Social Psychology The scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another

Social PsychologySocial Psychology

The scientific study of how people think The scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one about, influence, and relate to one anotheranother

Attribution TheoryAttribution Theory

People tend to give a causal explanation People tend to give a causal explanation for someone’s behavior, often by for someone’s behavior, often by crediting either the situation or the crediting either the situation or the person’s dispositionperson’s disposition

Situational DispositionSituational Disposition

Attributing someone’s actions to the Attributing someone’s actions to the various factors in the situationvarious factors in the situation

Dispositional AttributionDispositional Attribution

Attributing someone’s actions to the Attributing someone’s actions to the person’s disposition, i.e. their thoughts, person’s disposition, i.e. their thoughts, feelings, personality characteristics, etc.feelings, personality characteristics, etc.

Fundamental Attribution ErrorFundamental Attribution Error

The tendency for observers, when The tendency for observers, when analyzing another’s behavior, to analyzing another’s behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the impact of personal and overestimate the impact of personal dispositiondisposition

People tend to blame or credit the People tend to blame or credit the person more than the situationperson more than the situation

Social Thinking: Social Thinking: Attitudes and Attitudes and

ActionsActions

Module 32: Social Thinking and Social Module 32: Social Thinking and Social InfluenceInfluence

AttitudeAttitude

A belief and feeling that predisposes a A belief and feeling that predisposes a person to respond in a particular way to person to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and eventsobjects, people, and events

Attitudes Affecting ActionsAttitudes Affecting Actions

Many studies suggest a person’s Many studies suggest a person’s attitudes do not match their actionsattitudes do not match their actions

Attitudes can predict behavior if:Attitudes can predict behavior if:

– Outside influences are minimalOutside influences are minimal

– People are aware of their attitudesPeople are aware of their attitudes

– Attitude is relevant to behaviorAttitude is relevant to behavior

Actions Affecting Attitudes Actions Affecting Attitudes

Under some circumstances one’s actions Under some circumstances one’s actions can influence attitudes. They include:can influence attitudes. They include:

– Foot-in-the-door phenomenonFoot-in-the-door phenomenon

– Role playingRole playing

– Cognitive dissonanceCognitive dissonance

Foot-in-the-Door PhenomenonFoot-in-the-Door Phenomenon

The tendency for people who have first The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger requestwith a larger request

Role PlayingRole Playing

Playing a role can influence or change Playing a role can influence or change one’s attitudeone’s attitude

Zimbardo’s Prison StudyZimbardo’s Prison Study– College students played the role of College students played the role of

guard or prisoner in a simulated prison.guard or prisoner in a simulated prison.– The study was ended when the guards The study was ended when the guards

became too aggressive and cruel.became too aggressive and cruel.

Cognitive DissonanceCognitive Dissonance

The theory that people act to reduce the The theory that people act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) they feel when discomfort (dissonance) they feel when their thoughts are inconsistent with their their thoughts are inconsistent with their actionsactions

When our attitudes are inconsistent with When our attitudes are inconsistent with our actions, we change our attitudes to our actions, we change our attitudes to reduce the dissonance.reduce the dissonance.

Social Influence: Social Influence: Conformity and Conformity and

ObedienceObedience


ConformityConformity

Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standardcoincide with a group standard

Solomon Asch (1907-1996)Solomon Asch (1907-1996)

Social psychologist who researched the Social psychologist who researched the circumstances under which people circumstances under which people conformconform

Asch’s Conformity StudyAsch’s Conformity Study

Asch’s Conformity StudyAsch’s Conformity Study

Factors Increasing ConformityFactors Increasing ConformityThe person feels incompetent or insecure.The person feels incompetent or insecure.The group has three or more people.The group has three or more people.The rest of the group is unanimous.The rest of the group is unanimous.The person is impressed by the status of The person is impressed by the status of

the group.the group.No prior commitments were made.No prior commitments were made.The group is observing the person respond.The group is observing the person respond.One’s culture encourages conformity.One’s culture encourages conformity.

Stanley Milgram (1933-1984)Stanley Milgram (1933-1984)

Social psychologist who researched Social psychologist who researched obedience to authorityobedience to authority

ObedienceObedience

The tendency to comply with orders, The tendency to comply with orders, implied or real, from someone perceived implied or real, from someone perceived as an authorityas an authority

Milgram’s Obedience to AuthorityMilgram’s Obedience to Authority


Milgram’s Obedience to AuthorityMilgram’s Obedience to Authority(Data from Milgram, 1974)(Data from Milgram, 1974)


Social Influence:Social Influence:Group InfluenceGroup Influence


Social FacilitationSocial Facilitation

Improved performance of tasks in the Improved performance of tasks in the presence of otherspresence of others

Occurs with simple or well learned tasks Occurs with simple or well learned tasks but not with tasks that are difficult or but not with tasks that are difficult or not yet learnednot yet learned

Social LoafingSocial Loafing

The tendency for people in a group to The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountablethan when individually accountable

People may be less accountable in a People may be less accountable in a group, or they may think their efforts group, or they may think their efforts aren’t needed.aren’t needed.

DeindividuationDeindividuation

The loss of self-awareness and self-The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymitythat foster arousal and anonymity

People lose their sense of responsibility People lose their sense of responsibility when in a group.when in a group.

Social Influence:Social Influence:Group Group

Interaction Interaction EffectsEffects


Group PolarizationGroup Polarization

The enhancement of a group’s The enhancement of a group’s prevailing attitudes through discussion prevailing attitudes through discussion within the groupwithin the group

GroupthinkGroupthink

The mode of thinking that occurs when The mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision- the desire for harmony in a decision- making group overrides a realistic making group overrides a realistic appraisal of the alternativesappraisal of the alternatives

Social Influence:Social Influence:Our Power as Our Power as IndividualsIndividuals


Self-Fulfilling PropheciesSelf-Fulfilling Prophecies

Occurs when belief about others leads Occurs when belief about others leads one to act in ways that induce the others one to act in ways that induce the others to appear to confirm the beliefto appear to confirm the belief

The EndThe End

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Social Psychology The scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another