Week 5- Key Motives & Psychological Defense Flashcards
Who is Leon Festinger?
“Founder of social psych”
Archeology
History
Empathized EXPERIMENTAL & REAL-WORLD observation
Interested in DEEPLY-HELD beliefs
What is the cult Leon Festinger joined?
What was the cult about?
The Doomsday cult called “The Seekers”
Highly indoctrinated group
December 21st 1954
Great flood, would be saved by a flying saucer
What happened that night for the prophecy?
Group switched from highly secretive to urgent proselytizing
When their beliefs were DISCONFIRMED they believed them EVEN MORE (nothing happened that night)
What is cognitive dissonance theory?
People troubled by INCONSISENCY b/w their thoughts, feelings and actions
As a result of UNPLEASANT emotional state/dissonance
People are then MOTIVATED to REDUCE dissonance by rationalizing their actions/changing attitude = create CONSISTENCY
How do people reduce dissonance and rationalise? (5)
1) changing attitudes
2) changing perception
3) adding consonant cognitions
4) minimizing importance of conflict
5) reusing perceived choice
Methods of dissonance induction
1) Induced compliance
Someone with more POWER asks you to complete a task that does not fit with your beliefs
***IF YOU CANT JUSTIFY THE BEHAVIOUR WHY DID YOU DO IT?
What does the “spread of alternatives” mean
ALTERING the aspects of the decision ALTERNATIVES to reduce dissonance
Chosen alternative = DESIRABLE
Rejected alternative = UNDESIRABLE
Methods of dissonance induction
2) free choice
Choice b/w two EQUALLY attractive options arouses dissonance
Methods of dissonance induction
3) Effort justification
Engaging in NEGATIVE behaviour for a desirable outcome
May be relevant in certain groups:
- hazing (painful initiation rituals)
Methods of dissonance induction
4) Induced hypocrisy
Advocating for a belief
FAILING to act/support that belief
We all live with some sort of hypocrisy
ex) condom speech, those uni students still didn’t use them as much
When is dissonance likely? (5)
1) When it IMPLICATES core-sense of SELF
2) When there are foreseeable NEGATIVE consequences for our ACTIONS
3) When there is WEAK external justification
4) When there is COMMITMENT
5) When there is CULTURAL influences
What is the KEY difference b/w dissonance and self-perception?
The UNCOMFORTABLE AROUSAL involved in dissonance
“________ ________” heightens dissonance
Self relevance
Driven/motivated to promote self, see ourselves as valuable, defend positive view
HOWEVER
Driven/motivated to grow and are driven by self-expansion
Are positive illusions healthy?
They are “HEALTH PROTECTIVE” psychological resources that help people COPE with ADVERSITY
Can lead to chronic patterns of SELF-DEFEATING behaviours
Need to find the balance b/w coping and accuracy
Maintaining positive illusions
What is “self-handicapping”?
Doing things that SABOTAGE our own performance in order to proved a SUBSEQUENT excuse for FAILURE
Way of PROTECTING self from seeing FAILURE as a lack of ability
Maintaining positive illusions
What is “sand-bagging”
DOWNPLAYING own ability, or lowering expectations
Way to PROTECT self
NEGATIVE impact on performance
Maintain positive illusions
What is social comparisons?
(Upward, downward, past)
Upward:
- Compare ourselves to someone who is BETTER = make us feel worse OR inspire us
Downward:
- Compare ourselves to someone who is WORSE = feel better about ourselves
Past:
- Tend to subjectively distance ourselves from PAST PERSONAL FAILURES
- Perceive PAST SUCCESSES as closer in time
*** Learn about our own abilities and attitudes
What’s an empirical test of terror management theory?
Mortality salience hypothesis:
- CULTURAL worldview protects against death
- Death reminders should cause ppl to bolster worldviews/self-esteem
Ex) liberals vs conservatives for death sentences for criminals
Reminders of death “________” investment in culture, but threatening culture “________” awareness of death
Increase
Increase
What is self-affirmation theory?
Basic need for MORAK adequacy/integrity
Boost self esteem = protect people against threat
*** EVERYTHING IS ABOUT GAINING SELF-WORTH
What is self-esteem threat?
Personality FEEDBACK (positive and negative)
Stereotype threat
Mortality salience threat
What are the 3 types of conflict?
Approach - avoidance (+,-) MOST COMMON
Approach- approach (+,+)
Avoidance - avoidance (-,-)
What is the behavioural inhibition system?
3rd system that deals with conflict
Similar/different pathways (amygdala, PFC etc…)
OUTPUTS: anxiety, stops ongoing behaviour
What is the free-choice paradigm?
Based on the idea anytime people make a choice between two alternatives, there is LIKELY to be some dissonance
What is the theory of symbolic self-completion?
Suggests that people COMPENSATE for their short-comings in a shallower way
What is the illusion of transparency?
People often THINK they are better at hiding their internal feelings
How does the theatre work as a metaphor?
SINCERE performances: automatically and unconsciously
CYNICAL performances: conscious attempts to make a particular impression
What is self-determination theory?
People grow and thrive if they feel their actions are SELF-GOVERNED rather than controlled by extrinsic factors
What are the 3 basic needs in self-determination theory?
1) relatedness
2) autonomy
3) competence
