Podcast
Questions and Answers
What data collection method involves individuals altering their performance due to the awareness of being observed?
What data collection method involves individuals altering their performance due to the awareness of being observed?
Observational methods
In social psychology, what does the term 'demand characteristics' refer to?
In social psychology, what does the term 'demand characteristics' refer to?
Something about your design or behavior tells the participants what you are looking for
How does a quasi-experiment differ from a true randomized experiment?
How does a quasi-experiment differ from a true randomized experiment?
Which group in an experiment is NOT exposed to specific stimuli or conditions being tested?
Which group in an experiment is NOT exposed to specific stimuli or conditions being tested?
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What type of study involves measuring associations that individuals are not consciously aware of?
What type of study involves measuring associations that individuals are not consciously aware of?
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In social psychology, what refers to the constructs and hypotheses that theories offer?
In social psychology, what refers to the constructs and hypotheses that theories offer?
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What type of processing is more persistent over time and forms strong attitudes that are resistant to counterattitudinal appeal?
What type of processing is more persistent over time and forms strong attitudes that are resistant to counterattitudinal appeal?
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What is counter-attitudinal behavior defined as?
What is counter-attitudinal behavior defined as?
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Which of the following statements is correct regarding cognitive dissonance theory?
Which of the following statements is correct regarding cognitive dissonance theory?
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In Festinger's experiment studying cognitive dissonance, which participants experienced the most dissonance?
In Festinger's experiment studying cognitive dissonance, which participants experienced the most dissonance?
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Systematic processing relies on effort.
Systematic processing relies on effort.
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According to the Covariation Model, what is needed to conclude that Laura is smart (entity attribution)?
According to the Covariation Model, what is needed to conclude that Laura is smart (entity attribution)?
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What does the Correspondent Inference Theory analyze in order to determine the actor's intention?
What does the Correspondent Inference Theory analyze in order to determine the actor's intention?
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How do internal, uncontrollable, and stable causes impact a person's reaction to failure according to the Theory of achievement-related attribution?
How do internal, uncontrollable, and stable causes impact a person's reaction to failure according to the Theory of achievement-related attribution?
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Explain the Two-Factor Theory of Emotion.
Explain the Two-Factor Theory of Emotion.
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What bias is characterized by attributing behaviors of others to their personality?
What bias is characterized by attributing behaviors of others to their personality?
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Based on the Actor-observer effect, how may you and your students explain your behavior as a new teacher?
Based on the Actor-observer effect, how may you and your students explain your behavior as a new teacher?
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How would self-serving bias explain success in a job interview and failure in cooking dinner?
How would self-serving bias explain success in a job interview and failure in cooking dinner?
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What is the definition of the 'Ideal self'?
What is the definition of the 'Ideal self'?
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Define the 'Ought self'.
Define the 'Ought self'.
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Which of the following cultures emphasize autonomy and individualism in the self-concept?
Which of the following cultures emphasize autonomy and individualism in the self-concept?
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Match the following self-knowledge types with their descriptions:
Match the following self-knowledge types with their descriptions:
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Self-enhancing illusions are positive _________ of the self.
Self-enhancing illusions are positive _________ of the self.
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Self-handicapping refers to engaging in self-defeating behaviors to provide excuses for failure.
Self-handicapping refers to engaging in self-defeating behaviors to provide excuses for failure.
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According to the Sociometer Theory, what does our self-esteem signal?
According to the Sociometer Theory, what does our self-esteem signal?
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What theory suggests that we want to maintain high self-esteem to distance ourselves from the fear of death?
What theory suggests that we want to maintain high self-esteem to distance ourselves from the fear of death?
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What is the 'Self-Verification Motive'?
What is the 'Self-Verification Motive'?
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According to the Multicomponent Model of Attitude, attitudes are summary evaluations that have cognitive, affective, and ________ antecedents.
According to the Multicomponent Model of Attitude, attitudes are summary evaluations that have cognitive, affective, and ________ antecedents.
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Define consistency as mentioned in the text.
Define consistency as mentioned in the text.
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According to the Conversion theory, how does the majority typically react?
According to the Conversion theory, how does the majority typically react?
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Group Polarization refers to making decisions that are less extreme than the group's initial positions.
Group Polarization refers to making decisions that are less extreme than the group's initial positions.
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Explain Groupthink as described in the text.
Explain Groupthink as described in the text.
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Obedience to authority involves complying with orders from a person of higher social status within a defined hierarchy or chain of command, showing immediacy to the authority figure and recognizing their ________.
Obedience to authority involves complying with orders from a person of higher social status within a defined hierarchy or chain of command, showing immediacy to the authority figure and recognizing their ________.
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What is the Milgram Experiment known for?
What is the Milgram Experiment known for?
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What is the representativeness heuristic?
What is the representativeness heuristic?
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What is the base rate information used for?
What is the base rate information used for?
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What does the availability heuristic rely on?
What does the availability heuristic rely on?
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What is described by the Anchoring/Adjustment Heuristic?
What is described by the Anchoring/Adjustment Heuristic?
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Stereotype suppression can sometimes increase stereotyping behavior.
Stereotype suppression can sometimes increase stereotyping behavior.
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What is the concept that describes the automatic activation of a stereotype not necessarily leading to stereotypic responses?
What is the concept that describes the automatic activation of a stereotype not necessarily leading to stereotypic responses?
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The act of trying to prevent an activated stereotype from impacting judgements is known as ____________ suppression.
The act of trying to prevent an activated stereotype from impacting judgements is known as ____________ suppression.
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Match the following social psychology concepts with their descriptions:
Match the following social psychology concepts with their descriptions:
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Attitudinal ambivalence can be best explained with which perspective?
Attitudinal ambivalence can be best explained with which perspective?
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Carla listens to the radio about 7 hours a day at work. Based on the 'mere exposure effect', how should Carla feel about the track of the week?
Carla listens to the radio about 7 hours a day at work. Based on the 'mere exposure effect', how should Carla feel about the track of the week?
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What should Marta pay more attention to if she is having trouble finding a relation between attitude measures and behavior in her study?
What should Marta pay more attention to if she is having trouble finding a relation between attitude measures and behavior in her study?
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When do attitudes predict behaviour? When there is correspondence between ____________ and behavioral measures.
When do attitudes predict behaviour? When there is correspondence between ____________ and behavioral measures.
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Which components are included in the multicomponent model of attitudes?
Which components are included in the multicomponent model of attitudes?
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Which of the following is not going to induce heuristic processing?
Which of the following is not going to induce heuristic processing?
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What is the method of making observations without the knowledge of those being observed?
What is the method of making observations without the knowledge of those being observed?
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Which type of study does not involve random allocation to conditions?
Which type of study does not involve random allocation to conditions?
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What type of research focuses on textual and interpretative analysis?
What type of research focuses on textual and interpretative analysis?
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Internal validity refers to the generalizability of a finding beyond the observed circumstances.
Internal validity refers to the generalizability of a finding beyond the observed circumstances.
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Observational methods are threatened by individuals altering their performance due to ____. (Fill in the blank)
Observational methods are threatened by individuals altering their performance due to ____. (Fill in the blank)
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What is a group that does not see certain images called in a research context?
What is a group that does not see certain images called in a research context?
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What are the three components of attitude in the ABC Model?
What are the three components of attitude in the ABC Model?
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What is the Mere Exposure Effect and how does it influence attitudes?
What is the Mere Exposure Effect and how does it influence attitudes?
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What is self-handicapping?
What is self-handicapping?
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How does the Sociometer Theory explain self-esteem?
How does the Sociometer Theory explain self-esteem?
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Lisa knows she is terrible at writing. When her teacher gives her a good grade, she may feel ______ and ______.
Lisa knows she is terrible at writing. When her teacher gives her a good grade, she may feel ______ and ______.
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Match the following researchers with the behavior they studied:
Match the following researchers with the behavior they studied:
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According to the Covariation Model, what do we need to conclude that Laura is actually smart (entity attribution)?
According to the Covariation Model, what do we need to conclude that Laura is actually smart (entity attribution)?
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What theory suggests that observers consider the range of behavioral options available to an actor in order to work out the actor's intention?
What theory suggests that observers consider the range of behavioral options available to an actor in order to work out the actor's intention?
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In Weiner's Theory of achievement-related attribution, how do inferences about the causes of success and failure affect future expectations, motivations, and emotions?
In Weiner's Theory of achievement-related attribution, how do inferences about the causes of success and failure affect future expectations, motivations, and emotions?
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How does the Two-Factor Theory of Emotion suggest that emotions depend on attributions?
How does the Two-Factor Theory of Emotion suggest that emotions depend on attributions?
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What is the Correspondence Bias also known as?
What is the Correspondence Bias also known as?
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What is the Actor-observer effect?
What is the Actor-observer effect?
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Explain the false consensus bias.
Explain the false consensus bias.
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What is the Self-serving bias?
What is the Self-serving bias?
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What is the purpose of schemas in social cognition?
What is the purpose of schemas in social cognition?
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What are cognitive heuristics and what do they allow people to do?
What are cognitive heuristics and what do they allow people to do?
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What motivates individuals to reduce cognitive dissonance?
What motivates individuals to reduce cognitive dissonance?
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Attitudinal ambivalence can be best explained with which perspective?
Attitudinal ambivalence can be best explained with which perspective?
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Based on the 'mere exposure effect', how should Carla feel about a track she hears multiple times daily?
Based on the 'mere exposure effect', how should Carla feel about a track she hears multiple times daily?
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What should a researcher pay more attention to if there is trouble finding a relation between attitude measures and behavior?
What should a researcher pay more attention to if there is trouble finding a relation between attitude measures and behavior?
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Which components are part of the multicomponent model of attitudes?
Which components are part of the multicomponent model of attitudes?
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Which of the following does not induce heuristic processing?
Which of the following does not induce heuristic processing?
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What is one key characteristic of attitudes formed by systematic processing in persuasion?
What is one key characteristic of attitudes formed by systematic processing in persuasion?
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Which of the following is true about attitudes formed by non-systematic processing?
Which of the following is true about attitudes formed by non-systematic processing?
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What is counter-attitudinal behavior?
What is counter-attitudinal behavior?
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Cognitive Dissonance Theory assumes that dissonance motivates individuals to reduce it by changing beliefs, attitudes, or behavior.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory assumes that dissonance motivates individuals to reduce it by changing beliefs, attitudes, or behavior.
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In Festinger's classic experiment on Cognitive Dissonance, which participants experienced the most dissonance?
In Festinger's classic experiment on Cognitive Dissonance, which participants experienced the most dissonance?
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In Petty, Cacioppo et al.'s study on attitudes towards a new exam, which factor is likely to shape attitudes for highly personally relevant students?
In Petty, Cacioppo et al.'s study on attitudes towards a new exam, which factor is likely to shape attitudes for highly personally relevant students?
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Which of the following phrases does not correctly describe systematic processing?
Which of the following phrases does not correctly describe systematic processing?
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Define consistency as explained in the content.
Define consistency as explained in the content.
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What is the concept of Conversion Theory related to?
What is the concept of Conversion Theory related to?
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Explain the concept of Group Polarization.
Explain the concept of Group Polarization.
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Groupthink is characterized by members striving for unanimity at the expense of considering alternative courses of action.
Groupthink is characterized by members striving for unanimity at the expense of considering alternative courses of action.
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What does obedience to authority entail?
What does obedience to authority entail?
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What is Escalation of commitment in group dynamics?
What is Escalation of commitment in group dynamics?
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What does the representativeness heuristic involve?
What does the representativeness heuristic involve?
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What is base rate information?
What is base rate information?
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What does the availability heuristic allow individuals to do?
What does the availability heuristic allow individuals to do?
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What is the Anchoring/Adjustment Heuristic used for?
What is the Anchoring/Adjustment Heuristic used for?
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What does Priming involve?
What does Priming involve?
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What is the Stereotype Suppression phenomenon?
What is the Stereotype Suppression phenomenon?
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What is the main concept behind Implicit goal operation in avoiding stereotypes?
What is the main concept behind Implicit goal operation in avoiding stereotypes?
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How can stereotypic thoughts be replaced with egalitarian responses?
How can stereotypic thoughts be replaced with egalitarian responses?
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What does the term 'Availability Heuristic' refer to?
What does the term 'Availability Heuristic' refer to?
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How can one prevent stereotypes from influencing behavior?
How can one prevent stereotypes from influencing behavior?
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What concept aids better recall as related to the self?
What concept aids better recall as related to the self?
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What is one aspect of Personal Sources for self-awareness?
What is one aspect of Personal Sources for self-awareness?
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How can individuals infer ambiguous inner states, as per Bem's self-perception theory?
How can individuals infer ambiguous inner states, as per Bem's self-perception theory?
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What is the Overjustification Effect?
What is the Overjustification Effect?
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Study Notes
Social and Cross-Cultural Psychology Session 1
Research Methods in Social Psychology
- True Social Psychology Experiment:
- Constructs and hypotheses
- Confederates
- Unobtrusive measures (e.g. observing without the knowledge of those being observed)
- Cover story
- Post-Experimental Inquiry (asking participants what they think the study was about)
- Informed Consent
- Debriefing
- Quasi experiment: no random allocation to conditions
- Field study: e.g. Bystander effect (presence of others discourages individual intervention in an emergency situation)
- Surveys
- Qualitative research: textual and interpretative analysis (non-statistical)
Validity of the Study
- Internal validity: observed relationship between independent and dependent variables reflects a causal relationship
- Threats: experimental confounds, social desirability, demand characteristics, experimenter expectancy
- Construct validity: independent and dependent variables adequately capture constructs they represent
- Threats: social desirability, demand characteristics, experimenter expectancy
- External validity: generalizability of a finding beyond the circumstances in which it was observed
- Threats: non-representative sample
Data Collection Methods
- Observational methods:
- Threat: Reactivity (individuals alter their performance or behavior due to awareness of being observed)
- Self-report
- Implicit Measures: e.g. Measuring associations we are not aware of (IAT)
- Physiological Measures: social neuroscience, measuring mental and brain function to study social cognition, emotion, and behavior
Theories in Social Psychology
- Offer propositions about the relation between constructs and hypotheses
- Deriving hypotheses from previous experimental findings or variables
Bystander Effect
- Darley and Batson (1973) researched the bystander effect in a field study, testing the idea that bystanders might not come to assistance because helping is time-costly
- Findings: helping was significantly influenced by time pressure manipulation
Social Perception
- Collecting and interpreting information about another person's individual character
- How do we form impressions of what other people are like?
- Asch (1946):
- Person A: Intelligent, Skillful, Industrious, Determined, Practical, Warm
- Person B: Intelligent, Skillful, Industrious, Determined, Practical, Cold
- Warm/Cold traits: central traits that influence overall interpretation of a person's personality
- Peripheral traits: traits whose perceived presence does not significantly change the overall interpretation of a person's personality
Attribution Theories
- Describe the process whereby social perceivers arrive at conclusions about the causes of another person's behavior
- Kelly's Covariation Model:
- Consensus (across people)
- Consistency (across situations)
- Distinctiveness (across objects)
- Attribution:
- Person attribution
- Context attribution
- Entity attribution
- Person-Object interaction attribution
Correspondent Inference Theory
- Jones & Davis (1965): observers consider the range of behavioral options available to the actor at the time of making a decision in order to work out the actor's intention
- Uncommon effects: behavior that is not commonly displayed
Theory of Achievement-Related Attribution
- Weiner (1979, 1985): inferences about the causes of our success and failure directly affect future expectations, motivations, and emotions
- Internal (about me) vs. External (about the circumstances)
- Stable vs. Unstable
- Controllable vs. Uncontrollable
Biases
- Correspondence bias (attribution error): tendency to attribute behavior of others to their personality
- Actor-observer effect: tendency to attribute our own behaviors externally and others' behaviors internally
- Self-serving bias: tendency to attribute our successes internally and our failures externally
- False consensus bias: assumption that other people generally share one's own personal attitudes, opinions, beliefs### Actor-Observer Effect
- Tendency to attribute our own behaviors externally and others' behaviors internally
- Example: As a new teacher, you sweat and stutter in class, attributing it to nerves on your first day, while students attribute it to your personality (shy person)
Self-Serving Bias
- Attributing successes internally and failures externally to protect self-esteem
- Examples:
- Job interview went well because you are competent
- Dinner tasted bad because you were distracted by good news about your new job
Social Cognition
- How we make sense of ourselves and others in our world
- Dual-processing theories:
- Automatic Process: unintentional, effortless, and outside of conscious awareness
- Controlled Processing: intentional, effortful, and conscious
Schemas
- Mental structures that help organize and interpret information about behaviors, social roles, and people
- Formed through experience and socialization
- Examples:
- You know what to do in a restaurant
- You assume a skinhead running towards a man will cause trouble
Cognitive Heuristics
- Mental shortcuts for quick and efficient judgments
- Examples:
- Representativeness Heuristic: judging likelihood based on similarity to a prototype
- John is a nerd, so he probably studies physics
- Base Rate Information: considering frequency of categories in the general population
- There are more communication students than physics students
- Availability Heuristic: judging frequency based on ease of recall
- My uncle smokes 4 packs a day and is 97, so smoking can't be that bad
- Anchoring/Adjustment Heuristic: using an initial value as a reference point
- Real estate agent says the average house price is £300,000, so you think the house is worth around that amount
- Representativeness Heuristic: judging likelihood based on similarity to a prototype
Priming
- Exposure to one stimulus influences response to a subsequent stimulus
- Activates schemas that prepare us for particular actions and social interactions
- Not necessarily automatic, and effects may be complex
Stereotype Suppression
- Trying to prevent an activated stereotype from impacting judgments
- Ironic Processes of Mental Control Model: suppressing stereotypes can actually increase them
Goal-Dependent Automaticity
- When goals to treat people equally override stereotype activation
- Strong motivation to not be racist can suppress racist stereotypes
Dissociation Model
- Automatic and controlled processes may be dissociated
- Commitment to non-prejudiced responding can lead to self-focus and effort to reduce discrepancy
Social Perception and Behavior
- The link between social perception and behavior is not inevitable
- Behavioral control involves a battle between activated schemas, environmental cues, and internal goal states
Heuristics and Biases Examples
- Availability Heuristic: George thinks people are stopping eating meat because he knows 10 people who recently stopped
- Anchoring: Charity donation example (£20)
Stopping Stereotypes
- Implicit goal operation: strong motivation to treat people equally overrides stereotype activation
- Dissociation Model: commitment to non-prejudiced responding can lead to self-focus and effort to reduce discrepancy
Academic Performance
- Teachers' expectations can impact students' performance (Pygmalion effect)
- Schemas and self-fulfilling prophecies influence behavior
Mood and Heuristics
- Good mood can lead to increased use of heuristics
- Bad mood can lead to more thorough processing
Self-Reference Effect
- Information related to the self is processed more thoroughly and better recalled
- Example: rating adjectives that describe you well
The Self
- Shaped by an active social construal process
- Context-dependent and variable
- Self-Reference Effect: better recall of information related to the self
Introspection
- Observing and examining internal states for behavior
- People usually know what they feel and think, but not why
Bem's Self-Perception Theory
- Inferring internal states by observing behavior
- Example: smiling and whistling after an exam, inferring relief
- Overjustification effect: external rewards can diminish intrinsic motivation
Social Sources of Self-Knowledge
- Attachment processes: responsive caregiving leads to positive self-concept
- Reflected appraisals: internalizing others' reactions towards us
- Social comparison: evaluating oneself by comparing to others
Working Self-Concept
- Subset of self-knowledge activated in a given situation
- Example: being a woman in a room full of men, or being a religious person in church
Desired Selves
- Contain potential, wishes, and duties
- Ideal self: motivates us to actively achieve aspirations
- Ought self: motivates us to avoid negative outcomes
Independent vs. Interdependent Self-Concepts
- Independent self: emphasizes autonomy, individualism, and internal attributes
- Interdependent self: emphasizes connection to others and relationships
Self-Knowledge Recap
- Self-concept is a collection of self-experiences
- Self-knowledge can be categorized into cognitive representation and affective evaluation
- Cultures shape our self-concept and self-esteem
- No specific "self-region" in the brain### Role of Self-Esteem
- The Sociometer Theory suggests that self-esteem acts as a sociometer, tracking our social status and acceptance or rejection by others.
- The Terror-Management Theory proposes that high self-esteem helps us distance ourselves from the fear of death.
Low Self-Regard: Self-Verification
- Self-Verification Motive: a motivation to affirm our firmly held beliefs about ourselves, even if they are negative.
- Example: Lisa, who knows she's terrible at writing, feels unsettled and dissatisfied when given a good grade for her essay.
The Regulatory Functions of the Self
- Self-Regulation Theory: the process of controlling and directing one's behavior to achieve desired thoughts, feelings, and goals.
- Steps involved:
- Adopting a standard.
- Directing attention to the self to monitor behavior.
- Changing behavior to match the standard.
Ego Depletion
- Ego depletion: a temporary reduction of self-regulatory capacities due to restricted energy resources after sustained self-control efforts.
- Example: sticking to a diet all day, but exhausting willpower and ordering pizza for dinner.
Attitudes
- Attitude: an overall evaluation of an object based on cognitive, affective, and behavioral information.
- Attitudes differ in valence (positive or negative) and strength.
Multicomponent Model of Attitude (ABC Model)
- Cognitive component: beliefs, thoughts, and attributes associated with an object.
- Affective component: feelings or emotions associated with an object.
- Behavioral component: past behaviors associated with an object.
The Mere Exposure Effect
- The mere exposure effect: an increase in liking for an object as a result of being repeatedly exposed to it.
- Example: liking a person more at the end of the year after seeing them repeatedly in a lecture hall.
Models of Attitude-Behavior Relations
- Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975):
- Intention is the immediate predictor of behavior.
- Two determinants of intentions: attitudes and subjective norms.
- Theory of Planned Behavior: an extension of the Theory of Reasoned Action, including perceived behavioral control.
- Implementation Intentions: "if-then" plans that specify a behavior, increasing the likelihood of behavior change.
When Do Attitudes Predict Behavior?
- Attitudes predict behavior when:
- There is correspondence between attitudinal and behavioral measures.
- It depends on the domain of behavior.
- It depends on the strength of the attitude.
Attitudinal Ambivalence
- Attitudinal ambivalence: a state that occurs when an individual both likes and dislikes an attitude object.
- Example: liking the taste of chocolate cake, but disliking that it can lead to weight gain.
Persuasion and Attitude Change
- Persuasion: the use of communication to change the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of others.
- Theories of Systematic Processing:
- Information Processing Model (McGuire, 1969, 1985)
- Cognitive Response Model (Greenwald)
- Dual-Process Theory (including Heuristic-Systematic Model and Elaboration Likelihood Model)
Social and Cross-Cultural Psychology Session 1
Research Methods in Social Psychology
- True Social Psychology Experiment:
- Constructs and hypotheses
- Confederates
- Unobtrusive measures (e.g. observing without the knowledge of those being observed)
- Cover story
- Post-Experimental Inquiry (asking participants what they think the study was about)
- Informed Consent
- Debriefing
- Quasi experiment: no random allocation to conditions
- Field study: e.g. Bystander effect (presence of others discourages individual intervention in an emergency situation)
- Surveys
- Qualitative research: textual and interpretative analysis (non-statistical)
Validity of the Study
- Internal validity: observed relationship between independent and dependent variables reflects a causal relationship
- Threats: experimental confounds, social desirability, demand characteristics, experimenter expectancy
- Construct validity: independent and dependent variables adequately capture constructs they represent
- Threats: social desirability, demand characteristics, experimenter expectancy
- External validity: generalizability of a finding beyond the circumstances in which it was observed
- Threats: non-representative sample
Data Collection Methods
- Observational methods:
- Threat: Reactivity (individuals alter their performance or behavior due to awareness of being observed)
- Self-report
- Implicit Measures: e.g. Measuring associations we are not aware of (IAT)
- Physiological Measures: social neuroscience, measuring mental and brain function to study social cognition, emotion, and behavior
Theories in Social Psychology
- Offer propositions about the relation between constructs and hypotheses
- Deriving hypotheses from previous experimental findings or variables
Bystander Effect
- Darley and Batson (1973) researched the bystander effect in a field study, testing the idea that bystanders might not come to assistance because helping is time-costly
- Findings: helping was significantly influenced by time pressure manipulation
Social Perception
- Collecting and interpreting information about another person's individual character
- How do we form impressions of what other people are like?
- Asch (1946):
- Person A: Intelligent, Skillful, Industrious, Determined, Practical, Warm
- Person B: Intelligent, Skillful, Industrious, Determined, Practical, Cold
- Warm/Cold traits: central traits that influence overall interpretation of a person's personality
- Peripheral traits: traits whose perceived presence does not significantly change the overall interpretation of a person's personality
Attribution Theories
- Describe the process whereby social perceivers arrive at conclusions about the causes of another person's behavior
- Kelly's Covariation Model:
- Consensus (across people)
- Consistency (across situations)
- Distinctiveness (across objects)
- Attribution:
- Person attribution
- Context attribution
- Entity attribution
- Person-Object interaction attribution
Correspondent Inference Theory
- Jones & Davis (1965): observers consider the range of behavioral options available to the actor at the time of making a decision in order to work out the actor's intention
- Uncommon effects: behavior that is not commonly displayed
Theory of Achievement-Related Attribution
- Weiner (1979, 1985): inferences about the causes of our success and failure directly affect future expectations, motivations, and emotions
- Internal (about me) vs. External (about the circumstances)
- Stable vs. Unstable
- Controllable vs. Uncontrollable
Biases
- Correspondence bias (attribution error): tendency to attribute behavior of others to their personality
- Actor-observer effect: tendency to attribute our own behaviors externally and others' behaviors internally
- Self-serving bias: tendency to attribute our successes internally and our failures externally
- False consensus bias: assumption that other people generally share one's own personal attitudes, opinions, beliefs### Actor-Observer Effect
- Tendency to attribute our own behaviors externally and others' behaviors internally
- Example: As a new teacher, you sweat and stutter in class, attributing it to nerves on your first day, while students attribute it to your personality (shy person)
Self-Serving Bias
- Attributing successes internally and failures externally to protect self-esteem
- Examples:
- Job interview went well because you are competent
- Dinner tasted bad because you were distracted by good news about your new job
Social Cognition
- How we make sense of ourselves and others in our world
- Dual-processing theories:
- Automatic Process: unintentional, effortless, and outside of conscious awareness
- Controlled Processing: intentional, effortful, and conscious
Schemas
- Mental structures that help organize and interpret information about behaviors, social roles, and people
- Formed through experience and socialization
- Examples:
- You know what to do in a restaurant
- You assume a skinhead running towards a man will cause trouble
Cognitive Heuristics
- Mental shortcuts for quick and efficient judgments
- Examples:
- Representativeness Heuristic: judging likelihood based on similarity to a prototype
- John is a nerd, so he probably studies physics
- Base Rate Information: considering frequency of categories in the general population
- There are more communication students than physics students
- Availability Heuristic: judging frequency based on ease of recall
- My uncle smokes 4 packs a day and is 97, so smoking can't be that bad
- Anchoring/Adjustment Heuristic: using an initial value as a reference point
- Real estate agent says the average house price is £300,000, so you think the house is worth around that amount
- Representativeness Heuristic: judging likelihood based on similarity to a prototype
Priming
- Exposure to one stimulus influences response to a subsequent stimulus
- Activates schemas that prepare us for particular actions and social interactions
- Not necessarily automatic, and effects may be complex
Stereotype Suppression
- Trying to prevent an activated stereotype from impacting judgments
- Ironic Processes of Mental Control Model: suppressing stereotypes can actually increase them
Goal-Dependent Automaticity
- When goals to treat people equally override stereotype activation
- Strong motivation to not be racist can suppress racist stereotypes
Dissociation Model
- Automatic and controlled processes may be dissociated
- Commitment to non-prejudiced responding can lead to self-focus and effort to reduce discrepancy
Social Perception and Behavior
- The link between social perception and behavior is not inevitable
- Behavioral control involves a battle between activated schemas, environmental cues, and internal goal states
Heuristics and Biases Examples
- Availability Heuristic: George thinks people are stopping eating meat because he knows 10 people who recently stopped
- Anchoring: Charity donation example (£20)
Stopping Stereotypes
- Implicit goal operation: strong motivation to treat people equally overrides stereotype activation
- Dissociation Model: commitment to non-prejudiced responding can lead to self-focus and effort to reduce discrepancy
Academic Performance
- Teachers' expectations can impact students' performance (Pygmalion effect)
- Schemas and self-fulfilling prophecies influence behavior
Mood and Heuristics
- Good mood can lead to increased use of heuristics
- Bad mood can lead to more thorough processing
Self-Reference Effect
- Information related to the self is processed more thoroughly and better recalled
- Example: rating adjectives that describe you well
The Self
- Shaped by an active social construal process
- Context-dependent and variable
- Self-Reference Effect: better recall of information related to the self
Introspection
- Observing and examining internal states for behavior
- People usually know what they feel and think, but not why
Bem's Self-Perception Theory
- Inferring internal states by observing behavior
- Example: smiling and whistling after an exam, inferring relief
- Overjustification effect: external rewards can diminish intrinsic motivation
Social Sources of Self-Knowledge
- Attachment processes: responsive caregiving leads to positive self-concept
- Reflected appraisals: internalizing others' reactions towards us
- Social comparison: evaluating oneself by comparing to others
Working Self-Concept
- Subset of self-knowledge activated in a given situation
- Example: being a woman in a room full of men, or being a religious person in church
Desired Selves
- Contain potential, wishes, and duties
- Ideal self: motivates us to actively achieve aspirations
- Ought self: motivates us to avoid negative outcomes
Independent vs. Interdependent Self-Concepts
- Independent self: emphasizes autonomy, individualism, and internal attributes
- Interdependent self: emphasizes connection to others and relationships
Self-Knowledge Recap
- Self-concept is a collection of self-experiences
- Self-knowledge can be categorized into cognitive representation and affective evaluation
- Cultures shape our self-concept and self-esteem
- No specific "self-region" in the brain### Role of Self-Esteem
- The Sociometer Theory suggests that self-esteem acts as a sociometer, tracking our social status and acceptance or rejection by others.
- The Terror-Management Theory proposes that high self-esteem helps us distance ourselves from the fear of death.
Low Self-Regard: Self-Verification
- Self-Verification Motive: a motivation to affirm our firmly held beliefs about ourselves, even if they are negative.
- Example: Lisa, who knows she's terrible at writing, feels unsettled and dissatisfied when given a good grade for her essay.
The Regulatory Functions of the Self
- Self-Regulation Theory: the process of controlling and directing one's behavior to achieve desired thoughts, feelings, and goals.
- Steps involved:
- Adopting a standard.
- Directing attention to the self to monitor behavior.
- Changing behavior to match the standard.
Ego Depletion
- Ego depletion: a temporary reduction of self-regulatory capacities due to restricted energy resources after sustained self-control efforts.
- Example: sticking to a diet all day, but exhausting willpower and ordering pizza for dinner.
Attitudes
- Attitude: an overall evaluation of an object based on cognitive, affective, and behavioral information.
- Attitudes differ in valence (positive or negative) and strength.
Multicomponent Model of Attitude (ABC Model)
- Cognitive component: beliefs, thoughts, and attributes associated with an object.
- Affective component: feelings or emotions associated with an object.
- Behavioral component: past behaviors associated with an object.
The Mere Exposure Effect
- The mere exposure effect: an increase in liking for an object as a result of being repeatedly exposed to it.
- Example: liking a person more at the end of the year after seeing them repeatedly in a lecture hall.
Models of Attitude-Behavior Relations
- Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975):
- Intention is the immediate predictor of behavior.
- Two determinants of intentions: attitudes and subjective norms.
- Theory of Planned Behavior: an extension of the Theory of Reasoned Action, including perceived behavioral control.
- Implementation Intentions: "if-then" plans that specify a behavior, increasing the likelihood of behavior change.
When Do Attitudes Predict Behavior?
- Attitudes predict behavior when:
- There is correspondence between attitudinal and behavioral measures.
- It depends on the domain of behavior.
- It depends on the strength of the attitude.
Attitudinal Ambivalence
- Attitudinal ambivalence: a state that occurs when an individual both likes and dislikes an attitude object.
- Example: liking the taste of chocolate cake, but disliking that it can lead to weight gain.
Persuasion and Attitude Change
- Persuasion: the use of communication to change the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of others.
- Theories of Systematic Processing:
- Information Processing Model (McGuire, 1969, 1985)
- Cognitive Response Model (Greenwald)
- Dual-Process Theory (including Heuristic-Systematic Model and Elaboration Likelihood Model)
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Description
Introduction to Social and Cross-Cultural Psychology, covering chapters 2-7. This session includes an overview of the course and an introduction to key concepts.