Social Relations How do we relate to others? Attraction Conflict and Prejudice Altruism and Peacemaking Aggression

Prejudice An unjustifiable attitude towards a group of people. Usually involves stereotyped beliefs (a generalized belief about a group of people). Overt Subtle

Prejudice Over Time

Is it just race? NO Palestinians and Jews Country and City Mainland and Island Men and Women But women have some things going for them like……

Which person would you want to have a long term relationship with? Most pick B—feminine characteristics

Social Inequalities (A principle reason behind prejudice ) Ingroup: “us”- people with whom one shares a common identity. Outgroup: “them”- those perceived as different than one’s ingroup. Ingroup bias: the tendency to favor one’s own group. Scotland’s famed “Tartan Army” fans. Mike Hewitt/ Getty Images

Scapegoat Theory The theory that prejudice provides an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.

Why is there prejudice? Categorization Vivid Cases (Availability Heuristic) –9/11—All Muslims are terrorists The Just-World Phenomenon –Good rewarded –Bad punished

Belief in a Just World This demonstration offers ways to predict a variety of social attitudes and behaviors. Acknowledgements: This demonstration was written by Martin Bolt, Calvin College

Social Relations The kinds of social relations people experience cause them to harm or help one another—or even fall in love.

On the Just World Scale, your total score is: A.1 to 20 B.21 to 40 C.41 to 60 D.61 to 80 E.81 to 100

Just-World Phenomenon The Just-World Phenomenon is the tendency of people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.

Consider This… How does the Just-World Phenomenon help explain bystanders’ responses to crimes they witness? What role might hindsight play in people’s belief in a just world?

Aggression Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy. In the U.S. we are MUCH more likely to be murdered compared to most other developed nations.

The Biology of Aggression Genetics Neural Influences (is aggression in the brain?) Biochemical –Testosterone –Castration leads to docility (“fixing” males cats…stay home more, dogs less aggressive) –Injections of testosterone leads to increased aggression

The Psychology of Aggression Frustration-Aggressive Principle: the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal Creates anger which generates aggression. Goals can be: Sports or work Relationship Body Condition etc…

Hot Weather and Aggression

Can we learn to be aggressive or gentle? They can be learned but…. Once learned they are…difficult to change.

Acquiring Social Scripts The media portrays social scripts and generates mental tapes in the minds of the viewers. When confronted with new situations individuals may rely on such social scripts. If social scripts are violent in nature, people may act them out. “We are what we repeated do (see?)” Aristotle

Aggression and TV/Movies/Video Games Watches = By the time you are 18, you spend more time in front of TV than in school 2/3 of all homes have 3 or more sets average 51 hours a week. By the time a child finishes elementary school they have witnessed 8000 murders and 100,000 other acts of violence on TV Over half of all deaths do NOT show the victim's pain As TV watching has grown exponentially, as does violent behavior- a strong positive correlation. How do you think TV has effected sexual aggression?

Conflict Conflict is perceived as an incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas. A Social Trap is a situation in which the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.

Conflict A perceived incompatibility of actions, goals or ideas.

Enemy Perceptions People in conflict form diabolical images of one another. George Bush “Evil” Saddam Hussein “Wicked Pharaoh”

Attraction 5 Factors of Attraction….

1-Proximity Geographic nearness Mere exposure effect: Repeated exposure to something breeds liking. Rex USA A rare white penguin born in a zoo was accepted after 3 weeks by other penguins just due to proximity.

2-Reciprocal Liking You are more likely to like someone who likes you. Why? Except in elementary school!!!!

3-Similarity Paula Abdul was wrong- opposites do NOT attract. Birds of the same feather do flock together. Similarity breeds content.

4-Liking through Association Classical Conditioning can play a part in attraction. Mr. Kaplan loves Theo’s Wings. If hesee the same waitress every time he goes there, he may begin to associate that waitress with the good feelings he gets from Theo's.

5-Physical Attractiveness

The Hotty Factor Physically attractiveness predicts dating frequency (they date more). They are perceived as healthier, happier, more honest and successful than less attractive counterparts.

What is beauty? Some people say beauty is facial symmetry.

Beauty and Culture

Are these cultures really that different?

LOVE Passionate Love: an aroused state of INTENSE positive absorption of another. Compassionate Love: the deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.

The Ideal Romantic Partner This activity is a classroom survey that measures characteristics of students’ ideal romantic partner. Acknowledgements: This activity was written by Thomas E. Ludwig, Hope College, with contributions by Ann Merriwether, State University of New York at Binghamton

The Ideal Romantic Partner Mate selection is one of the most fascinating aspects of human behavior. Both men and women spend a great deal of time and energy advertising themselves as potential mates and evaluating the desirability of other people as mates.

Question 1: HEIGHT My ideal romantic partner would be: A.considerably taller than I am. B.a little taller than I am. C.exactly my height. D.a little shorter than I am. E.any height; height isn’t an issue for me.

A.considerably younger than I am. B.a little younger than I am. C.exactly my age. D.a little older than I am. E.any age; age isn’t an issue for me. Question 2: AGE My ideal romantic partner would be:

A.considerably underweight. B.a little underweight. C.average weight. D.a little overweight. E.considerably overweight. Question 3: WEIGHT My ideal romantic partner would be:

A.Completely committed and faithful for life. B.Willing to commit for a period of time. C.Happy if both of us continued to “play the field.” D.Either committed to me or not; commitment isn’t an issue for me. Question 4: COMMITMENT My ideal romantic partner would be:

A Typical Pattern of Results Typical Female Prefers Taller mate Older mate Average weight Mate willing to commit Ambitious, high status mate Financially secure mate Healthy mate Attractive mate Strong integrity Issue Height Age Weight Commitment Ambition Finances Health Attractiveness Ethics Typical Male Prefers Shorter mate Younger mate Average weight Committed for now Not an issue Healthy mate Very attractive mate Flexible ethics

Preferences Across Cultures European- American 1.Trust 2.Friendship 3.Love 4.Honesty 1.Trust 2.Friendship 3.Love 4.Honesty Men Women African- American Honesty Patience Trust Understanding Communi- cation Love Honesty Trust Jamaican Love Trust Caring Communi- cation Truth Love Honesty Respect Japanese Beauty Cooking Ability Kindness Youth Love Wealth Fun Honesty

Consider This… Evolutionary psychologists believe that there are cultural universals in mate selection today and these universals are the product of millions of years of history. Consider your responses to the Ideal Romantic Partner Survey, along with the typical results presented. What do you think are some of these universal attitudes and behaviors?

Trust This activity helps respondents understand elements of trust, a key in loving relationships. Acknowledgements: This demonstration was written by Martin Bolt, Calvin College

Keys for a Loving Relationship Equity a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it. Self-disclosure revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others.

Predictability — The sum of your scores for items 1, 3, 8, 11,13, and 18 is: A.6 to 14 B.15 to 24 C.25 to 33 D.34 to 42

Dependability — The sum of your scores for items 2, 5, 7, 9, 15, and 17 is: 6 to to to to 42

Faith — The sum of your scores for items 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, and 16 is: 6 to to to to 42

Trust — Your TOTAL SCORE for ALL items on the scale is: A.18 to 44 B.45 to 71 C.72 to 98 D.99 to 126

Loving Relationships and Trust Equity and self-disclosure are keys to a loving relationship. The authors of the Trust Scale suggest that predictability, dependability, and faith are three elements of trust, possibly another key to a loving relationship.

Consider This… Does the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” apply to how we choose partners we come to trust? In loving relationships in which trust is a key component, do “opposites attract?”

Altruism Unselfish regard for the welfare of others. –Hotel Rwanda Kitty Genovese case. Bystander Effect (bystanders less willing to help if there are other bystanders around). –“The Accused”—gang rape incident in Massachusetts

Bystander Effect Tendency of any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present. Video

The Norms for Helping Social Exchange Theory: Our social behavior is an exchange process. The aim is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.  Reciprocity Norm: The expectation that we should return help and not harm those who have helped us.  Social–Responsibility Norm: Largely learned, it is a norm that tells us to help others when they need us even though they may not repay us.

Peacemaking Give people superordinate (shared) goals that can only be achieved through cooperation. Win Win situations through mediation. GRIT (Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension Reduction). –This is a strategy designed to decrease international tensions. One side recognizes mutual interests and initiates a small conciliatory act that opens the door for reciprocation by the other party. –Kennedy in stopping atmospheric nuclear tests