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Questions and Answers
What percentage of respondents rated their parking skills better than the average driver?
What percentage of respondents rated their parking skills better than the average driver?
What is NOT a characteristic of positive illusions?
What is NOT a characteristic of positive illusions?
According to Attribution Theory, which of the following is an example of a situational attribution?
According to Attribution Theory, which of the following is an example of a situational attribution?
Which system in Daniel Kahneman's Dual System of Thinking is characterized as fast and automatic?
Which system in Daniel Kahneman's Dual System of Thinking is characterized as fast and automatic?
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What percentage of respondents considered their leadership skills to be above average?
What percentage of respondents considered their leadership skills to be above average?
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What is the primary characteristic of System 2 thinking?
What is the primary characteristic of System 2 thinking?
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Which statement best describes the fundamental attribution error?
Which statement best describes the fundamental attribution error?
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In the actor-observer bias, how do actors typically attribute their own behavior?
In the actor-observer bias, how do actors typically attribute their own behavior?
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What was the result of Asch's conformity experiments regarding participant behavior?
What was the result of Asch's conformity experiments regarding participant behavior?
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According to the content, why is it easier to make immediate attributions about someone else's behavior?
According to the content, why is it easier to make immediate attributions about someone else's behavior?
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What key concept explains the tendency to attribute successes to oneself and failures to external factors?
What key concept explains the tendency to attribute successes to oneself and failures to external factors?
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Which of the following questions reflects concerns about one's identity in relation to societal expectations?
Which of the following questions reflects concerns about one's identity in relation to societal expectations?
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How is the self often described in relation to social interactions?
How is the self often described in relation to social interactions?
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Which behavior reflects an active management of how one appears to others?
Which behavior reflects an active management of how one appears to others?
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What philosophical perspective suggests that the self is influenced by others?
What philosophical perspective suggests that the self is influenced by others?
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What cognitive mechanism helps individuals defend their self-esteem against negative evaluations?
What cognitive mechanism helps individuals defend their self-esteem against negative evaluations?
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In social psychology, how is the concept of self-esteem best characterized?
In social psychology, how is the concept of self-esteem best characterized?
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Which of the following most accurately represents a misconception regarding the self-serving bias?
Which of the following most accurately represents a misconception regarding the self-serving bias?
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Study Notes
Social Psychology 100
- Social psychology examines how people's behavior is profoundly influenced by social surroundings and interactions.
- Almost all behavior is affected by social influences and directed towards others.
- Social psychologists explore questions concerning self-identity; how social contexts influence thought, feelings, and actions; group dynamics and individual behavior; attraction and repulsion; conflict resolution; biases and prejudices; and the effects of social media.
Questions Social Psychologists Ask
- Who are we? Do we exist independently of others?
- How do other people influence our thoughts?
- How do we explain other people's behavior?
- What attracts us to certain people?
- What makes us repulsed by certain people?
- How does behavior manifest itself in groups?
- What triggers conflict between groups?
- How can harmony be fostered between groups?
The Self: Who Are We?
- The self is the bridge between the social world and our internal world.
- Key questions about the self include: What kind of person am I?; What do I believe?; What are my strengths and weaknesses?; What do others expect of me?; What do I want from myself?; What groups do I belong to?; How do I compare to others?
- People often manage their impressions to present the self they want others to see.
- The self is dynamic and constantly adjusting based on social influences and self-evaluation. It constantly evaluates and attempts to preserve its self-worth.
The Self & Social Media
- Social media presents a challenge to the self as profiles may not reflect true identity.
- Social media is increasingly used to construct and project our desired self-image.
The Defense of Self
- People strive to maintain self-esteem and a positive self-image.
- Errors in judgment often favor the self.
- These errors in judgment are often accomplished through a 'Cognitive Bias' to defend the self from its own negative judgments.
Social Thinking (Social Cognition)
- Social cognition focuses on how we think about and understand other people, groups, and our surroundings.
- Attribution Theory discusses how we attribute causes to observed behavior. Attributions can be situational, external (environmental factors) or dispositional, internal (personality traits and character).
The 'Self-Serving Bias'
- People tend to credit successes and achievements to their own efforts, and blame failures or setbacks on external circumstances.
- We overestimate our own contributions and positive attributes.
Positive Illusions
- Positive illusions are false beliefs having beneficial outcomes.
- Positive self-image and optimism are examples of positive illusions.
Attribution Theory
- We explain other peoples behavior in two ways: Situational (external factors), or dispositional (internal factors).
- We often make attributions quickly, a type of 'fast thinking.'
A 'Dual System' of Thinking
- System 1 is automatic and effortless.
- Examples include quick decisions and judgments.
- System 2 is effortful and deliberate, requiring concentration and attention.
The Fundamental Attribution Error
- The tendency to overemphasize internal, dispositional causes of behavior, underestimating external, situational factors, when explaining others' actions.
- Lack of awareness of situational influences.
The Actor-Observer Bias
- As actors, we credit our own traits for good behavior, and circumstances for bad.
- As observers, we tend to attribute others' actions to dispositions.
Group Dynamics
- Group dynamics is the study of how people interact in groups and are influenced by group norms, conformity, and the diffusion of responsibility.
The Pressure to Conform
- Conformity is the tendency to adjust one's attitudes or behavior to align with the group's expectations.
The Asch Experiment
- A classic experiment demonstrating influence on judgment.
- 75% of participants conformed at least once.
- ~32% conformed every time.
Conditions for Conformity
- Task difficulty.
- Presence of a person holding the similar view.
- Presence of a third viewpoint.
- Allowed to state their opinion privately.
Conformity & Consensus
- At least three dissenting opinions were required to promote substantial conformity.
- Larger numbers of dissenting opinions have no additional impact.
Types of Conformity
- Informational conformity: Belief that group is correct.
- Normative conformity: Desire to avoid group disapproval.
Groupthink
- Groupthink is the deterioration of decision-making when group pressures to conform override practical alternatives.
The Kitty Genovese Case
- The Bystander effect is the observation that people are less likely to help someone when other individuals are present.
- Diffusion of responsibility when the group size increases, each individual's sense of responsibility diminishes.
Studying the Bystander Effect
- Actual emergencies resulted in decreased helping based on group size.
- Perceived emergencies led to individuals questioning and hesitating to accept responsibility.
Helping & Group Size
- The percentage of individuals offering help drops as group size increases.
- Increased group size means more time spent pondering and deciding.
The 5-Stage Model of Helping
- Stages of helping: noticing the event, interpreting it as an emergency, assuming responsibility, knowing how to assist, and implementing the decision.
- Failure at any stage can lead to inaction.
The Milgram Experiment
- Measured obedience to authority.
- Astonishingly high percentage of participants complied to the end.
- Proximity to the experimenter and learner influenced obedience greatly.
Milgram's Findings
- 65 percent of participants administered maximum shocks.
Conditions of Obedience
- Proximity of the experimenter and learner significantly affected obedience rates.
'Autonomy' vs. 'Agency'
- Autonomy: Individual takes responsibility for their actions.
- Agency: Individual allows others to direct their actions and take responsibility
The Stanford Prison Experiment
- Demonstrates how situational factors can dramatically impact behavior.
- Demonstrates the influence of roles, labels, and social pressures.
The 'Lucifer Effect'
- The line between good and evil is permeable and can be easily crossed, especially under situational pressures.
Zimbardo's Legacy
- Understanding situational pressures on behavior.
Nature vs. Nurture
- Plato suggests innate knowledge, Aristotle emphasizes experiential leaning.
Cognitive Pillars of Conflict
- Stereotyping: generalization to all members.
- In-group bias: favoritism towards one's group.
- The Availability Heuristic: vivid examples affecting perceptions.
- The Just World Fallacy: attributing bad events to out-group shortcomings.
Prejudice & Discrimination
- Prejudice involves unjustified negative beliefs towards a specific group and its members
- Discrimination refers to unjustified behavior towards specific groups.
Implicit Prejudice
- Implied prejudice is automatic, unconscious, and negative towards specific groups.
- Implicit Association Test (IAT) is a tool to assess implicit bias.
The Mere Exposure Effect
- Familiarity tends to increase liking and preference.
A Solution?: Reducing Prejudice Through Intergroup Contact
- Equal status between groups and shared common goals.
- Intergroup cooperation fostering cooperation.
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Description
This quiz delves into the fundamental concepts of social psychology, exploring how our thoughts and behaviors are shaped by social interactions. It investigates critical questions about self-identity, group dynamics, and the influences of social contexts on individual behavior. Test your understanding of key theories and topics in this essential field of psychology.
