Podcast
Questions and Answers
What does the actor-observer effect primarily describe?
What does the actor-observer effect primarily describe?
In the context of the self-serving bias, how do individuals typically explain their successes?
In the context of the self-serving bias, how do individuals typically explain their successes?
Which scenario exemplifies the fundamental attribution error?
Which scenario exemplifies the fundamental attribution error?
What is a common reason individuals fail to attribute their own failures to personal traits?
What is a common reason individuals fail to attribute their own failures to personal traits?
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Which statement highlights the differences between individual and situational factors in behavior explanations?
Which statement highlights the differences between individual and situational factors in behavior explanations?
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What type of attribution is used when explaining behavior based on internal characteristics of an individual?
What type of attribution is used when explaining behavior based on internal characteristics of an individual?
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According to Harold Kelley’s covariation model, which factor is NOT considered when making attributions?
According to Harold Kelley’s covariation model, which factor is NOT considered when making attributions?
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If someone attributes their promotion to their skills rather than luck, they are making which type of attribution?
If someone attributes their promotion to their skills rather than luck, they are making which type of attribution?
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What does the absence of female umpires in major league baseball suggest, based on Pam Postema's experience?
What does the absence of female umpires in major league baseball suggest, based on Pam Postema's experience?
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In the context of social behavior, which aspect of behaviors is emphasized by internal attributions?
In the context of social behavior, which aspect of behaviors is emphasized by internal attributions?
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Study Notes
Introduction
- Lawrence Graham sought a country club job despite a $90,000 pay cut.
- At his first interview, he was told there were no job openings.
- He eventually got two offers but was hired as a busboy
- The busboy job allowed him to overhear club members' conversations
- A woman commented on Graham's educated diction, highlighting stereotypes based on appearance.
- His experience illustrates social psychology's focus on how people make judgments about others based on stereotypes.
Behavior In Groups
- Senior girls hazed junior girls in a secret touch football game where alcohol was consumed.
- The hazing involved physical and humiliating acts
- About 100 students watched without intervening.
- The incident raised the question of how group pressure leads to violence in seemingly normal people.
Perceiving Others
- First impressions heavily rely on physical appearance (e.g., busboy vs. professional)
- Average faces are often perceived as more attractive
- Physical attractiveness may be an innate/evolutionary construct related to assessing health
Stereotypes
- Stereotypes are widely held beliefs that certain traits are associated with particular groups.
- These beliefs are often inaccurate.
- Stereotypes can negatively influence treatment decisions
- People develop and adopt stereotypes from a young age.
Development of Stereotypes
- Psychologists suggest we develop stereotypes through reward, social approval, and cultural pressures.
- Stereotypes can result in prejudice and discrimination, such as bias in hiring decisions based on weight.
- Stereotypes often lead to negative judgments about specific groups.
Functions of Stereotypes
- Stereotypes act as cognitive tools for efficient decision-making in social situations.
- They cause us to save time and energy by making quick decisions.
- They alert and make us cautious around unfamiliar groups.
- Schemas, or mental categories, are mental files with information on people, events, or concepts, including stereotypes.
Schemas
- Schemas are mental categories for knowledge of people, events, and concepts.
- There are several schema types (person, role, event, self).
- Schemas can affect perceptions, thoughts, and social behaviors.
- Schemas can be resistant to change.
Attributions
- Attributions are causal explanations we use to understand others' actions, including our own.
- Internal (dispositional) attributions focus on personal characteristics, while external (situational) attributions highlight circumstances.
- Kelley's covariation model helps us decide if attributions are internal or external.
- The model analyzes factors like consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness.
Biases and Errors in Attributions
- The fundamental attribution error occurs when we focus on a person's internal traits to explain their behaviors rather than considering situational factors.
- The actor-observer effect involves attributing our own behavior to situational factors but the actions of others to dispositional factors.
- The self-serving bias involves attributing successes to personal traits and failures to situational factors.
Changing Attributions and Grades
- Researchers found that changing negative attributions about academic performance to temporary causes led to improved grades.
Attitudes
- Attitudes are beliefs with an evaluation (positive or negative) toward something
- Attitudes have three components: cognitive, affective, and behavioral.
- Attitudes greatly affect our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Persuasion
- Persuasion involves changing an individual's attitude through a communication process.
- Central route: relying on logical arguments and facts
- Peripheral route: relying on emotional appeals or superficial cues.
Cultural Diversity: National Attitudes and Behaviors
- Cultural values significantly influence attitudes and behaviors, including beauty standards.
- This is applicable to views on organ transplants, etc
Social Neuroscience
- Social neuroscience investigates the interaction of social processes and the brain.
- Methods include PET, fMRI, EEG, and TMS.
Aggression
- Aggression encompasses various harmful behaviors that differ across individuals and cultures.
- A variety of factors including genetic, social cognitive, personality, and situational cues play a role.
Sexual Harassment and Aggression
- Rape is driven primarily by power and control, not sexual arousal.
- Rape myths contribute to the problem and should be challenged.
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Description
Test your understanding of attribution theory, including concepts like the actor-observer effect, self-serving bias, and fundamental attribution error. This quiz covers essential theories and their applications in social behavior. Challenge yourself with thought-provoking questions that explore how we explain our own and others' behaviors.
