exam (external cause). Attributions are crucial for navigating social interactions and forming impressions, but are also prone to biases like the fundamental attribution error.
Attitudes (Evaluation of objects)
Definition: Attitudes represent learned, global evaluations of objects, ranging from positive to negative, influencing our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward those objects.
Explanation: Think of attitudes as pre-set mental stances towards things. For example, a positive attitude towards chocolate might lead you to crave it, buy it, and enjoy it, while a negative attitude towards spiders might trigger fear and avoidance.
