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Questions and Answers
What is the primary focus of social cognition?
What is the primary focus of social cognition?
Which unit of social cognition discusses the errors that affect our social interactions?
Which unit of social cognition discusses the errors that affect our social interactions?
What does the second unit of social cognition address?
What does the second unit of social cognition address?
What key concept is explored in the third unit regarding attitude?
What key concept is explored in the third unit regarding attitude?
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What relationship does the fourth unit specifically analyze?
What relationship does the fourth unit specifically analyze?
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Which of the following is NOT a topic covered in the block on social cognition?
Which of the following is NOT a topic covered in the block on social cognition?
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Which of the following best describes the concept of attribution in social cognition?
Which of the following best describes the concept of attribution in social cognition?
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What does the principle of non-common effects suggest about a person's behavior?
What does the principle of non-common effects suggest about a person's behavior?
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What aspect of social cognition is related to the concepts of stereotype, prejudice, and discrimination?
What aspect of social cognition is related to the concepts of stereotype, prejudice, and discrimination?
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How do socially desirable behaviors inform us about a person's disposition?
How do socially desirable behaviors inform us about a person's disposition?
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What does normativeness refer to in the context of behavior assessment?
What does normativeness refer to in the context of behavior assessment?
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When are behaviors inferred to stem from a personal disposition?
When are behaviors inferred to stem from a personal disposition?
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How does the extent to which the effects are common influence our attribution of behavior?
How does the extent to which the effects are common influence our attribution of behavior?
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What can be inferred if an individual behaves contrary to social norms?
What can be inferred if an individual behaves contrary to social norms?
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According to Jones and Davis (1965), which type of behavior does NOT reveal individual dispositions?
According to Jones and Davis (1965), which type of behavior does NOT reveal individual dispositions?
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Which statement about the behavior evaluation process is true?
Which statement about the behavior evaluation process is true?
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What is the primary focus of social cognition?
What is the primary focus of social cognition?
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Which type of schema relates specifically to an individual’s own beliefs about themselves?
Which type of schema relates specifically to an individual’s own beliefs about themselves?
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What does the term 'heuristics' refer to in the context of social cognition?
What does the term 'heuristics' refer to in the context of social cognition?
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Which bias is characterized by giving more weight to negative information than positive information?
Which bias is characterized by giving more weight to negative information than positive information?
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Which schema type is based on collective beliefs and expectations about a specific group of people?
Which schema type is based on collective beliefs and expectations about a specific group of people?
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What are 'availability heuristics' most closely associated with?
What are 'availability heuristics' most closely associated with?
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Planning fallacy is best described as?
Planning fallacy is best described as?
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Which of the following concepts refers to an individual's tendency to think in ways that distort reality?
Which of the following concepts refers to an individual's tendency to think in ways that distort reality?
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What was demonstrated by Devine regarding stereotypes?
What was demonstrated by Devine regarding stereotypes?
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What is the purpose of using heuristics in social interactions?
What is the purpose of using heuristics in social interactions?
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What did Schwarz et al. propose regarding availability heuristics?
What did Schwarz et al. propose regarding availability heuristics?
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Which heuristic is commonly utilized in situations with high uncertainty?
Which heuristic is commonly utilized in situations with high uncertainty?
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What primarily influences which schema we choose to guide our social interactions?
What primarily influences which schema we choose to guide our social interactions?
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Why do people employ heuristics during social interactions?
Why do people employ heuristics during social interactions?
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In the context of availability heuristics, which is the primary factor for schema selection?
In the context of availability heuristics, which is the primary factor for schema selection?
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What effect do heuristics have on cognitive processing?
What effect do heuristics have on cognitive processing?
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What do we tend to infer when a person we perceive as honest later fails to return borrowed money?
What do we tend to infer when a person we perceive as honest later fails to return borrowed money?
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What allows an already formed impression to influence the interpretation of new information?
What allows an already formed impression to influence the interpretation of new information?
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What does the primacy effect suggest about how we process information?
What does the primacy effect suggest about how we process information?
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Under what condition is the recency effect likely to occur?
Under what condition is the recency effect likely to occur?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of the recency effect?
Which of the following is a characteristic of the recency effect?
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What area of social psychology focuses on how we form impressions of others?
What area of social psychology focuses on how we form impressions of others?
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Which of these traits may play a more significant role when forming impressions, according to empirical evidence?
Which of these traits may play a more significant role when forming impressions, according to empirical evidence?
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What happens to the information received later if we feel we have enough to make a judgment?
What happens to the information received later if we feel we have enough to make a judgment?
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Study Notes
Understanding Social Attributions and Behavior
- Attribution involves discerning intended and incidental effects of behavior, influenced by commonality, social desirability, and normative compliance.
- Non-Common Effects Principle: Exceptional behaviors suggest underlying dispositions, as they produce effects not generated by other actions.
- Socially Undesirable Outcomes: Low socially desirable behaviors imply personal disposition, as opposed to socially normative behaviors revealing little about the individual.
- Normative Evaluation: Behaviors deviating from social norms are interpreted as freely chosen, indicating personal disposition, while conforming behaviors do not.
Overview of Social Cognition
- Social cognition encompasses how we process social information, influenced by cognitive processes in our interactions.
- The first unit covers schemas, heuristics, and common cognitive errors in processing social information.
- Social Perception Unit: Focuses on how we perceive others, attributions of behavior (internal vs. external), and overall impressions formed during social interactions.
- Exploration of attitudes, their components, types, functions, formation, change, and the relationship between attitudes and behaviors is covered in later units.
- The final unit addresses stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, their sources, and methods to reduce them.
Key Concepts in Social Cognition
- Schemas: Frameworks for organizing and interpreting information; various types include person, self, group, role, and event schemas.
- Heuristics: Mental shortcuts facilitating rapid decision-making in social contexts, particularly when faced with overwhelming information.
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Types of Heuristics:
- Availability Heuristics: Reliance on easily retrievable examples, not necessarily the frequency of schema use.
- Representativeness Heuristics: Forming judgments based on how similar a person or situation is to an existing stereotype.
Errors in Social Cognition
- Cognitive-Experiential Self Theory: Suggests different cognitive processes lead to biases in understanding social situations.
- Negativity Bias: Greater weight assigned to negative information over positive.
- Primacy and Recency Effects: The order of information affects judgment—earlier information may dominate (primacy), or recent information might be more influential when time gaps exist (recency).
Important Theoretical Contributions
- Studies by Jung et al. and others reveal that stereotype activation occurs subconsciously, affecting perceptions even in low-prejudice individuals.
- The focus on ease of retrieval emphasizes that schemas tied to easily remembered examples are more likely to guide social thought.
Objectives of the Study Unit
- Define social cognition and its relevance.
- Understand schema types and their impacts on perception.
- Explain heuristics and their role in social interactions.
- Identify common errors in social thinking processes.
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Description
This quiz explores key concepts in social attribution and behavior, focusing on how we interpret actions based on their social context. It delves into the non-common effects principle, socially undesirable outcomes, and the influence of normative evaluation on perceptions. Additionally, it highlights essential aspects of social cognition, including schemas and cognitive errors.
