Unit 2 - Social Psychology Flashcards
Adjusting behavior or thinking toward some group standard. Ex. Face the rear, Asch study. Reasons for Conforming are Normative social influence and Informational social influence
Conformity
conform to avoid the awkwardness of not conforming, wants to fit in, even when you know you are wrong
Normative Conformity
conform to others because we believe them and think they are more accurate, convinced that the group is right and you are wrong
Informational Conformity
Influences on conformity
Size of the group
No one else dissents – are you alone or not
Confusion – guy with the hat
Public – voicing your opinion in public
Similarities – the people are like you in some ways
Authority – conform to people of higher status – again guy with the hat
Culture – individualist or collectivist
Need for acceptance – people w/ low self-esteem and high social anxiety
to be submissive to an authority. Ex. Milgram study
Obedience
Attributing behaviors to either disposition or situation (dispositional attribution or situational attribution)
Attribution theory
Overestimating disposition and underestimating situation when we evaluate other’s behavior
Fundamental attribution error
Conflict between our attitudes/beliefs and our behavior– which causes anxiety and tension. We usually resolve by bringing our attitude to match behavior.
Cognitive dissonance
The large number of people who witnessed the violent event decreased the willingness of any one individual to step in and help.
Bystander effect
Unselfish regard for the welfare of others
Altruism
improved performance in front of a crowd
Social facilitation
tendency to exert less effort when in a group
Social loafing
Loss of self-control and self-restraint in a group and anonymous (mob mentality)
Deindividuation
enhancement of groups ideas when with the group
Group polarization
You don’t speak up bc you don’t want to ruin the harmony of the group
Groupthink
Use evidence and arguments to persuade (logic)
Central route persuasion
Use superficial cues to persuade (emotions)
Peripheral route persuasion
Goes beyond anger, Physical and/or verbal behavior with INTENT to hurt/destroy
Aggression
Causes of Aggression
Genetics – genetic markers (Y chromosome)
Neurology – stimulate certain parts of brain (amygdala) and poof aggression
Biochemical – high testosterone, low serotonin, alcohol
Psychology and aggression - Frustration aggression principle (frustration causes you to get aggressive), Rewarding aggression (our society rewards aggression), Modeling aggression (kids model what they see)
An unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group
Prejudice
unjustifiable negative behavior
Discrimination
Reasons for Prejudice/discrimination
Social inequalities - justifications
In-group bias – favoring your group
Emotions and prejudice (9/11)
Scapegoat – angry need someone to blame
The mind and prejudice = Categorize, Vivid cases, Just-world phenomenon, Out-group homogeneity bias (stereotyping), Hindsight bias (I knew it all along phenomenon)
Attraction
Proximity – They were just there
Mere exposure effect – They wouldn’t go away
Attractiveness – They’re a hottie (Subjective)
Similar attitudes and interest – Opposites actually don’t attract
Romantic love — Passionate love (honeymoon phase) and Companionate love (deep, affectionate attachment)
They wouldn’t go away, repeated exposure makes us develop a sense of liking
- familiarity breeds fondness
Mere exposure effect
Favoring your group
In group bias
Frustration causes you to get aggressive
Frustration aggression principle
You are angry and need someone to blame
Scapegoat theory
Stanford Prison Experiment
the Stanford Prison Experiment was when people were assigned to be guards or prisoners, the experiment revealed how people will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play
- learned how stressful situations can rapidly effect personality
Obedience Experiment (Milgram)
- before the experiment began, Milgram believed that only those who were sadistic would go to 450 volts of shock
50% of “teachers” went to the max. Reasons - Told not dangerous, It was Yale, It appeared to be important, Were being paid, Experimenter was taking responsibility, Foot-in-the-door phenomenon. Less obedient when - Saw some else discontinue, When authority figure not in room
Asch experiment
The Asch conformity experiments consisted of a group “vision test”, where study participants were found to be more likely to conform to obviously wrong answers if first given by other “participants”, who were actually working for the experimenter.
- a decrease in conformity was produced when the majority was not unanimous in its judgement
Once you start doing something small, you are more likely to continue to something big - think Milgram experiment
Foot in the door effect
Social psychologist who ran the Stanford prison experiment about conformity
Phillip Zimbardo
Social psychologist who ran the obedience experiment at Yale University
Stanley Milgram
social psychologists who sought to understand bystander behavior. They analyzed the reactions of those who witnessed Kitty Genovese’s cries for help. From that analysis they came up with a theory (the theory of bystander effect) and tested it on students at a University. created a Model of Helping based on their study.
Bibb Darley and John Latane:
social psychologist, ran a conformity experiment (based on vision)
Solomon Asch
