Psychology CHP.17

Question 1

Social Cognition

Answer 1

is a sub-topic of social psychology It focuses on the role that cognitive processes play in our social interactions.

Question 2

The Halo Effect

Answer 2

When one good quality blinds us from the other qualities. (We ignore bad traits for the good one)

Question 3

Person Perception

Answer 3

How we form opinions of others when socialising

Question 4

Appearance

Answer 4

Studies show we are influenced by physical attractiveness. There is little connection between the physical attractiveness of a person and personality traits.

Question 5

Impressions

Answer 5

We form impressions based on: how they speak, move, body language, age, gender, ethnicity, dress, culture and disability.

Question 6

Stereotypes

Answer 6

When society makes assumptions about the shared cultural background of people who have similar characteristics

Question 7

Attributions

Answer 7

Inferences we make about the cause of events, behaviour of others or own behaviour

Question 8

(Attribution type) Dispositional (internal)

Answer 8

Cause of event/behaviour is based on Traits, ability, motivation, attitude, mood, effort (personal) (TAMAME)

Question 9

(Attribution type) Situational (external)

Answer 9

Cause of event/behaviour is Based on Environmental setting, situation, luck, actions of another person (ESLA)

Question 10

Attitudes

Answer 10

Positive or negative evaluation of a person, event, object or idea(PEOI). It is learned, stable and hard to change.
Influences a persons behaviour (stronger attitude=stronger influence).
Affect how we vote, buy goods, make friends etc

Question 11

Explicit attitudes

Answer 11

When attitudes are openly expressed and behaviour matches

Question 12

Implicit attitudes

Answer 12

involuntary, uncontrollable and sometime unconscious.
e.g moths are harmless (attitude)
scream on seeing a moth (action)

Question 13

Function of Attitudes (Predisposing us by)

Answer 13

• guiding us to behave
• helping us get what we want
• saving energy because we already know how to react

Question 14

Function of Attitudes (Interpreting by)

Answer 14

• guiding interpretation
• avoid worry when faced with a new attitude object
• understand and process information

Question 15

Function of Attitudes (Evaluating by)

Answer 15

• help us stand up for out beliefs
• reflect our values
• protect self-esteem

Question 16

Note on Attitude and Behaviour

Answer 16

There is not always a relationship between attitude and behaviour.
People will behave in one way and regret it later

Question 17

Attitude Specificity

Answer 17

Specific attitudes linked to certain behaviours; eg. buying the same brand food

Question 18

Information about the attitude

Answer 18

Previous knowledge and experience usually relate to our behaviour. E.g. Brand loyalty

Question 19

Situation (Attitude specificity)

Answer 19

The specific situation we found ourselves in. E.g Smoking at a party although you quit.

Question 20

Tri-Component Model (Structure of attitudes)

Answer 20

An attitude is made up of 3 things
1. A cluster of beliefs (thought and ideas) = Cognition
2. Feelings (likes and dislikes) = Affective
3. Behaviour (actions and intentions) = Behaviour
(ABC)

Question 21

Note about structure of attitudes

Answer 21

some attitudes do not contain all three components

Question 22

Prejudice

Answer 22

a negative attitude towards a group of people, based on little or wrong information about the group it is directed to. (a feeling or behaviour)

Question 23

Discrimination

Answer 23

an action that expresses the attitude of prejudice and is often directed at an individual. (an action)

Question 24

extra info on prejudice and discrimination

Answer 24

Affective (feelings-likes + dislikes) = Prejudice
Behaviour (actions and intentions) = Discrimination
Cognition (Thought and ideas) = Prejudice

Question 25

Prejudice types

Answer 25

Prejudice type + Prejudice

• sexism=gender
• racism=ethnicity/race
• ageism=age
• homophobia=sexual preference
• disability=physical/intellectual (also mental health)

Question 26

Discrimination examples

Answer 26

Harassment – inappropriate jokes, insults etc
Reluctance to help - Reluctant to help minority groups to improve their position in society by actively refusing to assist their efforts. (bad facilities for disabled person at a workplace)
Tokenism - Publicly giving to much assistance to a minority group to avoid accusations of prejudice and discrimination. (Hiring one woman in a majority male workplace)
Reverse Discrimination - Publicly being prejudiced in favour of a minority group to deflect accusations of prejudice and discrimination. (Making a company hire a certain % of a minority group members and single them out and treat them differently.)

Question 27

Effects of Prejudice and Discrimination

Answer 27

• Low self-Esteem (e.g insults)
• Disadvantage/failure (e.g education)
• Self-fulfilling prophecies (e.g assumptions of group members influence interaction with then. They change behaviour to keep with the expectations)
• Violence or Genocide ( overt acts of prejudice, include physical harm. e.g segregation in US, Holocaust)

Question 28

Preventing and Reducing Prejudice

Answer 28

• Education
• Intergroup Contact
• Cognitive interventions (getting a psychologist to challenge their thinking)
• Superordinate Goals (working towards the same goal together)
• Direct experience

Question 29

La Piere Study

Answer 29

In the 1930’s Richard LaPiere travelled the nation with two Chinese friends and they ate at 184 restaurants and were not refused service. 6 months later he surveyed the same restaurants if they would serve Chinese people. 50% replied and 90% of them said no. Which found people who expressed prejudice but not behaved in that way.

Question 30

Fault with the La Piere Study

Answer 30

People who served him and the Chinese customers night not have been the same people who completed the survey later.