Unit 1: The Power of the Social Flashcards
What is social psychology?
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate* to one another in a social context.*
It investigates social behavior, attitudes, perceptions, and motives.
How does social psychology differ sociology?
Social psychology focuses on the influence of social contexts on individual behavior, whereas sociology looks at large-scale social structures.
What is ‘construal’ in social psychology?
Construal refers to how individuals interpret and make sense of social situations based on their own experiences and beliefs.
What are the main research methods used in social psychology?
- Naturalistic observation,
- correlational studies,
- experiments,
- surveys,
- interviews and focus groups,
- and archival research.
What is the difference between ecological validity and internal validity?
Ecological validity refers to how well a study’s findings apply to real-life situations, while internal validity refers to the extent to which a study can establish a cause-effect relationship between variables.
What is a representative sample, and why is it important?
A representative sample is a subset of a population that accurately reflects its diversity, ensuring that study results can be generalized to the broader population.
What is social influence?
Social influence refers to how the presence, words, and actions of others affect an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
What is social cognition?
Social cognition explores how people think about themselves and the social world, including the use of mental shortcuts and social categorization.
What are schemas in social psychology?
Schemas are mental frameworks that help individuals organize and interpret information, influencing perception and contributing to stereotypes.
What is the role of attitudes in social psychology?
Attitudes shape how we think and feel about people, objects, and ideas, influencing behavior.
What was Asch’s (1951) conformity experiment about?
Asch studied how individuals conform to group judgments, even when they are clearly incorrect.
In controlled groups the accuracy of conformity was 99%.
What is normative social influence vs. informational social influence?
Normative social influence is conforming to fit in, while informational social influence is conforming because one believes the group has the correct answer.
What was the aim of Milgram’s (1963) obedience study?
Milgram investigated whether people would obey authority figures even when asked to perform actions conflicting with their morals.
What factors affected the results in the Milgram’s (1963) obedience study?
- Proximity of the learner: Obedience was highest when the learner was in another room.
- Proximity of the authority figure: Obedience decreased when the experimenter was absent.
- Legitimacy of authority: A lab coat and Yale University affiliation increased obedience.
- ** Gradual escalation:** Participants justified their actions due to the incremental nature of the shocks.
What were the results of Milgram’s study?
Participants believed they were in a memory experiment, assigned the role of ‘teacher’ to administer shocks to a ‘learner’ for incorrect answers.
65% of participants administered the highest voltage; many hesitated but continued when instructed by the experimenter.
What was Zimbardo’s (1971) Stanford prison experiment about?
The study investigated how social roles and situational factors influence behavior by simulating a prison environment.
What were the main findings of Zimbardo’s experiment?
Participants quickly adopted their roles; guards became authoritarian, and prisoners became submissive.
