Social Thinking and Social Influence

Question 1

What is social psychology?

Answer 1

The study of how individuals think and behave in a social situation - how others impact our behaviour

Question 2

What is culture

Answer 2

a set of evolving values, expectations and behaviour patterns. Culture is present when we arrive and is passed from one generation to the next

Question 3

Explain what an ingroup and an outgroup is

Answer 3

Ingroup - is any group in which you feel a sense of belonging

Outgroup - is any group In which you do not feel as though you belong

Question 4

what are three characteristics that help define peoples ingroup

Answer 4

• Religion
• Ethnicity
• Gender

Question 5

What is ingroup favouritism

Answer 5

situations in which we behave in ways that will improve the circumstance of our ingroup

Question 6

what are the three characteristics of groups

Answer 6

1) Group structure
2) Group cohesion
3) Norms

Question 7

Explain the characteristic group structure

Answer 7

the network of roles and power in a group

Question 8

explain the characteristic group cohesion

Answer 8

refers to the extent to which group members want to remain in the group

Question 9

explain the characteristic norms

Answer 9

the set of norms which a groups adopt. Norms are widely accepted standards on appropriate behaviours within the group

Question 10

what are the three characteristics which individuals must have within groups

Answer 10

1) Social roles
2) Social Status
3) Social power

Question 11

Explain the character: Social roles

Answer 11

a pattern of behaviour which is expected of a person in a particular social position within the group

Question 12

Explain the characteristic: social status

Answer 12

the degree of admiration and respect given to a member of the group

Question 13

What is social Cognition?

Answer 13

the process of thinking about ourselves and others in a social context

Question 14

What is social comparison

Answer 14

Making judgements about ourselves through comparison of others

Question 15

Who are we most likely to use as a comparison when we engage in social comparison

Answer 15

individuals of similar backgrounds, abilities and circumstances

Question 16

What is an attribution

Answer 16

the act of assigning cause to behaviour

Question 17

When deciding whether an attribution is internal or external, we take into consideration 2 factors, what are those factors?

Answer 17

1) Consistency - an actors behaviour is consistent, it changes very little when we observe it in relation to the same object on many different occasions

2) Distinctiveness - refers to an assessment of weather the actors behaviour occurs with others objects or targets

3) Consensus - relates to how others respond towards the same object

Question 18

What is situational attributions and why are they only made under specific circumstances? what are the circumstances they are made under

Answer 18

• situational attribution - the assumption that someones behaviour is due to their situation - high stress environment, etc
• is in cases of low constancy, people are more likely to make a specific attribution

Question 19

What is fundamental attribution error?

Answer 19

We tend to think that the actions of others have internal causes such as their personality and we often underestimate the likelihood that their actions are caused by external forces or circumstances

Question 20

What is actor-observer bias

Answer 20

refers to the fact that when we make attributions for the same action, we are more likely to ascribe others behaviour to eternal causes where as we ascribe external causes to our own behaviour

Question 21

Explain the term self-handicapping and explain how It influences our attributions

Answer 21

Self-handicapping is when a person does something to hinder their performance so they can blame it on an external cause

Question 22

Define attitude

Answer 22

Positive or negative perception of people, objects or issues

Question 23

What are the three components of an attitude

Answer 23

1) belief component
2) emotional component
3) action component

Question 24

Explain the 4 different ways attitudes can be formed

Answer 24

1) Direct contact/personal experience - attitudes can come from direct contact or personal experience with the object

2) Chance conditioning - attitudes that take place by luck or coincidence

3) Through interactions with others - Interactions with other people can help form our attitudes on certain things

4) Influence by the media - attitudes can be formed and impacted by the media

Question 25

Explain the three ways we are able to measure attitudes

Answer 25

1) Open-ended interviews - people are asked to express their attitudes on particular topics or issues

2) social distance scale - on theses scales, people say how willing they to admit members of a group to various social closeness

3) attitude scales - statements expressing various possible views on an issues

Question 26

what are the two factors which help attitude change

Answer 26

1) reference groups
2) cognitive dissonance

Question 27

what is cognitive dissonance

Answer 27

when the cognitive and behavioural aspects of an attitude are inconsistent, we are in a state of discomfort. due to humans having a need for consistency in our thoughts, inconsistency can motivate people to change their attitudes

Question 28

explain the two different situations which produces cognitive dissonance

Answer 28

1) being forced to choose between two options

2) when there Is a disconnect between the cognitive and behavioural aspects of attitudes - what we believe vs what we do

Question 29

What are the 6 ways in which cognitive dissonance can be reduced

Answer 29

1) change you’re behaviour
2) change your belief
3) de-emphasized dissonant thoughts
4) focus on consonant thoughts
5) reduce the amount of perceived choice
6) attribute the belief-behaviour mismatch to an external cause

Question 30

What is social influence

Answer 30

changes in behaviour induced by the actions of others

Question 31

Social influence can result in social facilitation or social interference, define both of those terms

Answer 31

Social Facilitation - improve the performance of others
Social Interference - Impair the performance of others

Question 32

What is the term Mere Presence

Answer 32

The tendency for people to change their behaviour just because other people are nearby

Question 33

Mere Presence can also lead to Social Loafing - what does that term mean

Answer 33

Exerting less effort when performing a task with a group then when you are alone

Question 34

What is conformity

Answer 34

matching the behaviour and appearance to perceived social norms

Question 35

Name two reasons as to why people conform

Answer 35

1) others can serve as a useful source of information
2) humans have a strong need to be accepted by our in-group

Question 36

Explain the Sherif Autokinetic Study

Answer 36

• participants watched an optical illusion light
• they were asked to tell how far or how much the light moved
• the participants would follow the lead of the other participants and internalize and believe the norm
• this study Is important in understanding how/why people go with the crowed and internalize the norm

Question 37

Explain the Asch Line Judgement Study

Answer 37

• the participants are shown three lines on a card
• they were asked to select the line that matched the “standard line”
• 6 of the participants where actors and said the wrong answer, the real participant conformed to the group and said the wrong answer even though they knew it was wrong
• this study shows that people are able to conform to a group even when they know the answer is wrong

Question 38

What are group sanctions

Answer 38

rewards and punishments administered by groups to enforce conformity among members

Question 39

what are the factors which contribute to the possibility of people conforming to group pressure (5)

Answer 39

1) personal traits
2) living in cultures that are big on group cooperation
3) more likely to conform if a group member is important to them
4) the size of the group
5) the size of majority vote

Question 40

Define “groupthink”

Answer 40

a misguided need to conform and maintain other group members approval, even at the cost of critical thinking

Question 41

What are the 5 ways in which groupthink can be minimized

Answer 41

1) define each group member’s role as a “critical evaluator” and avoid undue pressure
2) avoid revealing any personal preferences in the beginning. state the problem factually, without bias
3) invite a group member or outside expert to specifically play the role of devils advocate
4) make clear that group members will be held accountable for decisions
5) encourage open inquiry and norms that encourage and reward dissent

Question 42

What is compliance

Answer 42

refers to situations in which one person bends to the request of another person who has litter or no authority

Question 43

What is persuasion

Answer 43

is any deliberate attempt to change beliefs or behaviour through information and arguments

Question 44

Summarize the three factors which contribute for persuasion

Answer 44

1) Communication - persuasion will be more successful when the communicator is likeable, trust worthy and an expert on the topic

2) Message - persuasion will be more successful when the message appeals to emotions

3) audience - persuasion depends heavily on the audiences motivation and ability to think about the message

Question 45

What are the 4 techniques for gaining compliance

Answer 45

1) Foot in door
2) Door in face
3) Lowball
4). Nudge

Question 46

Explain the foot in the door technique

Answer 46

a person who agrees to a small request is more likely to agree to a much bigger request after

Question 47

Explain the door in the face technique

Answer 47

when a person refuses major/big request, they are likely to agree to a small request

Question 48

Explain the lowball technique

Answer 48

get someone to agree to the terms of something or an act and then change the desirability of the thing/act

Question 49

Explain the nudge technique

Answer 49

create gentle pressure that pushes people to act in accordance with your wishes

Question 50

What is obedience?

Answer 50

a special type of compliance in which one responds to the demands of an authority

Question 51

Explain the three factors which impacted weather participants complied in Milgram’s study

Answer 51

1) distance from teacher and learner - when the teacher is in the same room, 40% will obey

2) distance from authority - many view a building to be an authority figure (Yale university) when you conduct the research away from the authority, participants are less likely to conform

3) the presence of other dissenters - obedience dropped 10% when two actors playing other teachers refused to shock the learner, and dropped to just 5% when the two actors disagreed with each other

Question 52

What is a criticism of Milgram’s research

Answer 52

his experiments were unethical

Question 53

What is coercion

Answer 53

when a person is forced to change their beliefs or behaviour against their will

Question 54

what is brainwashing

Answer 54

brainwashing is forced attitude change involving a captive audience

Question 55

what is unique about the conditions under which brainwashing can occur

Answer 55

the conditions are unique in the fact that you need to have a captive audience

Question 56

why can coercion occur

Answer 56

they make the person feel completely helpless, they use physical and mental abuse, humiliation and isolation to loose former beliefs and values

Question 57

Are the changes observed during brainwashing permanent?

Answer 57

it most cases it is not permanent - once the individual leaves that environment and goes back home that retune to their original believes and values

Question 58

What is a cult

Answer 58

• a group that professes great devotion to some person and follows that person without question
• cult members are typically victimized by their leaders in various ways

Question 59

what is self-assertion

Answer 59

they act in own best interest, they express feeling, respect others, achieve goals, self-respect is maintained

• the receiver of their actions needs respect and for their feelings to be expressed - they may achieve their goals and their self-worth is maintained

Question 60

what is aggression

Answer 60

• they achieve goals at the expense of others they express their feelings but hurt others, they choose to put others down
• the receiver of the behaviour feels hurt, humiliated, taken advantage of and does not meet their own needs

Question 61

what are the three strategies which can be helpful in promoting self-assertion

Answer 61

1) rehearsing
2) role-play
3) overlearning

Question 62

what are the 4 strategies which help a team be successful

Answer 62

1) help create ground rules
2) ensure that everyone participates
3) don’t assume everyone has your knowledge
4) model the behaviour you want to see in others