Social Psychology

What’s Social Psychology? How we form our beliefs and attitudes about the world around us. How the world around us influences our beliefs and attitudes. Often unconscious & influenced by our environment

Imagine This… You walk into an elevator full of people what do you do? Why do you take this action

Attribution Theory How we explain human behavior based on an assumption that their actions are driven by either: a. an internal disposition or b. the situation. Internal Disposition: this is how the person is (inner trait) Situational: behavior is dictated by the current circumstance We often tend to attribute behaviors to disposition rather than situation. Inaccurate labeling can be referred to as: fundamental attribution error

Attribution or Situational?

Fundamental Attribution Error Culture affects attribution Based on our set of cultural norms when people deviate from them we think they’re mean, weird, different, etc. I reach out to shake a woman’s hand wearing an abaya…she refuses. I think to myself “man that was rude.” What just happened?

Attitudes & Actions Attitude: a belief or feeling that makes you respond in a particular way to people, events, & objects Internal Attitude + External Influences = Behavior Behaviors do not always match attitudes…Why? Outside influences can be stronger i.e. peer pressure We aren’t keenly aware of our attitudes i.e. women aren’t as smart as men The attitude and behavior are incompatible i.e. I don’t like running

What does this mean?

Behavior & Attitude Sometimes behavior influences attitude. Consider the following examples below: Foot in the Door Phenomenon: tendency for people who have agreed with small things to agree with later larger requests. Role Playing: After you perform a certain role long enough it becomes normal. Ex. Zimbardo experiment and brown eye/blue eye experiment

Cognitive Dissonance Readjusting or Repositioning The way we behave in order to reduce discomfort(dissonance) when our beliefs are inconsistent/compromised Cognitive Dissonance = attitude and actions clash; so we change the attitude For Example: Attitude: It is important to take care of the environment Dissonance: I drive an SUV, which is not eco friendly Adjustment: I can’t save the world OR I recycle

Conformity Conformity: adjusting behavior or thinking in order to fit in with a group idea or standard Conformity increases when: You feel incompetent on insecure You’re in a group of 3 or more There is uniformity in the rest of the group You’re impressed by the status of the group members & they’re watching You have made no prior commitments to a response Asch Conformity Experiment

Your Thoughts Are Not Your Own? Are Your thoughts wholly yours? If not, why aren’t they?

Obedience Obedience: the tendency to comply with orders from someone perceived as authority. Why do we follow rules? Milgram's Experiment

Group Influence Group Influence: how behavior changes when an individual is in/observed by group(s). Social Facilitation: improved performance when in the presence of others; we do better when someone’s watching b/c more aroused. Arousal increases performance of tasks we’ve mastered. When the task is not mastered…then we perform worse.

Other Ways Groups Impact Behavior Social loafing: the tendency of individuals within a group to do less work than when held individually accountable. My work isn’t needed…someone else will do it. Deindividuation: Loss of self-restraint and self- awareness when in a group. An individual does things in a group they’d never do individually. i.e. sports Mob Attacks News Crew

Other Ways Groups Impact Behavior Group Polarization: the enhancing of ones already present attitudes by exposure to others who share same views. i.e. political, religious, racist groups Pushes moderates toward extremist beliefs/actions Racism In America Group Think: Go along with the group in order to maintain peace. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: You believe something to be true so you behave in that way causing the belief to become actuality. Minority Influence: Influence of minority groups is rare but possible when they are unyielding. i.e. civil rights or women’s movments

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