Attribution, Attitudes, And Actions
What is the fundamental attribution error?
the tendency for observers, when analyzing others’ behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition
Understood rules for accepted and expected behavior (vocab word)
norms
What is deindividuation?
The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
The belief in the superiority of one's ethnic group.
An unselfish regard for the welfare of others (vocab word)
Altruism
Name 3 factors that can affect our attributions.
Culture
Personal experiences
Cognitive biases
Mood and emotions
Social roles and expectations
situational awareness
Information availability
Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard because of pressure to fit in (vocab word)
Conformity
What causes social loafing in a group?
Members may feel less accountable and therefore worry less about what others think.
Members may view their individual contributions as dispensable.
Members may overestimate their own contributions, downplaying others’ actions
Members may slack off if they share equally in the benefits, regardless of how much they contribute.
Name a common factor involved in prejudice.
Hostility or Fear.
An expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them (vocab word)
Reciprocity norm
Ryan never liked sushi, but when all of his friends decided to go to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant he agreed to it without complaining. He didn’t want to stand or make things awkward, so he pretended to enjoy the meal. Even though he wasn’t happy, he felt relieved to be a part of the group. What social psychology principle has Ryan just demonstrated? Explain.
Normative social influence because he didn’t want to stand out and just agreed to go.
During the Solomon Asch experiment of 1955, a participant was brought in to take a line test. He was sat down next to 5 ______ who purposefully gave the wrong answer
Confederates
During senior night, the captain of the basketball team had an outstanding performance! Racking up a career-high in points and a school record for assists. The entire school was watching including students, teachers, and parents. What psychological principle occurred during that senior night?
Social facilitation
What is the difference between explicit and implicit prejudice?
Explicit prejudice is conscious and on our radar, while implicit prejudice is unconscious and operates below our awareness.
A hunter is okay with shooting deer because he thinks he won't threaten the species and someone else would go hunting anyway. This is an example of____
Social Traps
Jacob was watching TV when he saw an advertisement for a new smartwatch featuring a beautiful model he admired. Even though he never required a smart watch, he was persuaded to buy it because the model endorsed it. Without considering any of the watch's actual features, he purchased the product based on the endorsement alone. What social psychology principle has Jacob demonstrated? Explain.
peripheral route persuasion
One of the most important motivations for conducting the Stanley Milgram experiment was to connect the results to ______
The soldiers of the holocaust
During a book club meeting, the group of students started to discuss their concerns over a controversial novel. In the beginning, some students had mixed opinions, but as the conversation prevailed, everyone in the groups opinion strengthed. By the end of the meeting, the group unanimously agreed that the novel was harmful, even though their initial reactions were much more moderate. What psychological principle occurred during the book club? Explain.
Group Polarization
How can body language indicate prejudice?
Selective facial-muscle responses and activation of the amygdala (major processing center for emotions in the brain) when viewing people from other ethnic groups.
A man outside of a large apartment building is screaming for help, hoping someone will come down to help fix his car engine. What is the likely response of one of the apartment owners if there are 100 other apartments in the building? What vocab term is used to describe this?
He is likely to not help as he assumes someone else will do it. Diffusion of responsibility
Amanda needs a new computer for her first year of college. She has researched countless laptops comparing all of them to each other. She needed a low price, good quality and a long battery life. After reading detailed reviews and watching in-depgh videos, she decided to pick the one that suited her best. Her decision was based on careful evaluation of the product’s features rather than the flashy advertisements. What social psychology principle has Amanda demonstrated? Explain.
central route persuasion
Two reasons/factors as to why obedience was so high in the Milgram experiment
Held in a prestigious institution (Yale)
Authority figure was close at hand/wearing professional clothes
Victim was at a distance (dehumanized)
No other role models for defiance
What are some pro-social and anti-social ways in which the Internet impacts ideas?
Social media has been the moving force behind many political independence movements in countries such as Egypt with oppressive rulers because it allows like-minded citizens to band together.
It has also fueled hate-driven, violent rallies that tear apart communities.
How did the just-world phenomenon contribute to historical prejudice, such as during slavery in the United States?
Slavehoders viewed enslaved individuals as lazy and irresponsible.
What does GRIT stand for? (2X bonus if you name which social psychologist created this strategy)
Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension Reduction
Charles Osgood