Socialpsykologi Flashcards
Schema
A schema is a cognitive structure that allows us to understand and perceive a concept or type of stimulus with only a limited amount of information. It uses previous experience and knowledge to ‘paint a picture’ and is based on concepts and theory; a top-down approach of processing information.
Other definition:
Mental framework that helps us organize and interpret information.
Helps us because:
We remember easier.
Process information faster.
Creates expectations, preparing for what to come.
Facilitates response time and automatic behavior.
Factors that affect schemas:
Salience
Temporary Accessibility
Chronic accessibility
Prototype
An unspecific abstract representation of a category that captures the essence of said category.
Attribution theory
A theory regarding how we attribute cause for an event or behavior.
Dispositional attribution
The cause for a behavior comes from an intrinsic characteristic. A person behaved aggressively because they are intrinsicly aggressive.
Situational attribution
The cause for a behavior comes from an eliciting trigger in a situation. A person behaved aggressively because they were provoked by something in a situation.
Attribution
Judgement about the cause of behavior and outcomes
Correspondence Bias/ Fundamental attribution error
Underestimating the situation’s influence and overattribute the cause to personal charactheristics when explaining people’s behavior.
Self-serving bias
Tendency to attribute failures or negative behavior to situational factors and success or positive behavior to personal factors.
Primacy effect
We tend to attach more importance to the initial information we receive about a person.
Mental set
A readiness to perceive a situation or stimulus in a certain way.
Stereotype
A generalized belief of a group of people.
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Based on an erroneous impression, we act a certain way towards others that brings about the expected behavior, effectively confirming our initial impression.
Attitude
A positive or negative evaluative reaction towards a stimulus, such as a person/object/event
Might have two initial components:
Thought about the object.
Feeling/Affect about the object.
Leads to a mental intention or readiness towards the object.
Third final component is acting on the attitude.
Theory of planned behavior
Our intention to act in a way is strongest when we have a positive attitude towards the behavior, we feel that norms support that behavior and we feel that behavior is under our control.
Factors that affect attitude-guided behavior
Whether we are aware of them and whether the attitude and behavior are general or specific.
Theory of cognitive dissonance
We strive for consistency in our cognitions.
Self-perception theory
We make inferences about our own attitudes based on our behavior.
Persuasion
Three factors:
- Communicator - How credibile and believeable we perceive the communicator to be. Two components: expertise and trustworthiness.
- The message: Two-sided refutational approach is better. Makes it seem less biased. Moderate fear provocation with reasonable means to reduce threats is more effective.
- The audience:
Some people appeal to a more direct persuasion route:
Taking in the message and scrutinizing it’s contents.
Others like the peripheral route to persuasion:
Taking in secondary factors such as the communicators qualities and the message’s emotional appeal.
Social norms
The shared ideas about how we should feel, behave and react. This holds the society together.
Social role
Consists of a set of rules of how a person should act in social contexts given their social position.
Role conflict
When our social roles conflict, and we have to act in ways that contradict one role in order to fulfill another.
Conformity
The adjustment of individual behaviors, attitudes and beliefs to a group standard.
Informational social influence
Following other’s judgement and behavior because we deem them to be better informed and expert on the issue.
Normative social influence
Conforming to a group in order to receive the rewards of being accepted and avoiding the consequences of being rejected.
Factors that affect conformity
Group size: Increase from 1 to 4/5 members increases conformity. Further increments to group size do not yield more conformity.
Presence of dissenter: If there is someone else that dissents (disagrees) then conformity decreases. This serves as a model to remain independent from the group.
Factors that affect obedience
Remoteness of victim. If the victim is further away, obedience is higher.
Closeness and legitimacy of the authority figure:
Higher obedience when a perceived expert who is close to us gives us orders.
Diffusion of responsibility: If we experience a lack of responsibility for our actions, we are more obedient.
Personal characteristics: Does not really affect.
Norm of reciprocity
When others treat us well, we feel we are expected to do the same.
Door in the face technique
Requesting a big favor, then when declined asking for a smaller one.
Foot in the door technique
Asking for a small favor and then asking for a bigger on later on.
Social loafing / Free Rider effect
The tendency for people to exert less individual effort when working a group compared to alone.
This is because the individuals relax. Also because of diffusion of responsibility. Also because it is unclear what is expected and what the standard is. Also because of different levels of motivation and standard. Also because of anonymity.
Prevented by individual monitoring and by valuing the goals. Also by clearly stating the responsibility, giving roles. Rewarding good contribution clearly. Everyone should know who has done what.
Social compensation
Working harder in a group than alone to reach a valued goal in order to compensate for other group member’s lower output.
Group polarization
When a group of like-minded people discuss an issue their average opinion will be more extreme.
Groupthink
Suspending critical thinking in order to strive for agreement. Arises because of a strive for consensus and the evaluation of ideas becomes less important.
Discussing common ideas and further reinforcing them rather than looking for new unique ideas. Meetings reinforce rather than evaluate new ideas.
Isolated
Mindguards
Unity.
Antidotes:
- Impartial leaders
- Discussions and eventual decisions made in subgroups (if all groups come to the same decision, it’s a good decision, also smoothes out group polarization)
- Assign an opponent to the group
- Bring in advice from outside experts.
Perceiver readiness
What our perception is ready to see. Is based on past experiences, values, goals, memories and needs. The accessibility of our categorization.
If a woman has been around athletics all her life, she might be more prone to make categorizations based on activity level and engage in behavioral processes that align with the category of “physically active woman”. If she has had positive experiences with engaging in physical activity with women rather than mixed gender contexts, she might seek out groups of women who are active and also make salient the category of “physically active woman”.
Mind guards
Self-appointed guards that shield the group from negative incoming information.
Deindividuation
People who are in a crowd may experience this phenomena that causes them to lose their sense of individuality and thus leads to disinhibited behavior.
Anonymity to outsiders is a key aspect.
Mere exposure effect
Merely seeing a stimulus increases our liking for it.