Week 8 - Social Psychology

Question 1

What is Gordon Allport’s social psychology definition?

Answer 1

It is the scientific study of how an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by the actual, imagined, or symbolically represented presence of other people.

Question 2

What is the idea of social influence?

Answer 2

The effect(s) that the actual, imaginary, or symbolic presence of others has on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour.

Question 3

What is stigma?

Answer 3

The disapproval of, or discrimination against, an individual or group based on specific perceivably undesirable attributes

Question 4

What are the three classifications of stigma?

Answer 4

1. Tribal stigma - based on the groups you are socially affiliated with eg race, gender, religion
2. Bodily abominations - physical ailments eg deformities, illness, paralysis
3. Blemishes of individual character - moral transgressions that people have control over eg drug addicts, prostitutes, mental illness

Question 5

What are the three levels of stigma?

Answer 5

1. Individual - this is comprised of the anticipated, enacted and internalised stigmas
2. Interpersonal - social interactions
3. Societal - environmental influences

Question 6

What is prejudice?

Answer 6

It is a hostility or negative attitude toward people in a distinguishable group solely because they are a member of that group

Question 7

PREJUDICE
What is the realistic group conflict theory?

Answer 7

When there are scarce resources, this will increase conflict amongst groups resulting in prejudice and discrimination

Question 8

PREJUDICE
What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 8

The tendency to glorify one’s own group and derogate outgroups

Note: the strongest prejudice tends to occur from the people who have the most to lose

Question 9

What is social identity theory?

Answer 9

The tendency to derive part of your self-concept from the groups that you are apart of

Question 10

What is homogeneity and outgroup homogeneity effect?

Answer 10

Homogeneity - perceiving members of an in-group as unique and distinct from one another

Outgroup Homogeneity Effect - perceiving members of an outgroup as ‘all the same’ or similar and non-distinct

Question 11

What are four ways to reduce SPD (Stereotypes, Prejudice, Discrimination)?

Answer 11

1. Changing Cognitions, Cultures, and Motivations: Experiencing and reinforcing counter-stereotypic examples and viewing the world from different people’s perspectives
2. Exerting Self Control - Shifting from External motivations to Internal motivations to reduce stereotyping
3. Intergroup Contact - Having members from hostile groups directly interact together in a setting where they each have equal status, personal interaction, cooperative activities and social norms to enhance knowledge about each other, reduce anxiety, increase empathy and perspective taking

Question 12

Intergroup Contact
What is Sherif’s Robber’s Cave experiment?