copyright © allyn and bacon 2005 1 chapter 14 integrating social psychology this multimedia product...

Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 20051

Chapter 14Chapter 14

Integrating Social Psychology

Integrating Social Psychology

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What are the major theoretical perspectives of social psychology?

What are the major theoretical perspectives of social psychology?

What are the common themes found across those perspectives?

In what different ways do the person and the situation interact?

What is the main lesson learned from studying social dysfunction?

What are the common themes found across those perspectives?

In what different ways do the person and the situation interact?

What is the main lesson learned from studying social dysfunction?


What are the important take-home messages for consumers of social

psychological research?

What are the important take-home messages for consumers of social

psychological research? How does social psychology fit with:

Other areas of psychology?

Other basic sciences?

Applied disciplines such as law, business, and education?

Where is social psychology headed in the future?

How does social psychology fit with:

Other areas of psychology?

Other basic sciences?

Applied disciplines such as law, business, and education?

Where is social psychology headed in the future?


Chapter OutlineChapter Outline

What Ground Have We Covered?

Major Theoretical Perspectives

Combining Different Perspectives

Why Research Methods Matter

How Does Social Psychology Fit into the Network of Knowledge?

The Future of Social Psychology

What Ground Have We Covered?

Major Theoretical Perspectives

Combining Different Perspectives

Why Research Methods Matter

How Does Social Psychology Fit into the Network of Knowledge?

The Future of Social Psychology


What Ground Have We Covered?What Ground Have We Covered?

Social psychology findings range from:

Canadian students view males from racial outgroups as more dangerous if they make their ratings in a dark room

The majority of North Americans view themselves in top few percent of leadership

People will obey authority figures who order them to hurt another person.

Social psychology findings range from:

Canadian students view males from racial outgroups as more dangerous if they make their ratings in a dark room

The majority of North Americans view themselves in top few percent of leadership

People will obey authority figures who order them to hurt another person.


Findings and TheoriesFindings and Theories

Different research findings make little sense considered in isolation from one another.

But diverse findings fit together when considered in light of broader theoretical perspectives.

Different research findings make little sense considered in isolation from one another.

But diverse findings fit together when considered in light of broader theoretical perspectives.


Major Theoretical PerspectivesMajor Theoretical Perspectives

Proximate explanation –a focus on relatively immediate causes (domain-specific)

Ultimate explanation –a focus on background or historical causes (domain-general)

Proximate explanation –a focus on relatively immediate causes (domain-specific)

Ultimate explanation –a focus on background or historical causes (domain-general)


Major Theoretical PerspectivesMajor Theoretical Perspectives

The major theoretical perspectives include:

Sociocultural

Evolutionary

Social Learning

Social Cognitive

The major theoretical perspectives include:

Sociocultural

Evolutionary

Social Learning

Social Cognitive


Sociocultural PerspectiveSociocultural Perspective

What drives social behavior?

Forces in larger social groups such as:

Norms within cultural groups

Social class differences

Nationality/ethnicity

Fads


Forces in larger social groups such as:

Norms within cultural groups

Social class differences

Nationality/ethnicity

Fads



Social norms –rules and expectations for appropriate social behavior

Example: Tattoos and earrings are appropriate for rock musicians, but not for corporate finance executives

Social norms –rules and expectations for appropriate social behavior

Example: Tattoos and earrings are appropriate for rock musicians, but not for corporate finance executives



Culture –beliefs, customs, habits, and language shared by the people living in a particular time and place

Example: Chinese society is more tradition-oriented, collectivist, and authority-oriented than North American society.

Culture –beliefs, customs, habits, and language shared by the people living in a particular time and place

Example: Chinese society is more tradition-oriented, collectivist, and authority-oriented than North American society.


Evolutionary PerspectiveEvolutionary Perspective


Genetic predispositions inherited from our ancestors, such as

The tendency to feel fear on seeing an angry face

The tendency for mothers to feel protective of their children


Genetic predispositions inherited from our ancestors, such as

The tendency to feel fear on seeing an angry face

The tendency for mothers to feel protective of their children


Seeing Our Commonality Through the Many Societal

Differences


Differences

Social norms regarding marriage, friendship, family, and other aspects of social life vary considerably from culture to culture.

Social norms regarding marriage, friendship, family, and other aspects of social life vary considerably from culture to culture.



Differences


Differences

But there are also many similarities.

Males commit over 80% of homicides worldwide.

All human cultures have some form of marriage.

But there are also many similarities.

Males commit over 80% of homicides worldwide.

All human cultures have some form of marriage.


Culture and Evolution InteractingCulture and Evolution Interacting

Just as the human mind is designed to learn a particular language, modern cultural psychologists argue it is designed to learn some set of norms (Fiske et al., 1998).

Just as the human mind is designed to learn a particular language, modern cultural psychologists argue it is designed to learn some set of norms (Fiske et al., 1998).


Culture and Evolution InteractingCulture and Evolution Interacting

Culture develops within potentialities and limits set by human evolution.

Human evolution develops within possibilities and limits set by culture.

Culture develops within potentialities and limits set by human evolution.

Human evolution develops within possibilities and limits set by culture.


Human predispositions influence which cultural

norms are likely to be adopted

Evolutionary Factors

Evolutionary Factors

Human predispositions influence which

cultural norms are likely to be adopted

Social norms can influence the success of different survival and

reproductive strategies

SocioculturalFactors

Affect how cultures are

designed

Affect evolution in

human groups


Social Learning PerspectiveSocial Learning Perspective


Classically conditioned preferences

People come to feel positively towards new people they meet while eating tasty food.


Classically conditioned preferences

People come to feel positively towards new people they meet while eating tasty food.




Habits rewarded by other people

A boy who acts violently after his friends praise him for winning a violent video game.


Habits rewarded by other people

A boy who acts violently after his friends praise him for winning a violent video game.




Imitating the rewarded behavior of others

Buying a gun after seeing a movie in which the hero wins true love after shooting half the people in town.


Imitating the rewarded behavior of others

Buying a gun after seeing a movie in which the hero wins true love after shooting half the people in town.



Links to other perspectives

We learn sociocultural norms from years of learning experiences.

Learning follows tracks laid down by evolutionary history (example: people raised like family members in kibbutz do not fall in love even though norms do not oppose it).

Links to other perspectives

We learn sociocultural norms from years of learning experiences.

Learning follows tracks laid down by evolutionary history (example: people raised like family members in kibbutz do not fall in love even though norms do not oppose it).


Social Cognitive PerspectiveSocial Cognitive Perspective


What we pay attention to.

How we interpret and judge social situations.

What we retrieve from memory.

For example, people using simple heuristics (trust an authority/go with the majority) may be persuaded by weak messages.


What we pay attention to.

How we interpret and judge social situations.

What we retrieve from memory.

For example, people using simple heuristics (trust an authority/go with the majority) may be persuaded by weak messages.


Past experience with rewards influences current schemas,

cognitive structures, and attributions

Social Learning

Past experience with rewards influences current schemas,

cognitive structures, and attributions

Social Learning

Learning anything new requires

attention, encoding, and memory

Social Cognition

Affects Cognitive Processes

Affects Learning Processes


Are Gender Differences in Our Genes, in Our Cultural

Experiences, or All in Our Minds?



People interpret boys’ and girls’ behavior in line with cultural stereotypes.

The stereotypes are partly based on some universal gender differences in sex roles.

People interpret boys’ and girls’ behavior in line with cultural stereotypes.

The stereotypes are partly based on some universal gender differences in sex roles.






Some division of labor follows from evolved sex differences.

Thus, genes, culture, and mind interact.

Some division of labor follows from evolved sex differences.

Thus, genes, culture, and mind interact.






Similarities and differences between men and women can be considered from each of the different theoretical perspectives.

Doing so helps us see the connections between the perspectives.

Similarities and differences between men and women can be considered from each of the different theoretical perspectives.

Doing so helps us see the connections between the perspectives.


EvolutionaryEvolutionarySome sex roles naturally fall to one sex (e.g. Some sex roles naturally fall to one sex (e.g.

bearing children)bearing children)

SocioculturalSocioculturalSome social roles (e.g., nurse) assigned to Some social roles (e.g., nurse) assigned to

women; others to men (e.g., soldier)women; others to men (e.g., soldier)

Boys are punished for playing with Boys are punished for playing with dolls; Girls are rewarded for playing dolls; Girls are rewarded for playing

“house”“house”Social LearningSocial Learning

People remember a man’s behavior People remember a man’s behavior as “aggressive,” a woman’s as as “aggressive,” a woman’s as

“nurturing”“nurturing”Social CognitiveSocial Cognitive

Gender DifferencesPerspectivePerspective


Combining Different PerspectivesCombining Different Perspectives

Two general principles link the perspectives.

Social behavior is goal-oriented.

Social behavior represents a continual interaction between the person and the situation.

Two general principles link the perspectives.

Social behavior is goal-oriented.

Social behavior represents a continual interaction between the person and the situation.


Social Behavior is Goal-OrientedSocial Behavior is Goal-Oriented

At the surface level, we have many day-to-day goals

Go shopping

Study for a test

Get a date for Saturday night

Etc.

At the surface level, we have many day-to-day goals

Go shopping

Study for a test

Get a date for Saturday night

Etc.


Social Behavior is Goal-OrientedSocial Behavior is Goal-Oriented

At the broadest level, we can categorize social goals into fundamental motives –

To establish social ties

To understand ourselves and others

To gain and maintain status

To defend ourselves and those we value

To attract and retain mates.

At the broadest level, we can categorize social goals into fundamental motives –

To establish social ties

To understand ourselves and others

To gain and maintain status

To defend ourselves and those we value

To attract and retain mates.


Are there other basic motives underlying social behavior?

Are there other basic motives underlying social behavior?

On a moment to moment basis, our social behaviors are not directly concerned with fundamental motives.

We often focus our thoughts on narrower goals (such as making a good impression on the boss).

Narrow everyday goals serve one or more fundamental motives.

On a moment to moment basis, our social behaviors are not directly concerned with fundamental motives.

We often focus our thoughts on narrower goals (such as making a good impression on the boss).

Narrow everyday goals serve one or more fundamental motives.


Focus on Dysfunction: The Thin Line Between Normal

and Abnormal Functioning

Focus on Dysfunction: The Thin Line Between Normal

and Abnormal Functioning

Take-home message of studying social dysfunction:

Disordered social behavior often reveals normal psychological mechanisms in bold relief (as in Hoover’s paranoia).

Take-home message of studying social dysfunction:

Disordered social behavior often reveals normal psychological mechanisms in bold relief (as in Hoover’s paranoia).


• Features in ancestral Features in ancestral environment linked to survival environment linked to survival and reproductionand reproduction

• Societal NormsSocietal Norms

• RewardsRewards

• PunishmentsPunishments

• Attention-grabbing Attention-grabbing features of social features of social environmentenvironment

PersonPerspectivePerspective Situation

• Genetic Genetic PredispositionsPredispositions

• Human NatureHuman Nature

• Internal Social Internal Social StandardsStandards

• HabitsHabits

• Conditioned Conditioned PreferencesPreferences

• SchemasSchemas

• Remembered Remembered EpisodesEpisodes

EvolutionaryEvolutionary

SocioculturalSociocultural

Social LearningSocial Learning

Social CognitionSocial Cognition


The Interaction Between the Person and the Situation


1. Different persons respond differently to the same situation.

Example: Some people avoid threats; Others are stimulated to fight harder.

1. Different persons respond differently to the same situation.

Example: Some people avoid threats; Others are stimulated to fight harder.




2. Situations Choose the Person.Not everyone gets to enter every situation they would like.

Example: We are sometimes chosen, and sometimes rejected by potential friends, dates, athletic teams, colleges, and jobs.

2. Situations Choose the Person.Not everyone gets to enter every situation they would like.

Example: We are sometimes chosen, and sometimes rejected by potential friends, dates, athletic teams, colleges, and jobs.




3. Persons Choose Their Situations.

Example: Violence-prone people choose to watch violent films; Less violent people do not.

3. Persons Choose Their Situations.

Example: Violence-prone people choose to watch violent films; Less violent people do not.




4. Different Situations Prime Different Parts of the Person.

Example: Situations with important consequences lead us to search thoroughly for accurate information; less important situations lead us to use simplifying heuristics.

4. Different Situations Prime Different Parts of the Person.

Example: Situations with important consequences lead us to search thoroughly for accurate information; less important situations lead us to use simplifying heuristics.




5. Persons Change The Situation.

Example: Director J. Edgar Hoover turned the F.B.I. into a more powerful, and more paranoid, organization than it was before.

5. Persons Change The Situation.

Example: Director J. Edgar Hoover turned the F.B.I. into a more powerful, and more paranoid, organization than it was before.




6. Situations Change the Person.

Example: At the end of several years in a liberal college, students are themselves more liberal.

6. Situations Change the Person.

Example: At the end of several years in a liberal college, students are themselves more liberal.


Why Research Methods MatterWhy Research Methods Matter

Research on self-presentation and social cognition teaches us that our eyes and ears don’t always take in the full picture.

Other people try to hide their motives in very skillful ways.

Our own minds often distort, over-simplify, or deny what we see and hear.

Research on self-presentation and social cognition teaches us that our eyes and ears don’t always take in the full picture.

Other people try to hide their motives in very skillful ways.

Our own minds often distort, over-simplify, or deny what we see and hear.


Focus on Method:Some Conclusions for Consumers

of Social Science Information


of Social Science Information1. Look for good descriptions to

accompany explanations.Experiments uncover cause-effect

relationships,

But descriptive methods give a more complete picture of what actually happens out in the real world.

1. Look for good descriptions to accompany explanations.Experiments uncover cause-effect

relationships,

But descriptive methods give a more complete picture of what actually happens out in the real world.






2. Don’t trust everything people say.

People can’t (or sometimes won’t) report well on all their own motivations or prejudices.

Covert measures (such as implicit measures of prejudice) can be helpful.

2. Don’t trust everything people say.

People can’t (or sometimes won’t) report well on all their own motivations or prejudices.

Covert measures (such as implicit measures of prejudice) can be helpful.






3. Beware of confounds.

In experiments, confounding variables are accidentally varied along with the manipulation.

Confounds often plague data from descriptive studies (example: a correlation between race and property crime may be due to social class).

3. Beware of confounds.

In experiments, confounding variables are accidentally varied along with the manipulation.

Confounds often plague data from descriptive studies (example: a correlation between race and property crime may be due to social class).






4. Ask for converging evidence.

Meta-analyses analyze data across multiple studies of same question.

Triangulation examines the same problem using different methods, each having different biases.

4. Ask for converging evidence.

Meta-analyses analyze data across multiple studies of same question.

Triangulation examines the same problem using different methods, each having different biases.


How Does Social Psychology Fit into the Network of Knowledge?How Does Social Psychology Fit into the Network of Knowledge?

What you have learned about social psychology is closely connected to:

other sub-disciplines of psychology

other basic sciences

applied sciences.

What you have learned about social psychology is closely connected to:

other sub-disciplines of psychology

other basic sciences

applied sciences.


Developmental

Area of Psychology

Personality

Clinical

Example of Common Question

Physiological

Environmental

Cognitive


Does early exposure to televised violence lead to

increased aggressiveness in later years?

Developmental

Personality

Clinical

Physiological

Environmental

Cognitive

Area of Psychology Example of Common Question


What individual differences predict success in marital

relationships?

Developmental

Personality

Clinical

Physiological

Environmental

Cognitive



How do social dilemmas contribute to overpopulation

and environmental destruction?

Developmental

Personality

Clinical

Physiological

Environmental

Cognitive



How do normal feelings of attachment go awry in

obsessive love relationships?

Developmental

Personality

Clinical

Physiological

Environmental

Cognitive



How do attention-demanding distractions contribute to our

ability to resist persuasive messages?

Developmental

Personality

Clinical

Physiological

Environmental

Cognitive



How do hormones like adrenaline and testosterone

contribute to aggression?

Developmental

Personality

Clinical

Physiological

Environmental

Cognitive



Genetics

Basic Research Area

Anthropology

Political Science


Ecology

Economics

Ethology


Is prosocial or aggressive behavior linked to genes shared within families?

GeneticsGenetics

Anthropology

Political Science

Ecology

Economics

Ethology

Basic Research Area Example of Common Question


Which features of family relationships are common

across cultures, and which are unique?

Genetics

AnthropologyAnthropology

Political Science

Ecology

Economics

Ethology



Do people exchange resources according to different rules between friends, relatives,

and strangers?

Genetics

Anthropology

Political Science

Ecology

EconomicsEconomics

Ethology



How do international leaders make decisions when they are involved in tense negotiations

with outgroup members?

Genetics

Anthropology

Political SciencePolitical Science

Ecology

Economics

Ethology



Are there common features of dominance hierarchies in

humans and chimpanzees?

Genetics

Anthropology

Political Science

Ecology

Economics

EthnologyEthnology



Can the dynamic balance between wolves and rabbits in a forest shed light on human

overpopulation?

Genetics

Anthropology

Political Science

EcologyEcology

Economics

Ethology



LawLaw

Area of Application

MedicineMedicine

MarketingMarketing


EngineeringEngineering

ManagementManagement

EducationEducation


How does testimony from an How does testimony from an unreliable eyewitness unreliable eyewitness

influence a jury’s decision influence a jury’s decision processes?processes?

LawLaw

Medicine

Marketing

Engineering

Management

Education

Area of Application Example of Common Question


How does an intact marriage How does an intact marriage relationship influence survival relationship influence survival

after a heart attack?after a heart attack?

Law

MedicineMedicine

Marketing

Engineering

Management

Education



How can a team leader How can a team leader promote creative problem promote creative problem solving and harmonious solving and harmonious

relationships among team relationships among team members?members?

Law

Medicine

Marketing

Engineering

ManagementManagement

Education



How could a sales team best How could a sales team best advertise the new features of advertise the new features of

an energy-efficient an energy-efficient automobile?automobile?

Law

Medicine

MarketingMarketing

Engineering

Management

Education



How can a teacher encourage How can a teacher encourage children to make healthy children to make healthy attributions after failure?attributions after failure?

Law

Medicine

Marketing

Engineering

Management

EducationEducation



How does new How does new communication technology communication technology (cell phones, e-mail) affect (cell phones, e-mail) affect

social relationships?social relationships?

Law

Medicine

Marketing

EngineeringEngineering

Management

Education



The Future of Social PsychologyThe Future of Social Psychology

Social psychologists have only begun to understand how interactions between person and situation contribute to:

loving relationships

charitable behavior

racial prejudice

family violence

behavior in organizations, etc.

Social psychologists have only begun to understand how interactions between person and situation contribute to:

loving relationships

charitable behavior

racial prejudice

family violence

behavior in organizations, etc.



In exploring these complex questions, social psychologists are joining forces with new integrative disciplines such as:

Cognitive science – which connects work on social cognition to research on the human brain, human problem-solving and artificial intelligence by cognitive neuroscientists, computer scientists, philosophers, and others.


Cognitive science – which connects work on social cognition to research on the human brain, human problem-solving and artificial intelligence by cognitive neuroscientists, computer scientists, philosophers, and others.




Evolutionary psychology – which connects experimental work on human behavior with findings from anthropological research on other cultures, and biological research on other animal species.


Evolutionary psychology – which connects experimental work on human behavior with findings from anthropological research on other cultures, and biological research on other animal species.




Dynamical systems theory – which connects work on behavior in human social groups with work on complex emergent patterns in systems ranging from microscopic molecules to global weather systems.


Dynamical systems theory – which connects work on behavior in human social groups with work on complex emergent patterns in systems ranging from microscopic molecules to global weather systems.



Understanding social behavior may be the only key to solving the world’s most pressing problems, including:

overpopulation

pollution

warfare

Perhaps YOU will go on to contribute to the scientific solutions to these problems.

Understanding social behavior may be the only key to solving the world’s most pressing problems, including:

overpopulation

pollution

warfare

Perhaps YOU will go on to contribute to the scientific solutions to these problems.

copyright © allyn and bacon 2005 1 chapter 14 integrating social psychology this multimedia product...

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