History of Social Psychology

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Questions and Answers

What term was coined by Floyd Allport in 1924?

Environmental influence theory

Drive theory

Social inhibition theory

Social facilitation theory (correct)

Which of the following best describes the findings of Michaels et al. (1982) regarding pool players?

Expert players performed better with an audience. (correct)

All players perform equally well in the presence of an audience.

Expert players performed worse without an audience.

Novice players performed better with an audience.

According to drive theory, what effect does arousal have on task performance?

Increases performance on all types of tasks.

Facilitates performance of the dominant response. (correct)

Inhibits performance of the dominant response.

Does not affect performance in social situations.

What limitation is associated with drive theory?

It fails to define what constitutes a difficult task. Signup and view all the answers

How does Uziel's theory differentiate performance in social situations?

It indicates social orientation affects performance. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of social facilitation, what role does environmental influence play?

It accounts for a minimal variance in performance differences. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects social inhibition?

Performance declines under observation when tasks are difficult. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following findings supports the concept of social facilitation?

Children pull in fish faster in social groups. Signup and view all the answers

What does interactionalism emphasize in understanding behavior?

The interaction between a person's personality and their environment Signup and view all the answers

How did Lewin's research contribute to social psychology?

He highlighted the significance of subjective experiences over objective experiences Signup and view all the answers

What is a key criticism of behavioral psychology noted in the text?

It ignores cognitive processes and mental states Signup and view all the answers

What significant change occurred in social psychology during the 1960s and 70s?

A shift toward understanding psychological processes in context Signup and view all the answers

Which study is associated with examining obedience in social psychology?

Milgram's obedience experiments Signup and view all the answers

What did Zimbardo's research primarily focus on?

Obedience and authority in simulated prison environments Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was a significant focus of Skinner's behaviorist approach?

The impact of external stimuli on behavior Signup and view all the answers

What issue was raised regarding lab observations in social psychology research?

They might not be applicable to real-life situations Signup and view all the answers

What significant contribution did Wilhelm Wundt make to psychology in 1879?

Separated psychology from philosophy and biology Signup and view all the answers

Who is regarded as the father of social psychology, especially for his focus on individual dispositions?

Floyd Allport Signup and view all the answers

What was a primary focus of research during WWII by social psychologists?

Understanding conformity and the influence of authority Signup and view all the answers

Which theory did Norman Triplett establish in the field of social psychology?

Social Facilitation Theory Signup and view all the answers

What critique did Sumners make regarding intelligence testing?

They unfairly advantage Western cultures over others. Signup and view all the answers

What was a result of the Great Depression research conducted by Floyd Allport?

Community ties were found to reduce stress levels. Signup and view all the answers

What role did social psychology play regarding the Black Lives Matter Movement in recent research?

It explored media portrayals and public attitudes toward the movement. Signup and view all the answers

Which event significantly shaped the development of social psychology in the West?

World War II Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential issue with small sample sizes in research?

They can lead to results that do not reflect the overall population. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes data dredging or p-hacking?

Changing the hypothesis post-research to make results appear favorable. Signup and view all the answers

What must be disclosed to participants after they are deceived in a social psychology experiment?

The true aims and reason for the deception. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant limitation of the priming experiments conducted by Lynott et al. 2014?

Participants were unaware of the study's actual focus on priming. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best represents the concern of conflict of interest in research?

Funding sources influencing the outcomes of studies. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of replication studies often raises questions about quality?

Omissions of certain methods or information in publications. Signup and view all the answers

Why is the concept of priming significant in psychology?

It indicates that environmental cues can unconsciously shape behavior. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding effects not being universal?

Some effects may only apply to specific groups or circumstances. Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic is associated with enhanced performance in social situations?

Extraversion Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Replication Crisis' refer to?

The inability to replicate many studies in psychology Signup and view all the answers

Which statistical issue did WAGENMAKER et al. highlight regarding Daryl Bem's research?

Use of liberal statistical analysis Signup and view all the answers

What is involved in an exact replication study?

Reproducing the original experiment as closely as possible Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the main findings from Galak and Nelson's efforts related to Daryl Bem's studies?

They failed to replicate the studies convincingly Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes individuals with negative social orientation?

They exhibit inhibited performance in social contexts Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of 'liberal statistical demonstration' imply?

The flexibility researchers have in data analysis methods Signup and view all the answers

What is one benefit of conducting replications in research?

To confirm that results are accurate and reliable Signup and view all the answers

What research methodology was predominant during the pluralism period from 1970-2000s?

Correlational research combined with lab research Signup and view all the answers

What is the essence of social facilitation?

The presence of others enhances performance Signup and view all the answers

Which theory suggests that riders are effectively shielded from the wind by the leading cyclist?

Shelter theory Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a psychological theory related to social facilitation?

Suction Theory Signup and view all the answers

Which ethical aspect was emphasized during the pluralism period?

Informed consent and inclusion of oppressed groups Signup and view all the answers

According to Triplett's theories, which factor most directly affects competitive instincts?

Dynamogenic factors Signup and view all the answers

What was a consequence of the focus on diverse participants in research during the pluralism period?

Improved understanding of psychology from different cultures Signup and view all the answers

Which psychological theory claims that observing other cyclists enhances performance through suggestion?

Hypnotism Theory Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Aristotle believed society shapes human development
Comte argued that people are the consequence and producers of social environments
1879: Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology lab, separating it from philosophy and biology
1898: Norman Triplett started social psychology and wrote the first paper on Social Facilitation Theory.
John Dewey suggested that collectivist work benefits society as a whole
1908: McDougall published the first Social Psychology textbook
1920-1930: Floyd Allport, considered the father of social psychology and experimental psychology, focused on individual dispositions within society, and researched the impact of the Great Depression on communities.
Sumner's work on IQ tests with African Americans is noteworthy, with a focus on criticism of the Western scale and its application to different cultures.

1930-1950s

World War II significantly impacted social psychology, especially in the West. Studies on conformity, obedience, and authority figures gained popularity.
Psychologists became more interested in applying their understanding of individual influence in war-related issues such as military recruitment.

Global Events

Research into the psychological consequences of war (e.g., in Ukraine) and other significant global events (e.g., Black Lives Matter movement) are investigated.

1960s-1970s

Milgram's prison experiments and Zimbardo's obedience simulation are prominent examples of social psychological research.
Questions arose about the ethical treatment of participants in research studies, as well as whether lab observations apply to real life

1970s-2000s

Social psychology moved towards pluralism merging lab research with correlational research.
Field studies, inclusion of diverse participants and cultures and ethical standards were also important for this period.

Norman Triplett's research, focusing on bicycle racers, is an early example of social facilitation.
Other theories include:
- Aerodynamic theories (suction and shelter theory)
- Psychological theories (hypnotism, encouragement, brain worry, and automatic theory)
Floyd Allport coined the term "social facilitation"
Studies showed that individuals performed tasks better with others than alone (e.g., fishing line test, ants, chickens)

Social inhibition, where performance decreases in the presence of others, is investigated.
Robert Zajonc's drive theory suggests that arousal (generated by the presence of others) affects performance in different ways depending on the task (easy or difficult)

Priming Theory

Priming theory suggests that exposure to one stimulus can influence the response to a subsequent stimulus without conscious awareness.
This theory has gained considerable attention in social psychology.

Ethical considerations in research involving deception are highlighted.

Ways to Improve Research

Methods for improving research reliability and reproducibility and to protect against researcher biases are explored.
Key areas include transparency, clear methodology, and large sample sizes to minimise chance occurrences and the impact of specific events.

Replication Crisis

Concerns about the reproducibility of research findings led to a replication crisis in social psychology(and other disciplines).
Issues such as data falsification, low statistical power, and small sample sizes were noted.
Daryl Bem's work highlighting ESP is a well-known example, but others challenged the validity of the data analysis, leading to a significant questioning of findings across different methodologies.

Individual and Dispositional Factors

Uziel's theory suggests that personality factors (positive or negative orientations towards social situations) influence social facilitation, rather than the environment.

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Description

This quiz explores the historical development of social psychology, highlighting key figures and milestones from Aristotle to the mid-20th century. It covers foundational theories and significant events, including the establishment of the first psychology lab and influential texts in the field. Test your knowledge of social psychology's evolution and its impact on society.