Social Cognition & Perception

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Questions and Answers

Define social cognition and briefly explain its importance in interpersonal relationships.

Social cognition refers to the processes of perception, interpretation, belief, and memory used to evaluate and understand ourselves and others. It is important because it influences how we perceive and interact with people, including our partners, which impacts relationship satisfaction.

Explain the primacy effect and how it can impact our judgments of others.

The primacy effect is the tendency for the first information we receive about others to carry special weight in shaping our overall impression of them. It can lead to biased judgments as initial impressions can overshadow later information.

Describe one way existing beliefs influence relationships.

Existing beliefs influence what we want to see. It can lead to holding confident judgements that are not always right.

What does it mean to "idealize our partners" and how does this relate to positive illusions?

Idealizing our partners involves judging them with positive illusions, portraying them in the best possible light. This means focusing on their strengths while downplaying or rationalizing their faults. Signup and view all the answers

Name the three categories of attributions we can make to explain a partner's behavior and give an example.

The three categories are: (a) Internal vs. external (our personal fault versus external circumstances), (b) Stable vs. unstable (our abilities versus moods that can come and go), and (c) Controllable vs. uncontrollable (we can manage them versus we cannot manage them). Example: attributing a partner's success to their hard work (internal, stable, controllable). Signup and view all the answers

Explain the actor/observer effect and how it leads to different explanations for our own behavior versus our partner's behavior.

The actor/observer effect is the tendency to attribute our own behavior to external circumstances, while attributing others' behavior to internal traits. This leads us to excuse our own actions while judging our partners more harshly. Signup and view all the answers

Differentiate between relationship-enhancing and distress-maintaining attributions.

Relationship-enhancing attributions involve positive interpretations of a partner's behavior, attributing good actions to internal and stable causes, and bad actions to external and unstable causes. Distress-maintaining attributions involve the opposite pattern, magnifying negative aspects and minimizing positive ones. Signup and view all the answers

What is reconstructive memory, and how does our current relationship status influence how we remember the past?

Reconstructive memory is the process by which our memories are continually revised and rewritten as new information is obtained. If we are presently happy, we tend to forget past disappointments. Signup and view all the answers

Compare and contrast destiny and growth beliefs in relationships, and how these beliefs influence reactions to relationship challenges.

Destiny beliefs hold that relationships are either meant to be or not, leading to quick exits when challenges arise. Growth beliefs view relationships as built through hard work and overcoming obstacles, promoting commitment and repair. Signup and view all the answers

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy and give an example.

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a false prediction that becomes true because it leads people to behave in ways that make the expectation come true. For example, if you expect your partner to be unsupportive, you might act defensively, which in turn causes them to be less supportive. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the difference between self-enhancement and self-verification and in what kind of relationships one is more favored than the other.

Self-enhancement is the desire for positive feedback, while self-verification is the desire for feedback that aligns with one's existing self-concept. Self-enhancement is generally favored in romantic relationships, while self-verification is more important in marriage. Signup and view all the answers

What are implicit attitudes and why are they important?

Implicit attitudes are unintentional and unaware associations in our judgments. They are important because they can predict how happy you will be later. Signup and view all the answers

Define transference in the context of relationships.

Transference involves transferring old feelings to new partners. When our new partners subtly remind us of significant others from our past, they influence our behavior and our implicit attitudes towards them. Signup and view all the answers

Briefly describe the concept of impression management and an example.

Impression management is the effort to control the impressions others form of us. For example, trying to be kind and smart when you meet someone special. Signup and view all the answers

Give two reasons why we try less hard to make a good impression on close people compared to strangers.

Reasons include: (1) close people like us for who we are, (2) they know us well, so there is less we can do to have much effect on what they think of us and (3) it requires effort. Signup and view all the answers

Define ingratiation as a strategy of impression management, and why is it mostly used within relationships?

Ingratiation involves seeking acceptance and liking from others by doing favors, paying compliments, and mentioning areas of agreement. It's used in relationships to maintain closeness and affection. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how high self-monitoring can influence social interactions and relationships.

People high in self-monitoring adjust their behavior to fit social cues. They are more willing to tailor their behavior to fit in. People high in self-monitoring tend to have more friends, but less in common with them. Signup and view all the answers

Describe how our perceptions of our partners can be biased. Explain why this is.

We idealize our partners and are overconfident in our assessments of them, perceiving them to be more like us than they really are. This is because we overestimate how similar their traits are to ours. Signup and view all the answers

What is emotional intelligence and why is it useful in relationships?

Emotional intelligence is a set of abilities that describes a person's talent in perceiving, using, understanding, and managing emotions. Those high in emotional intelligence are able to read others' feelings sensitively. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the connection between thinking about your relationship in a positive way and relationship-enhancing behavior.

Thinking about your relationship in a positive way makes it more likely that you'll engage in relationship-enhancing behavior. This is because positive thoughts lead to more optimistic and supportive actions, strengthening the bond. Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Social Cognition

The mental processes we use to understand ourselves and others, including perception, interpretation, belief, and memory.

Primacy Effect

The tendency for the first information learned about someone to disproportionately shape our overall impression of them.

Confirmation Bias

The inclination to seek out information that confirms existing beliefs and overlook contradictory evidence.