SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY FILM ANALYSIS
DIRECTIONS In addition to entertaining us, movies offer detailed portrayals of human social behavior. Your task in this assignment, is to analyze from a social-psychological perspective, the behaviors and events depicted in the film “Quiz Show”. You are not being asked to critique the film in terms of its value as a work of art or as entertainment. Rather you should think carefully about the human actions and events portrayed in the film. Then to make sense of this material, apply what you’ve learned in this unit, regarding the factors that predict and explain human social behavior.
FILM ANALYSIS You will be writing a 6-8 paragraph essay identifying all the requirements in the next slides. After viewing the film, and taking notes while watching, you will choose 2 social psychological principles that appear to be operating in the events or by the individuals depicted in the film.
FILM ANALYSIS For each of the 2 principles you will identify: Briefly describe a relevant scene (1 paragraph) Describe in detail the social psychological principles you believe is relevant, bring in as many specifics as possible. (1-2 paragraphs) Elaborate on how the selected scenes you have selected, conforms and/or fails to conform to the social psychological principle you have identified. (1 paragraph)
LIST OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES (you will be choosing two) Group Think Conformity Fundamental Attribution Error Racism Cognitive Dissonance Obedience Persuasion Discrimination Prejudice
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES TO BE USED IN THE ASSIGNMENT Group Think - occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures. In many cases, people will set aside their own personal beliefs or adopt the opinion of the rest of the group. Conformity - is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group. This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations) group pressure. Fundamental Attribution Error - is our tendency to explain someone's behavior based on internal factors, such as personality or disposition, and to underestimate the influence that external factors, such as situational influences, have on another person's behavior. Racism - the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. Cognitive Dissonance - the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES TO BE USED IN THE ASSIGNMENT Obedience - compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority. Persuasion - the action or fact of persuading someone or of being persuaded to do or believe something. Discrimination - is treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing is perceived to belong to rather than on individual merit. Prejudice - is an unjustified or incorrect attitude (usually negative) towards an individual based solely on the individual's membership of a social group.