Social Psychology Lecture 1

Social Psychology

• Humans are inherently social, influencing behaviors and interactions within groups.
• Social psychology examines how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts.
• Common sense sometimes aligns with psychological principles, but scientific methods provide deeper insights.

Cultural Psychology

• Emphasizes the importance of culture in shaping psychological processes and self-concept.

Research Methods

• Utilizes various methodologies including experiments, surveys, and observational studies to gather data in social psychology.

Self-Concept

• Self-concept refers to how individuals perceive themselves, shaped by personal and social experiences.

Origins of Self-Concept

• Introspection involves self-reflection to understand personal thoughts and feelings.
• Forecasting pertains to how future events may influence self-perception and identity.

Culture and Self-Concept

• Cultural background affects how individuals view themselves and their roles in society.

Sources of Self-Concept

• Influenced by factors like feedback from others, social roles, cultural expectations, and personal experiences.

Self-Esteem

• Refers to an individual's overall sense of personal value and worth.
• Can be affected by achievements, social interactions, and personal evaluations.

Self-Presentation

• The process of controlling or influencing how one is perceived by others.
• Involves aspects of impression management and social desirability.

Self-Verification

• The motivation to maintain a consistent self-view, seeking affirmation from others.

Self-Monitoring

• The ability to adjust one's behavior based on social contexts and the expectations of others.

Person Perception

• The process of forming impressions of others based on appearance, demeanor, and behavior.

Thin Slices & Physical Appearance

• People make quick judgments about others based on minimal information, often focusing on physical traits.

Perceiving Situations

• Context significantly alters interpretations of situations and behaviors.

Mind Perception

• Refers to how people attribute mental states and intentions to others, impacting interpersonal interactions.

Non-Verbal Behavior

• Non-verbal cues (body language, facial expressions) play a crucial role in communication and interpretation of emotions.

Deception Detection

• Challenges in identifying deceptive behaviors often arise from reliance on non-verbal signals.

Attribution Theories

• Focus on how individuals explain the causes of behavior: whether attributing to internal characteristics or external situations.

Covariation Model

• A framework for understanding attribution that considers the consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus of behaviors.

Jones & Harris (1967)

• A study demonstrating fundamental attribution error where participants underestimated situational influences on behavior.

Attribution Errors

• Common mistakes include overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational factors in explaining behaviors.