Introduction to Psychology Social Psychology

The study of how we behave, think, and feel in social situations How the situation shapes our behavior

Attribution The process of making inferences about the causes of one’s own or others’ behavior External and Internal Attributions

External: attributing behavior to causes outside of the person (the situation) Internal: attributing behavior to causes within the person (one’s personality)

Fundamental Attribution Error The tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal causes We tend to attribute our negative behaviors to external causes, not our personality

Social Comparison Theory Festiger We compare ourselves to others to evaluate our actions, opinions, and abilities

Upward and Downward Comparisons Upward: comparing ourselves with someone who ranks higher For self-improvement Downward: comparing ourselves with someone who ranks lower For self-esteem

Social Influence Conformity Asch line study 1 student was tested, 6 confederates 75% yielded at least once

Diffusion of Responsibility We don’t act because we believe that others will or should intervene Kitty Genovese: 38 witnesses

Diffusion of Responsibility We are more likely to act when: We are the only person there to help Personal responsibility diminishes most when there are: few victims, and if we don’t know them many potential helpers

Diffusion of Responsibility We intervene when we feel more competent The bystander effect: when the presence of others inhibits helping **explicitly assign responsibility to individuals

Pluralistic Ignorance When a bystander checks the reactions of others to determine how to respond Interpreting emergencies Asking for clarification in the classroom

Belief in a Just World A belief that people get what they deserve; bad things do not happen to good people To protect our sense of invulnerability Can lead to blaming the victim

Belief in a Just World Individuals with a strong belief in a just world: Tend to be less charitable Help with injustices only when they can be quickly rectified

Altruism: When do we help? Good mood effect Negative state relief

Interpersonal Attraction Physical proximity: increases the frequency of contact between people Similarity: similar people are attracted to each other Self-disclosure: moderate disclosure leads to reciprocity; too much is problematic

Halo Effect Halo effect: when we generalize a favorable impression to other, unrelated qualities Often with beauty: what is beautiful is good

Obedience: Stanley Milgram To study obedience to authority