Social Psychology scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

Social Thinking Our behavior is affected by our inner attitudes as well as by external social influences Internal attitudes External influences Behavior

Internal Influences Attitude belief and feeling that predisposes one to respond in a particular way to objects, people and events Often learned Can change as acquire new information and experiences Ages 16 – 24 critical period for these

Internal Influences Attribution Theory tendency to give a causal explanation for someone’s behavior, often by crediting either the situation (Situational Attribution) or the person’s disposition (Dispositional Attribution)

Internal Influences Fundamental Attribution Error tendency for observers, when analyzing another’s behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

Internal Influences Self-Serving Bias the tendency to take credit personally for good things that happen and blame the situation, others, etc. for mistakes and failures

Internal Influences Cognitive Dissonance Theory we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts or beliefs are inconsistent or our behavior does not match our thoughts (or beliefs)

Internal Influences Dissonance is reduced by: Rejecting one of the beliefs Changing the behavior Denying the evidence which points out the discrepancy Rationalize Ignoring (Repression)

External Influences Norm Role An understood rule for accepted and expected behavior Role set of expectations about a social position that defines how those in the position ought to behave

External Influences Groups: two or more people interacting with and influencing one another

External Influences Obedience Conformity adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard Obedience following direct commands, usually from an authority figure

External Influences Group Polarization Groupthink The tendency within a group to move toward the group’s prevailing attitudes through discussion within the group Groupthink mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides realistic appraisal of alternatives

External Influences Diffusion of Responsibility Deindividuation when in an anonymous group, the belief that someone else “will do it” Deindividuation loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity

External and Internal Influences Prejudice an unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members Stereotype An often inaccurate and overgeneralized belief about a group of people Discrimination prejudicial action taken

External and Internal Influences Ingroup Bias tendency to favor one’s own group Scapegoat Theory theory that prejudice provides an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame