Module 43 – Social Thinking Attitudes and behaviors Power of the Situation

Review Social psychology is a branch of psychology which studies how we think about, influence, and relate to one another. Attributions: How do we try to understand each other? Situational vs. dispositional attributions Fundamental attribution error: Napolitan & Goethals experiment Attitudes: Attitudes are feelings based on our beliefs that predispose our reactions to our environment (objects, people, and events) How do attitudes change? Participants were asked to talk to a woman who behaved in a cold, aloof and critical manner.  Before talking to her, participants were told either that the woman was like this naturally, or they were told that she had been asked to behave in this way.  However, afterwards when they were asked about what the person was really like they ignored previous information and believed that she really was cold and critical.  They repeated the procedure with other participants using a woman that was friendly and kind and found just the same.  Situational factors were only considered when the participants had the opportunity to chat to the woman a second time and see her behaving differently.

Attitudes and Actions Internal attitudes External Influences Behavior

How does behavior influence attitudes? “Foot-in-the-door” phenomenon Agree to a request for a small action  comply with a larger demand Prisoners of war  changing political attitudes Attitudes follow good behaviors and evil behaviors Smoking campaigns Finnish paternity leave policy

Social roles influence attitudes Roles are sets of expectations / prescriptions about social positions. Roles define how those in a certain position ought to behave. Roles affect our attitudes. Role of a meek female or an assertive male Management role Motherhood role

Stanford Prison Study Subjects: physically and mentally healthy young men who volunteered to participate for money. They were randomly assigned to be prisoners or guards. Those assigned the role of prisoner became distressed, helpless, and panicky. Those assigned the roles of guards became either nice, “tough but fair,” or tyrannical. Study had to be ended after 6 days.

How do behaviors influence attitudes? Cognitive Dissonance: We try to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when we have inconsistent cognitions. For example, when our awareness of our attitudes and of our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes. Examples: Public opinion about Iraqi war Cheating in romantic relationships Behavior Attitude Cognitive dissonance Attitude

How do groups exert such powerful influence on us? Social Influence: the process by which the actions of an individual or group affect the behavior of others. Behaviors are contagious People try to conform People are generally obedient / compliant There are predictable group behaviors

Behavior is contagious

People try to conform Definition: Conformity is adjusting one’s thinking or behavior toward the group standard a b c

When is conformity more likely? If you are made to feel insecure If the group has at leas three people If the group is unanimous If the group is of high status If the individual has no prior commitment to a response If one’s behavior is observed by the group If one’s culture supports social norms

Why do we conform? Normative social influence: We understand the accepted and expected behavior and we avoid violating those rules. Informational social influence: We accept others’ opinions about reality.

People are generally obedient When our moral convictions and willingness to obey point us to opposing behaviors, we often choose to obey.

Milgram’s Obedience Study