Questions and Answers
What is the difference between sociology and social psychology?
Sociologists focus on entire groups/societal level; social psychologists strive to understand and explain how the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.
What are the three main facets of social psychology?
Social perception, social influence, social interaction.
Describe social perception and give an example.
The process where individuals form impressions of others and interpret information about them. Example: seeing someone with a really nice car may lead one to perceive them as rich and successful.
Describe social influence and give an example.
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Social influence results from what?
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What was one of the earliest formal studies in social psychology?
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What study documented the concept of social facilitation?
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Who conducted a study that illustrated social loafing? What was the study?
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What were the first textbooks published on the subject of social psychology?
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Who was Floyd Allport?
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What event completely changed the structure and direction of social psychology?
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What is the Interactionist Perspective?
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Who is Muzafer Sherif?
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Who is Solomon Ash?
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Who is Stanley Milgram?
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Who is Leon Festinger?
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Who is Fitz Heide?
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What is Basic Research in Social Psychology?
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What is Applied Research in Social Psychology?
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What are the debates in social psychology?
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What is Social Psychology and Stereotyping/Prejudice related to?
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What is the Cognitive Revolution?
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Social Psychology is primarily considered a ______________ discipline.
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What are influences outside of the USA?
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What is the Sociocultural Perspective?
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What is the Evolutionary Perspective?
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What is the Social Cognitive Perspective?
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What is the Social Learning Perspective?
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What are confederates in research?
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Why can psychologists not rely on common sense?
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What is hindsight bias?
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Why is common sense problematic to rely on to explain behavior?
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What is the false consensus effect?
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What is differential construal?
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What are two ways in which false conclusions can be derived through biased actions or thoughts?
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What is confirmation bias?
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What is the scientific method?
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Study Notes
Difference Between Sociology and Social Psychology
- Sociology studies entire groups at a societal level.
- Social psychology examines how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by others' presence.
Main Facets of Social Psychology
- Comprises social perception, social influence, and social interaction.
Social Perception
- Involves forming impressions and interpreting information about others.
- Example: A person with a luxurious car may be perceived as wealthy and successful.
Social Influence
- Refers to how individuals affect one another's thoughts or actions.
- Example: A person opting to become a doctor because their parents are doctors.
Social Interaction
- Interaction between two or more individuals serves as the basis for social influence.
Early Studies in Social Psychology
- Norman Triplett's 1898 cycling study investigated performance when individuals work together; found competitive settings enhance effort.
Social Facilitation
- Documented in Triplett's study showing children performed better in pairs than alone.
Social Loafing
- Demonstrated by Max Ringlemann's 1883 rope study; individuals exert less effort when tugging in a group versus alone.
Foundational Textbooks
- Edward Ross and William McDougall published seminal textbooks in 1908 on social psychology.
Floyd Allport's Contributions
- Authored the second version of Social Psychology in 1924, emphasizing external influences.
SPSSI
- Founded in 1936 by Gordon Allport, focusing on social issues impacting groups and communities.
Impact of WWII
- World War II drastically transformed the direction and structure of social psychology.
Interactionist Perspective
- Kurt Lewin's approach merges internal personality factors with external social influences.
Muzafer Sherif's Research
- Applied scientific methods to social influence in his 1936 autokinetic effect experiment, revealing conformity in group settings.
Solomon Asch's Study
- In 1951, demonstrated that individuals often agree with incorrect majority opinions.
Stanley Milgram's Obedience Study
- Conducted in 1963, showcased how individuals may compromise personal values for obedience.
Leon Festinger's Theories
- Developed cognitive dissonance theory (1957) highlighting conflict between attitudes and behaviors.
- Introduced social comparison theory (1954) explaining self-perception in relation to others.
Fitz Heide's Attribution Theory
- Proposed in 1958, focusing on explanations for individual behaviors.
Basic Research in Social Psychology
- Investigates fundamental behaviors and cognitive processes.
Applied Research in Social Psychology
- Applies social psychology principles to address real-world issues in various fields.
Debates in Social Psychology
- Discussions around laboratory research effectiveness and ethical standards arose, particularly after the Milgram experiment.
Stereotyping and Prejudice
- Gordon Allport's prejudice scale and the work of Latane and Darley on altruism have influenced social change, including in education.
Cognitive Revolution
- Sparked by Festinger's theories and Kahnerman/Tversky's development of heuristics as mental shortcuts.
Dominance of Western Discipline
- Social psychology is primarily considered a Western-dominated field.
Cultural Influences
- Individualistic cultures emphasize independence; collectivist cultures focus on interconnectedness.
Sociocultural Perspective
- Examines the relationship between individual behavior and cultural context, highlighting societal influences on behavior.
Evolutionary Perspective
- Explores biological bases behind universal traits, emphasizing natural selection.
Social Cognitive Perspective
- Integrates behavioral theories with cognitive processes impacting behavior.
Social Learning Perspective
- Focuses on learning through social rewards and punishments; emphasizes observational learning.
Role of Confederates
- Individuals in experiments who assume specific roles to influence participant behavior.
Need for Evidence in Psychology
- Psychologists rely on evidence from systematic studies rather than common sense for conclusions.
Hindsight Bias
- The tendency to believe one could have predicted an outcome after it has occurred.
Common Sense Limitations
- Subjectivity arises from diverse interpretations of what constitutes common sense.
False Consensus Effect
- The belief that one's opinions are shared by the majority.
Differential Construal
- The ability to interpret situations differently based on perspective.
Sources of Bias
- False conclusions may stem from false consensus and hindsight bias.
Confirmation Bias
- The inclination to favor information that supports existing beliefs while disregarding contrary evidence.
Scientific Method
- A structured approach involving observation, measurement, and experimentation to evaluate information.
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Description
Explore the fundamentals of social psychology in Chapter 1 through these flashcards. Learn about the differences between sociology and social psychology, as well as the main facets of the discipline. Test your understanding of key concepts and theories applicable to individual and group dynamics.