Chapter 2: Social PerceptionChapter 2: Social Perception
Chapter OutlineChapter Outline
Nonverbal Communication Attribution Theories and Errors Impression Formation and
Impression Management
2.3Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Social PerceptionSocial Perception
Social Perception- process through which we seek to understand other persons
What do nonverbal cues tell us? How do we explain other’s behavior? What types of errors bias our thinking? How do we form first impressions of others?
2.4Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal Communication
Nonverbal Communication- an unspoken language of expressions and body language
Basic channels facial expressions- reveals current moods/feelings eye contact- reveals friendliness, shyness, aggression body language (position, posture, movement)- reveals
emotional states, status, cultural emblems touching- reveals affection, interest, dominance, caring,
threat, aggression
2.5Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Facial Expressions and Social Facial Expressions and Social ThoughtThought
Cognitive tuning model (Schwarz, 1990) when others smile, we sense that the current situation
is safe so we process information superficially (heuristic processing)
when others frown, we sense that careful thought about their words is required (systematic processing)
2.6Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Facial Expressions and Social Facial Expressions and Social CognitionCognition
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0.81
1.76
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0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
Neutral Angry Happy
Expressions Shown by Speaker
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Ideology
Based on data from Ottati, Terkildsen, & Hubbard, 1997
Attribution TheoriesAttribution Theories
Attribution- seek to determine causes behind others’ behavior
Correspondent inference- infer others’ traits from observing their behavior, especially. when behavior: is freely chosen
person rallying for women’s rights is feminist
is socially undesirable (or unusual) teacher who wears tie-dye shirts is free spirit
yields noncommon effects (one cause only) woman who marries rich, stupid, ugly man is probably
marrying for money2.7Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Inferences Using Noncommon Inferences Using Noncommon EffectsEffects
Prestigious SchoolClinical ProgramDesirable LocationLots of Requirements
Prestigious School
Desirable LocationLots of Requirements
Inferences Using Noncommon Inferences Using Noncommon EffectsEffects
Prestigious SchoolClinical ProgramDesirable Location
Prestigious SchoolLots of Requirements Desirable Location
Attribution Theories (con’t)Attribution Theories (con’t) Causal attribution theory- we attribute the cause of
others’ behavior to internal or external factors1
internal- caused by person’s traits (disposition) external- caused by situation
To explain other’s behavior we use: consensus- extent others behave in same way consistency- extent person always behaves this way distinctiveness- extent person acts differently in other
situations1Other dimensions include: stable/unstable; controllable/uncontrollable
2.8Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Why Was Student Late?Why Was Student Late? Internal attribution (e.g., student is lazy) made
if: Low consensus: no one else came in late High consistency: in the past, student has come in late Low distinctiveness: student is late to other classes
External attribution (e.g., more time needed between classes) made if: High consensus: other students came in late High consistency: in the past, student has come in late High distinctiveness: student is only late to this class
2.9Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Why did student do well on Why did student do well on exam?exam?
Handling Multiple CausesHandling Multiple Causes When multiple causes are present the following may
occur: Discounting Principle- tendency to downplay
importance of one cause if others exist Why is woman claiming harassment? Good Samaritan
or spurned lover?
Augmenting Principle- tendency to increase importance of one factor when behavior occurs in the presence of an inhibitory factor
Woman claims sexual harassment even though she strongly supported the president is more believable
2.10Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Attributional ErrorsAttributional Errors
Attributional Errors Fundamental attribution error (correspondence
bias)- tendency to overestimate internal causes of other’s behavior while ignoring external causes
Actor-observer effect- tendency to attribute own behavior to external causes, but others to internal
Self-serving bias- tendency to take credit for success and blame failures on the situation
Western (individualistic) cultures are more susceptible to these biases than Eastern (collectivistic) cultures
2.11Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Attributional Errors (con’t)Attributional Errors (con’t)
Actor-observer effect occurs because: differences in perceptual salience
to actor- the situation is most salient to observer- the actor grabs attention
difference in information observers have no access to actor’s behavioral history
western culture- predisposes us to assume that people, not situations cause events
Self-serving bias occurs because: need to protect and enhance our self-esteem
2.12Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Applications of Attribution TheoryApplications of Attribution Theory
Attribution and Depression depressed persons often show a self-defeating pattern
of attributions opposite of the self-serving bias attribute positive events to temporary, external causes attribute negative events to internal causes
cognitive therapy that reverses pattern is effective Attribution and Rape
people with a strong belief in a just world (“bad things happen to bad people”) are more likely to blame the rape victim
2.13Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Impression FormationImpression Formation
Impression Formation- how we form impressions of others central traits (e.g., warm-cold) strongly shape the
overall impression of a stranger primacy effect- information presented first often
has stronger impact on impressions impressions of others consist of both exemplars
(examples of specific behavior) and abstractions (mental summaries of general behavior)
2.14Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Impression ManagementImpression Management
Impression Management- efforts to produce a favorable first impression
Techniques include self-enhancement- boost one’s appeal
boost physical appearance, use immodesty
other-enhancement- induce positive moods in others flattery, express liking, agree with target’s views
if overdone, however, “slime effect” can occur
techniques not always under conscious control
2.15Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon
Impression AccuracyImpression Accuracy
Social perceptions of others are often accurate because: physical and psychological traits stem from same
genetic factors psychological traits cause physical traits to develop
actions may be reflected in our faces
physical traits cause psychological traits to develop attractive people are treated differently
people gradually develop the traits others expect them to have (self-fulfilling)
2.16Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon