Perceiving individuals: systematic processing Flashcards
What is superficial processing in forming impressions?
- first impressions tend to be formed using superficial processing
- initial impressions formed with minimal effort and thought on basis of one or two attributes- such impressions based on assumption that inner characteristics correspond directly to observed behaviour
What is systematic processing in forming impressions?
- go beyond first impression, people need to think more deeply
- integrate several attributes - combine ‘algebraically’
- requires two factors: motivation and abiltity
What is causal attributions in forming impressions?
- judgements about cause of an event or behaviour
- attributions are most likely to be made to whatever possible cause is salient and draws our attention eg loud voices
What is the research demonstrating impact of salience on attribution?
- Taylor and Fiske 1975
What did Taylor and Fiske 1975 demonstrate in the impact of salience on attribution?
- 6 pps watched conversation between two people
- arranged seating: each pp had slightly different view of others
- results: attribute greater causal role to person they directly faced
- higher rates re: dominating the interaction and dictating its tone
What are the implications of causal attributions in forming impressions?
- implications for court room proceedings: police interrogation tapes
- jurors may watch video tape of confession- video on suspect: may believe confession, video on police: may see coercion
What must occur to go beyond first impression?
people must engage in more extensive thought- particularly when trying to explain other behaviours
- Kelly (1967,1973)
What did Kelly (1967,1973) demonstrate?
Kelly’s covariation model of attribution: explains how we use social perception to attribute behaviour to internal (personality) vs external (situational) factors
What is the covariation model of attribution?
- people are motivated to make causal inferences to explain why other people and ourselves behave in a certain way
- theory assumes we have information from multiple experiences - not automatic
- people decide what attributions to make after considering the consistency, distinctiveness and consensus of a persons behaviour
What are the sources of attribution?
- consensus- do other people laugh as well?
- distinctiveness- does minna laugh at other comedians?
- consistency - does minna always laugh at this comedian?
What are attributions based on?
covariation
What are the conclusions about causes of attribution?
-high consistency, high disctinctivness and high consensus = external attribution
- low consensus, low distinctiveness and high constituency = internal attribution
- low consistency= something about time or circumstances
What occurs when using attributions to correct first impressions?
- when external factor appears to have caused behaviour, we may be motivated to correct our first impression of a person
- can discount but requires cognitive effort
What is fundamental attribution error?
- biases may still limit accuracy
- tendency to over emphasise internal explanations for behaviour of others, while failing to consider the power of situations is known as fundamental attribution error
Why do we make fundamental attribution errors?
- situation isnt salient when people make attributions for behaviour of others
-BUT- the situation is salient when making attributions for ones own behaviour - people are more inclined to take situation into account when explaining their own behaviour
What happens when using impressions?
- once impression is formed, it used as a basis for decisions and behaviours
- sometimes decisions and first impressions rest on superficial processing
- sometimes decisions about others and first impressions rest on systematic processing
How do we defend impressions?
- impressions tend to resist change
- existing impressions shape interpretation of new info in a pattern called primacy effect
-primacy vs recency - Asch’s reversal experiment
-can jurors disregard inadmissible evidence?
What is primacy and recency effect?
- primacy- first thing we hear or see
-recency- latest thing we hear or see
What is the self fulfilling prophecy in impressions?
- result of primacy effect- impressions may serve even after exposure to discrediting information, creating a perseverance bias
- the process by which people create impression-consistent behaviour is known as self fulfilling prophecy
-Rosenthal et al 1968
What did Rosenthal et al 1968 demonstrate in self fulfilling prophecy?
- providing teachers with expectations about intellectual ability of students impacts student performance
- students randomly identified as ‘bloomers’- teachers thought ‘bloomer’ designation was a result of students performance on intelligence test
- those identified as ‘bloomers’ did better at end of semester compared to others
Is fundamental change possible?
- can change when actively look for change BUT even when impressions change, original representation may still be there (conservatism)
What is Kelley’s Attribution theory defined as?
people decide what attributions to make after considering the consistency, distinctiveness and consensus of a persons behaviour
What is fundamental attribution error defined as ?
bias in attributing another behaviour more to internal than to situational causes
What is superficial processing defined as?
relying on accessible information to make inferences or judgements, while expending little effort in processing
What is systematic processing defined as?
giving thorough, effortful consideration to a wide range of information relevant to a judgement
What is causal attribution defined as?
a judgement about the cause of a behaviour or other event
What is self fulfilling prophecy defined as?
the process by which one persons expectations about another become reality by eliciting behaviours that confirm expectations
