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The funny things we do...

Kate NiederhofferSocial and Personality PsychologyUniversity of Texas at Austin4/06/04

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Introduction

Classic Rocks in Social psychology The “cool” psychology

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“Mood and Math” n = 6-8

“Mood & Math” Introductions Place of origin Embarrassing moments

Rating self vs. others questionnaire (appearance, intelligence)

Mat test

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The very next day…

***Same group*** Favorite childhood moment Favorite food and why

Self vs. others

“Someone in this room…” Who is it? How many people will guess right?

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The Spotlight Effect

“People tend to believe the social spotlight shines more brightly on them than it actually does”

Repeat offender study Bad hair days Embarrassing t-shirts Absenteeism

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Wegner: On being a bat… On seeing life from the perspective of an animal that

can't see

"We're all in that position with regard to other minds, generally -- we don't really know what it's like to be other people. Much of what social psychology is about is being able to think and talk about experience in a way that helps us bridge the gap from one mind to another.”

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Enough about me…

Compared to other UT students (same year and sex), rate yourself on the following attributes… Leadership Creativity Energy Level Sincerity Athleticism…

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Above Average Effect

Ability % ppl “above average”

Getting along with others

89%

Written expression

64%

Spoken expression

63%

Leadership 70%

Athletics 60%

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How You Rank

Ability % Chase students “above average”

Leadership 91%

Athletic Ability 70%

Energy Level 71%

Creativity 90%

Sincerity 89%

Intelligence 79%

Trustworthiness 93%

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Need to feel good about ourselves Seeing ourselves and anything

connected to us in positive light.

Seek connectedness

Strive for mastery

Fundamental Motives:

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Fundamental motives Need to feel good about ourselves

Seek connectedness Creating and maintaining feelings of

mutual support, liking and acceptance.

Strive for mastery

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On fitting in: Video

Imagine...

Psy 301 Chase 14Asch, 1955

Which of the comparison lines is the same as the standard line?

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76% went along with the clearly incorrect majority at least once

In all, P’s conformed 37% of the time

However, 24% NEVER conformed

What did participants do?

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More movies…

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Also in the name of connectedness We want to be seen as likable (AA)

To fit in (Elevator)

To gain approval (Picketing)

To conform to others preferences

Affiliation, friendship, intimacy…

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Misattribution of Arousal: Dutton & Aron (1973)

Capilano Canyon Suspension bridge

5 feet wide, 450 feet long

Wooden boards attached to wire cables -spanning a height of 250 feet

“Scenic Attractions on Creativity”

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The effects of “scenic attractions on creativity”

Vs.

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Misattribution of Arousal

(Dutton & Aron, 1973)

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Rested aftercrossingbridge

"Aroused" onbridge

% mentelephonedwoman

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Real World vs. Road Rules

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Fundamental motives Need to feel good about ourselves

Seek connectedness

Strive for mastery Understanding ourselves and world

around us. Trying to predict and control outcomes.

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For the next 3 minutes…For the next 3 minutes…

Write down your Write down your thoughts.thoughts.

Anything that comes to Anything that comes to mind…mind…

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Emotional Expression

Increases in Health Better grades Faster to find jobs Better immunological functioning

Increasing causal & insight words, moderate positive and negative emotions

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Changes in Handwriting

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For the next 3 minutes…Try not to think of a white bear

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For the next 3 minutes…Go ahead and think of a white bear

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Rebound EffectGROUP PHASE 2

Rings

PHASE 3

Rings

Experimental

6 16

Control --- 11

Phase 1: 5min Verbalization.

Phase 2: Don’t think of White Bear (experimental only)

Phase 3: Think about White Bear

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Trying to control our minds Don’t think of a white

bear Don’t swing the pendulum

on the forbidden axis Don’t eat chocolate

"They mentioned a white bear about once a minute," "They mentioned a white bear about once a minute," ““Then, if I asked them to think about anything at all, they would Then, if I asked them to think about anything at all, they would mention white bears more often than if I had initially asked mention white bears more often than if I had initially asked them to think about white bears on purpose.“them to think about white bears on purpose.“

Irony: Easy to change our mind, get new ideas, see new perspective, but when we try NOT to think about something…

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Hard to tell ourselves not to do something… BUT, easy to be told what to do

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When to help?

The greater number who see an emergency… more/less likely to help?

Where would you rather have a bike accident?

38 ppl watched Kitty Genovese and did nothing…

Darley & Latané: Seizure study

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Helping: Darley & Latané“I-er-um-I think I –I need-er-if-if could er-er somebody er-er-er-er-er-er give me a little-er-give me a little help here because-er-I-er-I’m-er-h-h-having a-a-a real problem –er right now and I-er-if somebody could help me out it would- it would-er-er s-s-sure be good… because-er-there-er-ag cause I er-I-uh-I’ve got one of the-er-sei—er-er-things coming on and-and-and I could really use some help so if somebody would-er give me a little h-help-uh-er-er-er-er c-ould somebody-er er-help-er-uh-uh-uh [choking sounds]… I’m gonna die-er-er… help-er-er-seizure [chokes, then quiet]”

Bystander Intervention

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P's "only" bystander P + "1" P + "4"

Seconds from start of seizure

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Social Psychology

The scientific study of how people’s thoughts feelings and behaviors are influenced by the real or imagined presence of others

= The power of the situation