Social Psychology

Social Psychology

Study of an individuals’ behaviors, thoughts and feelings in social situations

Social psychologists examine:1) Influence of a person on a group2) Influence of a group on individual3) Effect of social situations on “self-

concept”4) Social interactions5) Social attitudes and changing attitudes.

RACISM AND PREJUDICE

Racism: a person who is racist believes that their race is superior to all other races.

Prejudice: a judgment or opinion that is made before the facts are known.

Stereotypes

Stereotype: a generalization about a person or group of people.

Our society perpetuates stereotypes which leads to unfair and unjust treatment and judgments of people. 

Stereotypes are present in modern media such as: television, comic strips, books, and movies. 

Homework: watch television and write down 10 stereotypes you witness on the show or commercials.

DISCRIMINATION

Discrimination: judging a person or group based on stereotypes and then treating them differently because of those stereotypes.

What a Doll Tells Us About Race

In the 1940’s the nation was captivated by an experiment by sociologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark.

They asked African American children about two dolls, one white and one black.

The Baby Doll Experiment 63% of the children said

they would rather play with the white doll.

Most said the white doll was nicer than the black doll.

44% of the children said the white doll looked most like them.

What about today?

In a re-creation of the original experiment, 19 children were asked the same questions.

88% of the children identified with the African American baby dolls.

42% preferred to play with the black dolls.

Brown v. The Board of Education

The Clarks testified as expert witnesses in the case.

Thurgood Marshall argued that the segregated schools could never be equal so long as black children were being taught that they were not good enough to go to school with the white children.

Just World Phenomenon

The Just World hypothesis refers to the need to believe that the world is fair and people get what they deserve.

It gives people a sense of security and helps them to find meaning in difficult circumstances.

Personal Space

One of the issues that defines how people in different cultures greet each other is how touchy they are. Here is a scale of touch don’t touch:

Don’t Touch Middle Ground Touch --------------------------------------------------------------------- Japan France Middle East United States China Latin Countries Canada Ireland Italy England India Greece Northern European Spain Australia Portugal Estonia Russia

Personal Bubble Your personal space is like an invisible

bubble that surrounds you. If people move inside this bubble when they are talking to you, it may make you feel uncomfortable.

Everyone's personal space is different. How close you normally stand to someone else when you are talking to them will depend on who it is you are talking to, and under what circumstances.

In our examples here, we will look at bubbles for people in everyday situations, such as at school or at work, where the people know each other fairly well.

Facts about the personal bubble: The bubble is larger if you are talking to a

stranger. The better you know the person you're talking

to, the smaller the bubble may be. The bubble is usually larger for two men than for

two women. The bubble may be very small for a man and a

woman if they are in a relationship. The bubble may be larger than normal for a man

and a woman who are strangers to each other. The bubble size may differ for different cultures.

Disregarding the customs of touching might cause an international incident. On one occasion the queen was visiting Canada when the Provincial Transportation Minister touched the Queen while escorting her.

Headlines read: “Hands Off Our Queen!”

In England there is an unwritten rule that nobody touches the Queen. Even when shaking hands she must shake first. 

Seinfeld and the Close Talker

But what makes you feel hostile toward “close talkers,” as the show “Seinfeld” dubbed people who get within necking distance of you when they speak? Or toward strangers who stand very near to you on line? Or toward people who take the bathroom stall next to yours when every other one is available?

Southeast Asia

In 1988 in Los Angeles, an entertainer from Thailand was convicted of second-degree murder. A patron of the Thai cabaret put his foot on a chair with the sole facing the singer.

When the cabaret closed the singer followed the patron and shot him.

Why? In Southeast Asia showing the sole of a shoe is a

grievous insult.

China  -The Chinese do not touch a drink at dinner without proposing a

toast to others.   -The Chinese are very sensitive to problems of precedence at

doorways. Failure to yield right of way could be interpreted as arrogance.

Japan

-To signal respect and attention to a person who is speaking the audience should close their eyes and slightly nod their heads.

 

Social Cognition

Impression Formation Integration of new and old information People in our past influence perception of

new people

Influenced by: Primacy Effect Central Traits Social Schemas

Memory of ClownAt 5th birthday party

Meet “Funny” PersonIn college

Perceive New “Funny-Person” as a “Clown”

Social Cognition

Primacy Effect What do you remember most about a person

after a first meeting? Are first impressions best?

Description 1: Intelligent; industrious; impulsive; critical; stubborn; envious

Description 2: Envious; stubborn; critical; impulsive; industrious; intelligent

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

Position in List

Perc

en

t R

ecalled

Social Cognition Central Traits

“Core” personality traits Influence impression more than peripheral

traits

Central Traits Peripheral Traits

Extraverted vs. Introverted

Loud vs. Quiet

Neurotic vs. Stable Happy vs. Sad

Conscientious vs. Unreliable

Punctual vs. Unorganized

Level of Agreeableness Debatable vs. Conventional

Warm. Vs Cold Polite vs. Blunt

Social Cognition Social Schema

Organized set of beliefs and concepts about a single person or a group of people

Examples: Professor Schema, Police Schema; Gender Schema; Religious Schema

Central Person:

____________

Trait:___________

Trait:___________

Trait:___________

Trait:___________

Trait:___________

Trait:___________

Trait:___________

Social Cognition

Stereotype Over-generalized schema thatcan lead to prejudice

Self-fulfilling prophecy Schemas can cause people to behave in an

“expected” manner Example: Project for theNew American Century

Social Cognition & Attributions

Attribution Inference about the cause an action Is the action the result of intentions, or to

the situation Dispositional factors (Internal attributions)

Cause of an action is due to personality Situational factors (External attributions)

Cause of a behavior is due to situation

Social Cognition & Attributions Why is this guy running? What is causing his behavior?

Social Cognition & Attributions And now?

Social Cognition & Attributions External vs.

internal attribution of our own behaviors

Social Cognition & Attributions Belief in a just world effect

Form of the FAE Erroneous belief that the world is unbiased Victim-Blaming

When we’re a victim... Tend to blame the situation

Example: “It’s the boss’ faultfor catching me drinking,not because I was drinking.”

Social Cognition & Attributions Actor-observer error

Attribute behavior of others to internal causes

Attribute our own behavior to external causes

Self-serving bias We take credit for any andall of our successes We blame failures onexternal cause

Social Cognition & Attributions Harold Kelley’s Theory of Attribution

Situation/disposition attributions influenced by:(1) Consistency of a Behavior

Does the individual behave this way always?(2) Distinctiveness of a Behavior

Does the individual behave differently in different situations?

(3) Consensus of a Behavior Do others behave similarly in this and other

situations? All in all, why do you think humans prefer

making dispositional attributions?

Social Cognition & Attributions Harold Kelley’s Theory of Attribution

Attitudes, Formation and Change What about external influences on us? Attitude

Positive/negative evaluation of some-thing Affects behaviors toward and perceptions of

the “thing” Changing attitudes (persuasion) can be

difficult

Attitudes, Formation and Change Factors influencing attitude changes

(i.e., persuasion): Credibility of the source Attractiveness of the source Comparing and contrasting Do “scare tactics” and“Attack-ads” help?

Cognitive Dissonance We desire consistency in attitudes,

beliefs and behaviors Cognitive Dissonance

Mental tension Powerful motivator for attitude change

Cognitive Dissonance Dissonance depends on lack of sufficient

justification for discrepancy Festinger & Carlsmith’s “boring study”

MaleSubjects

PerformedDull Task

Offered $1To lie

Offered $20To lie

ProvidedTrue Liking

Of TaskAfter Lying

Not justified

Justified