Module 56 -Social Psychology

Question 1

Social psychology:

Answer 1

Branch of psychology that studies how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Question 2

Social Thinking

Answer 2

• Social behavior arises from social cognition.
• How we think (cognition) about others determines our
  behavior toward them.
• We often analyze why a person is behaving a certain way.
• We may think someone acts a certain way due to their personality (enduring traits) or we may think their actions reflect current circumstances.

Question 3

Fundamental Attribution Error

Answer 3

Dispositional Attributions and Situational Ones.
- The result is that we are more likely to “blame” a person for the behavior (attribute it to their character), rather than to situational factors.

Question 4

Fundamental Attribution Error

Answer 4

Occurs across all cultures but more so in individualistic ones (more emphasis on unique personality)

Question 5

Fundamental Attribution Error

As for ourselves

Answer 5

Because we are not a stranger to ourselves, we tend to make situational attributions.

Question 6

The effects of Attribution

Answer 6

How we explain someone’s behavior affects how we react to them.

Question 7

Attitudes & Actions

Answer 7

Social thinking also includes our attitudes.

Question 8

Attitudes & Actions

How are attitudes formed?

Answer 8

1. Persuasion
2. Our Own Behaviour
3. Role Play

Question 9

Persuasion

Answer 9

a) Central route persuasion: based “deep” thoughtful analysis of facts presented. Produces stable attitude and more likely to affect behavior consistently.
b) Peripheral route persuasion: Superficial. Based on incidental cues not facts. Example, attractiveness of the speaker.

Question 10

Our Own Behavior:

Answer 10

Attitudes guide behavior, but how we behave shapes our attitudes!

Question 11

Foot in the Door Phenomenon:

Answer 11

tendency for people who have agreed to a small request to comply later to a larger one.

Question 12

Role Playing:

Answer 12

The roles we play in life, shape our attitudes. We take on attitudes consistent with the behavior demanded by the role (good or bad).

Question 13

Cognitive Dissonance Theory:

Answer 13

We experience discomfort (dissonance) when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent, when we are aware that our action is not consistent with our attitudes.

Question 14

Attitude:

Answer 14

• A belief and feeling that predisposes a person to respond in a particular way to objects, other people, and events.
• If we believe a person is mean, we may feel dislike for the person and act in an unfriendly manner.