Social Psychology Flashcards
schemata (schemas) are:
organized, interconnected mental networks of information
based on previous personal and social experiences
help process knowledge that allows you to make judgements and predict future actions
prototypes are:
more abstract than schemata
knowledge about most ideal or representative example of a particular category of people
Scripts are:
aka, event schemas
provide knowledge about appropriate sequence of behaviors in particular social situations
What is a “central trait”?
Traits that provide unique information, are associated with a late number of other characteristics, and carry more weight (i.e., “warm” vs “cold”)
Heuristics are:
mental shortcuts used when making attributions and other social judgments
types of heuristics
Representativeness
Availability
Simulation
Anchoring and Adjustment
basing judgment about likelihood something belongs to a category based on how representative they are while ignoring probability data.
Representativeness heuristic
judging likelihood or frequency of an event based on how easy it is to retrieve info about it from LT memory
Availability Heuristic
using mental simulations of event to determine likelihood that the event will happen
Simulation Heuristic
using an initial value (anchor) as basis for making judgment or estimate.
Anchoring and Adjustment
Gain-loss effect
like others who initially dislike us then change mind
needs to reflect a true “change of heart”
self-perception theory
when internal cues are insufficient or difficult to interpret, we acquire info about self by observing external behaviors and/or context
elaboration likelihood model of persuasion
Central route –> systematic processing of info
- -best when: message is interesting/important; ability to process info; listener in neutral or slightly negative mood
- -extent of attitude change depends on QUALITY of the argument
- -message is important
- -Messenger is not high status
Peripheral route –> relies on mental shortcuts (heuristics)
- -best when: listener is unmotivated due to boring or unimportant message; lacks ability to process message; listener is in a POSITIVE mood
- -attitude change depends on QUANTITY of arguments, presence of persuasive cues (attractiveness, status).
- -message is UNimportant; message appeals to FEAR
- -Messenger: high status, appealing
Cognitive Errors/Biases
Base rate fallacy Confirmation bias illusory correlation false consensus effect gambler's fallacy
Attribution Errors
Fundamental attribution error (OTHERS)
–> underestimate situational
–> overestimate dispositional
actor-observer effect (SELF) – opposite of fundamental
–>overestimate situational
–>underestimate dispositional
self-serving bias (SELF)
–> Failures: low dispositional + high situational
–> Successes: high dispositional + low situational
