Lecture Unit 3: Social psychology (2/2)

Question 1

What does social cognitive theory address?

Answer 1

addresses…
- …how people acquire knowledge and competencies

• …how people motivate and regulate their behavior

Question 2

What does the social and the cognitive mean in social cognitive theory?

Answer 2

• “Social”: acknowledges the social origins of much human thought and action
• “Cognitive: recognizes the influential contribution of cognitive processes to human motivation, affect and action

Question 3

What does social learning say about learning human behavior?

How does social learning describe the process of observational learning?

Answer 3

= most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling:

• from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and
• on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action

Question 4

What is the result of the bobo doll experiment?

Answer 4

Result:

• Children exposed to the aggressive model are more likely to act in physically aggressive ways than those who were not
• Children are more influenced by same-sex models

Question 5

What was the conclusion of the bobo doll experiment?

Answer 5

Conclusion:

• Learning not only depends on rewards or punishment (behaviorism)
• but also stems from watching somebody being rewarded or punished (observational learning)

Question 6

What are the major effects of watching televised violence=?

Answer 6

• teach novel aggressive styles of Conduct
• Weaken restraints over interpersonal aggression
• Habituation of viewers to human cruelty
• Shape public images of reality

Question 7

What are the 3 basic models of observational learning?

Answer 7

• Live model
• Verbal instructional model
• Symbolic model

Question 8

What is the modeling process?

Answer 8

• Attention
• Retention
• Reproduction
• Motivation

Question 9

What are the basic social learnig concepts?

Answer 9

• observational learning models (live model, verbal instructional model, symbolic model)
• modeling process (Attention, Retention, reproduction, motivation)
• Importance of mental state for learning process –>intrinsic reinforcement is also important
• Learning does not always result in a behavioral change

Question 10

What does Triadic reciprocal causation say about the human functioning ?

Answer 10

Human functioning is the product of a reciprocal interplay of

• personal
• behavioral and
• environmental determinants

Question 11

What is a core feature of social cognitive theory?

Answer 11

• People’s capacity to regulate their own functioning and shape the course their lives take

Question 12

What is self-efficacy in the context of social cognitive theory?

Answer 12

= refers to the confidence in one’s ability to behave in such a way as to produce a desirable outcome

Question 13

What does Festinger’s (1957) cognitive dissonance theory suggest?

Answer 13

= suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony (or dissonance)

• people are troubled by inconsistencies between their thoughts, sentinments, and actions
• this inconsistency creates an aversive emotional state (dissonance) that leads to restore consistency

Question 14

What troubles people according to the cognitive dissonance theory?

Answer 14

• people are troubled by inconsistencies between their thoughts, sentinments, and actions
• this inconsistency creates an aversive emotional state (dissonance) that leads to restore consistency

Question 15

How is dissonance expiericend and how can it be reduced?

Answer 15

• Dissonance is experienced as an unpleasant drive and needs to be reduced

Reduction:

• occurs by changing the cognition least resistant to change or
• by adding cognitions that minimize the perceived magnitude of the discrepancy

Question 16

What is the “new look model of dissonance about?

Answer 16

= is about modifiers of dissonance

Question 17

What does the new look model of dissonance suggest?

Answer 17

=it suggests that dissonance begins with a behavior and in order for that behavior to lead to a cognitive or attitude change, two stages are necessary:

• Dissonance Arousal and
• Dissonance Motivation

Question 18

What does the New Look model state, when does dissounace occur?

Answer 18

occurs:

• but only if the actions are freely chosen
• but only if the actor is committed to the discrepant cognition
• but only if there is an aversive event following the dissonance
• but only if the aversive consequences are foreseeable
• but only if…

Question 19

New Look model
When does dissonance arousal occur? (new look model)

Answer 19

occurs when people take responsibility for bringing about an aversive event

Question 20

What are the necessary decision points for a behavior to bring about dissonance arousal?

Answer 20

• A behavior has to be perceived to have an unwanted consequence
• Acceptance of personal responsibility for the consequences of the behavior is needed.

Question 21

The new look model

What is the combination that defines personal responsibility in the context of dissonance arousal?

Answer 21

• Responsibility is a combination of freely choosing the behavior in question and
• the ability to foresee the consequences of that behavior

Question 22

New Look Model: dissonance

What note is given about decision freedom and acceptance of responsibility?

Answer 22

Decision freedom is necessary, but it is not sufficient to lead to acceptance of responsibility.

Question 23

What is the criticism on the new look model??

Answer 23

• Inconsistency with the self is sufficient to produce dissonance,
• making the New Look’s insistence on aversive consequences unnecessary

Question 24

What is the “self`”? (Vicarious dissonance theory)

Answer 24

= the self is both personal and social: one’s personal characteristics and one’s interconnectedness with others and with social groups

Question 25

What is the theory of vicarious dissonance?

Answer 25

= considers the meaning of group membership and its impact on dissonance

• Effect of one group member’s counterattitudinal advocacy on the attitudes and behaviors of other members of one’s group (use of social identity theory)
• Dissonance aroused in one group member could cause other group members to experience dissonance vicariously (indirect) and result in attitude change by the other members of the social group

Question 26

How can dissonance in one group member affect other group members? (Vicarious dissonance theoy

Answer 26

• Dissonance aroused in one group member could cause other group members to experience dissonance vicariously and
• result in attitude change by the other members of the social group

Question 27

What is attachment theory?

Answer 27

= is one of the leading approaches to research on social relationships, personality processes and the psychodynamic nature of the human mind

Question 28

What athe the findings based on animal research in the attachment theoryß

Answer 28

• The human infant‘s bond with its mother is a result of a fundamental instinctual behavioral system and not of classical conditioning based on feeding

Question 29

? what is a attachment?

Answer 29

• Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space
• Attachment does not have to be reciprocal

Question 30

What are the 3 attachment types?

Answer 30

• secure
• avoidant
• anxious

Question 31

How long are attachment systems active and when are the most frequently used?

Answer 31

• Attachment systems are active across the lifespan
• and are most frequently manifested when a person seeks support, affection or protection from a close relationship partner

Question 32

Why does Attachment matter?

On what effect does the repeated experiences of attachment figures have a impact on?

Answer 32

Repeated experiences of attachment-figure availability have enduring effects on

• intrapsychic organization
• and interpersonal behavior

Question 33

“Why does attachment matter:”

What is the inttrapsychic level?

Answer 33

• Positive experiences of attachment-figure availability serve as resilience resources
• resulting in positive working models of self and others that ultimately bolster a person’s mood and coping capacity

Question 34

Why does attachment matter:

What is the interpersonal level?

Answer 34

• Experiences influence the development of skills and attitudes associated with a secure attachment style
• which ultimately facilitates the formation of harmonious relationships

Question 35

How do good relationships with attachment figures contribute to stable mental health?

as a result of good relationships with attachment figures

Answer 35

• As a result of good relationships with attachment figures,
• Secure people remain relatively unperturbed (unbeeindruckt) in times of stress
• Experience longer periods of positive affectivity

–> which contributes to a stable mental health