Unit 4 Social Psychology

Question 1

WHAT IS ATTRIBUTION THEORY?

Answer 1

says that we explain someone’s behavior by referring to either internal attitudes or external forces
INTERNAL ATTITUDE BEHAVIOR <- EXTERNAL FORCE

Question 2

WHAT IS AN ATTITUDE?

Answer 2

beliefs that predispose our reactions to objects, people and events; Predispositions towards action; Directed toward evaluating people, things and events; include emotional reactions, thoughts and beliefs, and actions

Question 2

WILL OUR ACTIONS FOLLOW OUR ATTITUDES?

Answer 2

Our attitudes will not guide behaviors if
OUTSIDE INFLUENCES ARE POWERFUL,
THE ATTITUDE IS NOT SPECIFICALLY RELEVENT,
WE HAVE NOT INTERNALIZED OUR ATTITUDE

Question 2

Our attitudes will not guide behaviors if…

Answer 2

OUTSIDE INFLUENCES ARE POWERFUL,
THE ATTITUDE IS NOT SPECIFICALLY RELEVENT,
WE HAVE NOT INTERNALIZED OUR ATTITUDE

Question 2

OUTSIDE INFLUENCES ARE POWERFUL

Answer 2

• We change our actions to be more liked by those around us [conformity]
• We are distracted by the environment and not “self-conscious” [deindividuation]

Question 2

SUMMARIZE ASCH’S STUDY OF CONFORMITY.

Answer 2

The Ss were brought in with a group all of whom were confederates of the researcher.
The group was shown sets of lines and asked which in a set of comparison lines matches a standard
After several trials the group’s unanimous position is inconsistent with reality. The script group answered incorrectly on purpose. The real S conformed a third of the time, answering incorrectly as well.
Even when your belief is well grounded in reality you are quite likely to agree with the group in opposition to your belief (33% of the time).

Question 3

THE ATTITUDE IS NOT SPECIFICALLY RELEVANT

Answer 3

• Our attitude and behavior are both very general

- We adopted the attitude from others [conformity]

Question 3

WHAT EXPLAINS CONFORMITY?

Answer 3

Two forces make us more likely to conform with the group: NORMATIVE SOCIAL INFLUENCE & INFORMATIONAL SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Question 4

WE HAVE NOT INTERNALIZED OUR ATTITUDE

Answer 4

• The attitude is not a strongly held core belief.

- We do not have a history of behaving consistent with our attitude many times.

Question 4

When we know and are conscious of what we believe, we usually are ___ ___ ___.

Answer 4

true to ourselves

Question 5

INFORMATIONAL SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Answer 5

predicts that when we are unsure of what is true we will sometimes accept the beliefs of others as a more accurate description of reality

Question 6

conformity

Answer 6

you go along with the behavior of others even when the behavior is obviously incorrect

Question 7

NORMATIVE SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Answer 7

predicts that we will go along with the typical social action in order to gain approval and inclusion in the group

Question 8

NORMATIVE SOCIAL INFLUENCE is more likely if we

Answer 8

are made to feel less secure
admire the group
are encouraged to respect social norms
are watched closely by the group

Question 9

When we want ___ (to fit in) or ___ ___ (rejection) we become receptive to other’s opinion.

Answer 9

approval; fear disapproval

Question 10

INFORMATIONAL SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Answer 10

predicts that when we are unsure of what is true we will sometimes accept the beliefs of others as a more accurate description of reality

Question 11

INFORMATIONAL SOCIAL INFLUENCE is more likely if we

Answer 11

are made to feel incompetent
face a unanimous group
have no commitment to a belief

Question 12

When we are unsure of what is right, and when being right matters, we become receptive to ___ ___.

Answer 12

others’ opinion

Question 13

WHAT FOUR FACTORS PREDICT DEINDIVIDUATION?

Answer 13

1. ANONYMITY is the most powerful tool in deindividuating a person.
2. GROUP MEMBERSHIP leads us to focus on our role and status in the group rather than our beliefs and attitudes
3. EXTERNAL FOCUS OF ATTENTION anything that draws our attention outside of ourselves will reduce our awareness of our beliefs.
4. AROUSAL is we are feeling arousal from any source then we look for cues to identify the emotion and act in accordance.

Question 14

DEINDIVIDUATION

Answer 14

is the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint evaluation resulting in less inhibited or less restrained behavior.

Question 15

Diener suggested that we are restrained through “_____.”

Answer 15

self-awareness

Question 16

We are especially aware of

Answer 16

long term consequences,
penalties and
possible retribution

Question 17

What happens when a person is a part of a group [even] when there is no direct effort to control a person’s actions or beliefs?

Answer 17

The person starts conforming.

Question 18

When is obedience most likely?

Answer 18

the “authority” is nearby
the “authority” is perceived as a legitimate authority
the “authority” is part of a prestigious organization
the “victim” is depersonalized
the “victim” is kept separate

Question 19

ARE PEOPLE LIKELY TO BE OBEDIENT?

Answer 19

Yes

Question 20

SUMMARIZE MILGRAM’S STUDY OF OBEDIENCE.

Answer 20

1963. Obediance. Shock. The real S read a list of word pairs and then “tested” the pseudo-S memory for the list.
      Every time the pseudo-S failed to remember the associate the real S administered a punishing electric shock (some up to 400 volts).
      2/3 “killed” someone
      90% said they would be in another exp with Milgram because they learned something about themselves.

Question 21

Is there an example of disobedience?

Answer 21

No

Question 22

WHAT IS THE BYSTANDER EFFECT AND WHAT FIVE FACTORS PREDICT NON-INTERVENTION?

Answer 22

THE BYSTANDER EFFECT IS A TENDENCY FOR A BYSTANDER TO BE LESS LIKELY TO INTERVENE IF OTHER PEOPLE ARE PRESENT.

Question 23

SUMMARIZE THE DARLEY AND LATANE STUDY OF BYSTANDER INTERVENTION.

Answer 23

Darley used college students who thought they were in a “group” discussion.
The students were tested in isolation booths with earphone and microphones.
They were part of groups of 2, 3 or 6 people.
In the midst of the discussion one of the other “students” could be heard to have a seizure (the student was part of the research team and the seizure was faked).

Question 24

WHAT ARE THE FIVE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE BYSTANDER EFFECT?

Answer 24

1- DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY 
2- SOCIAL INFLUENCE 
3- AUDIENCE INHIBITION 
4- PERSONAL COST OR RISK 
5- AMBUGUITY

Question 25

DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY

Answer 25

occurs when the “total responsibility” for helping is divided or distributed across all the bystanders present. If there are more bystanders each person feels less responsibility and does not act

Question 26

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Answer 26

as each person tries to decide whether the situation is an emergency the reactions of others are used as a guide. If they are not responding then it must not be an emergency

Question 27

AUDIENCE INHIBITION

Answer 27

reduces intervention because the person fears that any help will be “wrong” or ineffective. “I can’t do CPR so I won’t help.”

Question 28

PERSONAL COST OR RISK

Answer 28

will reduce intervention if the person believes that helping will include a large “personal cost” or lots of “risk.”

Question 29

AMBUGUITY

Answer 29

of the emergency reduced the rate of intervention. If we can see a non-emergency we tend to see a non-emergency

Question 30

WILL OUR ATTITUDES FOLLOW OUR ACTIONS?

Answer 30

When we act inconsistent with our attitudes we may change our attitude to match our actions. This is due to cognitive dissonance.

Question 31

INTERNAL ATTITUDE ____ <- EXTERNAL FORCE

Answer 31

Behavior

Question 32

SUMMARIZE THE DARLEY AND BATSON STUDY OF PERSONAL COST

Answer 32

Darley and Batson (1973) recruited theology students to “record a favorite sermon.” Should future ministers be inclined to help?
The students went to one building to practice their presentation before moving to another building where the recording studio was located.
During the rehearsal the students were interrupted with one of three messages:
GROUP 1- “This is a good time to leave for the studio so that you will have plenty of time to get there early.”
GROUP 2- “You need to leave now because you will just get there on time.”
GROUP 3- “You are running late and the studio called wanting to know why you hadn’t arrived.”
On the way to the studio the students encountered a person slumped in a doorway. The person coughed weakly as the student passed. Who intervened?
Group 1 = 50%
Group 2 = 50%
Group 3 = 10%

Question 33

SUMMARIZE FESTINGER’S EXPERIMENT OF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE.

Answer 33

1957. Students performed tedious and meaningless tasks. Subjects rated these tasks very negatively. The experimenter then asked the S for a small favor. The job was to persuade the next S (who was actually a confederate) that the dull, boring task were actually interesting and engaging.
      Some subjects were paid $20 for the favor (HIGH JUSTIFICATION), another group was paid $1 (LOW JUSTIFICATION) and a control group was not asked to “work” (NO DISSONANCE). After speaking to the “next participant” the actual Ss were then asked to rate the peg-turning tasks again.
      Those in the $1 group showed a much greater degree of attitude change in favor of the tasks than those in either of the other two groups.
      Experimenters theorized that when paid only $1, students were forced to internalize the attitude they were induced to express, because they had no other justification. Those in the $20 condition had an obvious external justification for their behavior – they did it for the money.