Social Psychology Exam 1: Ch.3 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Compare and contrast automatic and controlled processing, providing an example of both.

Automatic processing is unintentional, involuntary, and effortless, like walking or comprehending speech. Controlled processing is intentional, conscious, and effortful, like taking an exam or making an important decision.

What two things are necessary for controlled processing to occur?

Time and motivation.

What is a schema, and what role does it play in cognitive processing?

A schema is a mental structure that helps organize knowledge and aids memory, but can also lead to stereotypes and errors in memory.

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

It occurs when thoughts influence behavior, leading to an outcome that reinforces those initial thoughts. Signup and view all the answers

What is priming? Give an example.

Priming is an automatic process where a schema becomes more accessible due to a recent event, influencing perception, such as assuming a diabetic athlete is checking blood sugar or using performance-enhancing drugs based on context. Signup and view all the answers

What is the process by which a self-fulfilling prophecy occurs? Give an example.

It occurs when one person behaves differently towards another based on preconceived notions, leading to reciprocal behavior and reinforcing their initial beliefs. Signup and view all the answers

What is a heuristic, and what role does it play in cognitive processing?

A heuristic is a mental shortcut that allows for quick, efficient problem-solving but can lead to errors. Signup and view all the answers

What is the availability heuristic?

It is a mental shortcut where judgments are made based on how easily examples come to mind. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Automatic vs. Controlled Processing

Automatic processing: Unintentional, involuntary, and effortless. Examples include walking and understanding speech.
Controlled processing: Intentional, conscious, and effortful. Occurs during tasks requiring focus, such as exams or major decisions.
Automatic processing is the default mode of thinking, whereas controlled processing only happens when there is sufficient time and motivation.

Requirements for Controlled Processing

Time: Adequate time is necessary for deeper cognitive engagement.
Motivation: A desire or incentive to process information intentionally.

Schemas and Cognitive Processing

Schemas: Mental frameworks that organize knowledge and facilitate memory retrieval.
They can promote quick recall of consistent information but may also result in inaccuracies, such as misremembering events or perpetuating stereotypes.
Difficult to change, making schemas potent influencers on perceptions and behaviors.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Definition: When beliefs influence actions, leading to outcomes that confirm those beliefs.
Example: Believing one is bad at math may result in inadequate studying, leading to poor performance, reinforcing the initial belief.

Priming

Priming: An automatic process where exposure to a stimulus enhances the accessibility of certain schemas.
Example: Seeing an athlete with a needle may lead to different interpretations based on recent context, such as diabetes management versus drug use.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Process

Occurs when an individual's biases toward another shape their behavior, prompting the other person to behave in ways that confirm the bias.
Example: A teacher's assumption that boys misbehave leads to harsher treatment, causing boys to act out and confirming the teacher’s belief.

Heuristics in Cognitive Processing

Heuristics: Mental shortcuts that streamline decision-making but can lead to errors in specific situations.
Examples include the Availability Heuristic and the Representativeness Heuristic.

Availability Heuristic

This mental shortcut involves making judgments based on how easily examples come to mind.
Example: An individual's perception of the number of good restaurants in an area may depend on recent dining experiences or media exposure.

Description

Test your knowledge on Social Cognition with these flashcards covering automatic and controlled processing. This quiz will help you compare and contrast these two types of cognitive processing, with examples to illustrate each concept. Perfect for reviewing key terms and concepts before your exam!