History of Social Psychology

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Questions and Answers

What was a major criticism of Bem's research as stated by Wagenmakers et al.?

He failed to replicate his own studies.

He applied liberal statistical analysis to present results. (correct)

He used too conservative statistical analysis.

He was too focused on psychological theories.

Which type of replication attempts to verify previous findings using the same methods and conditions?

Comparative replication

Conceptual replication

Statistical replication

Exact/direct replication (correct)

What percentage of the direct replications conducted by the Open Science Collaboration could not be replicated?

10%

75%

50%

25% (correct)

Which of the following is NOT a reason for non-replication according to the content?

Research was conducted with outdated methods. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary goals of conducting replications in research?

To prevent false positives. Signup and view all the answers

Which individual's work focused primarily on individual dispositions rather than societal influences?

Floyd Allport Signup and view all the answers

What theory did Norman Triplett contribute to the field of Social Psychology?

Social Facilitation Theory Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is associated with the Cognitive Revolution in Social Psychology?

Emphasizes mental states and perceptions Signup and view all the answers

Which researcher is known for studying conformity and obedience in controlled experiments during World War II?

Stanley Milgram Signup and view all the answers

Which concept did Lewin emphasize in his research on the interaction between individual and environment?

Interactionalism Signup and view all the answers

What criticism did Sumner level regarding the treatment of African Americans?

IQ tests were biased against them Signup and view all the answers

What key aspect of research did the crisis in Social Psychology during the 1960s and 70s address?

Validity of lab observations in real life Signup and view all the answers

Who was the first to establish a laboratory dedicated to psychological experiments?

Wilhelm Wundt Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of social facilitation in psychology?

The enhancement of performance in the presence of others. Signup and view all the answers

Which theory states that arousal facilitates the performance of dominant responses?

Drive Theory Signup and view all the answers

What was a limitation of Drive Theory mentioned?

It does not consider individual differences. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor influences social facilitation according to Uziel's study?

Social orientation Signup and view all the answers

What was the finding in Michaels et al.'s 1982 study regarding pool players?

Novices performed poorly with an audience. Signup and view all the answers

What does the replication crisis indicate about published research?

Many published findings may be false or non-replicable. Signup and view all the answers

What type of studies became popular between 1970-2000 in psychology research?

Field studies and diverse participant inclusion. Signup and view all the answers

Which theory is associated with people's performance decreasing when tasks are difficult and others are present?

Social Inhibition Signup and view all the answers

In the context of social facilitation, what does the term 'collectivist perspective' refer to?

Focusing on shared goals and group dynamics. Signup and view all the answers

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

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

What does the term 'data dredging' or 'P-hacking' refer to?

Changing the hypothesis after the research to fit the results. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following measures can improve the replicability and reliability of research?

Using larger sample sizes. Signup and view all the answers

What are the effects of culture or world events on research findings?

They can cause findings to be inconsistent across different groups. Signup and view all the answers

What is one method to reduce cognitive biases in research?

Implement blind testing for researchers and participants. Signup and view all the answers

Why is collaboration considered important in scientific research?

It enhances the power of statistical tests and generalizability. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of study pre-registration?

To improve transparency and quality in reporting research. Signup and view all the answers

What is one common misconception about P-values in research?

A P-value indicates the probability that the null hypothesis is true. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Aristotle believed that society shapes human development.
Comte argued that people cause societal consequences, and are products and producers of their social environment.
1879: Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology lab, separating psychology from philosophy and biology.
1898: Norman Triplett began social psychology, writing the first paper on social facilitation theory.
John Dewey's collectivist work emphasized how shaping society benefits the masses.
1908: McDougall wrote the first social psychology textbook.
1920-1930: Floyd Allport, considered the father of social psychology and experimental psychology, focused on individual dispositions, not society. He also researched the Great Depression, finding community ties protected people from bad things.
1930-1950s: Festinger's work, during World War 2, focused on conformity, obedience, and authority studies.
Skinner was a behaviorist, believing mental states are preconditioned.
Lewin's interactionism perspective studied how behaviors and attitudes interact between a person and their environment.
1960-1970s: A significant shift in social psychology occurred, questioning lab validity and ethics. Milgram and Zimbardo conducted prominent, but ethically questionable, studies during this period.

The 1960-70s saw a questioning of the reliability of lab observations and ethics of experiments.

Pluralism (1970-2000s)

Lab research combined with correlation research led to better measurement and more varied variables.
Field studies became more popular, less controlled than lab studies.
Diversity (different cultures, participants) and ethical standards increased.
There was a renewed focus on oppressed groups and cultures.
Informed consent was emphasized.
Collectivist perspectives in psychology were incorporated.

The presence of others often enhances performance.
Norman Triplett coined the term "social facilitation".
Several theories exist: Aerodynamic (Suction, Shelter), Psychological (Hypnotism, Encouragement, Brain Worry, Automatic, Dynamogenic).
The presence of others might increase arousal and influence performance both positively (facilitation) and negatively (inhibition).

Robert Zajonc (1965): Arousal facilitates performance of dominant responses and inhibits non-dominant. Easier tasks in the presence of others lead to improved performance, while difficult tasks lead to worse performance.
Drive theory 2 from Michael et al (1982), looked at pool players and reinforced the fact that performance in the presence of others can be impacted in various ways.

Drive Theory Criticisms and Limitations

Lack of objective criteria to determine task difficulty.
Limited meta-analytic support, explaining only a small variance in performance.
Inconsistency and contradictory results.
Disregarding dispositional factors (individual differences).

Individual and Dispositional Factors

Uziel (20027) found that self-assured individuals perform better in social situations versus those with social inhibition and negative self-esteem.
Personality and social orientation are crucial factors influencing task performance.

Replication Crisis

John Ioannidis (2005): Many published research findings are false due to poor scientific practices.
Daryl Bem (2011): Studied ESP (ExtraSensory Perception) and anomalous retroactive influences on cognitive effects.
Open Science Collaboration (2015): Demonstrated the difficulty in replicating psychological findings, with ~25% of replications failing.

Problems with Replications

Few studies can be replicated.
Original data falsification, "publish or perish," file-drawer problem (journals favor significant results), and small sample sizes can result in problems with replication.
Effects can depend on specific cultures or world events, and results might not universally apply.

Quality of Replication

Methodology and sample size are crucial.
Reporting guidelines and data dredging (p-hacking) can affect results, as can conflicts of interest and inadequate methodology.

Priming Theory

Priming is a phenomenon where exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a subsequent stimulus unconsciously.
Michael Mosley tests, priming words related to older adults.
This theory is not well-supported by current research.

Measures for Replicability & Reliability

Methods transparency, clear reporting, reproducibility standards, and consistent evaluation methodologies are crucial.

Ways to Improve Research

Protecting against cognitive biases (self-deception, blinding).
Improving methodological training.
Independent methodology support (mulitdisciplinary trials and teams).
Collaboration and Team Science, to reduce false positives, increase generalizability and power.
Promoting pre-registration of studies, to reduce bias and increase transparency.
Ensuring reproducibility by clearly defining methods.
Employing incentives that reward high-quality research and replication.

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Description

Explore the pivotal milestones in the evolution of social psychology, from Aristotle's theories to the foundational work of early psychologists like Wundt and McDougall. Discover how societal influences and individual behaviors intertwine through notable studies and figures. This quiz encapsulates key contributions and shifts in understanding the social aspects of human psychology.