Download Fall 2014 10-30 Chapter 14 Pt 1

 Social Psychology
Chapter 14
 Social Psychology
The scientific study of how we think
about, influence, and relate to one
another
 Social Psychology
The power of the situation…
 Social Psychology
The power of the situation can be
harnessed for good, or for evil…
 Social Psychology
Three powerful examples of the power
of the situation…
 Social Psychology
Three powerful examples of the power
of the situation…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-fQnltrg6w
 Social Psychology
Three powerful examples of the power
of the situation…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyDDyT1lDhA
 Social Psychology
Three powerful examples of the power
of the situation…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZwfNs1pqG0
 Social Psychology
Social Thinking
Attributing Behavior to Persons
or to Situations
Fundamental attribution
error – the tendency for
observers, when analyzing
another’s behavior, to
underestimate the impact of
the situation and to
overestimate the impact of
personal disposition
Jones and Harris:
Subjects served as
“debaters” in discussion
of U.S. attitudes toward
Cuba and Castro.
In full view of other
debaters, subjects were
randomly assigned to
read aloud debate
speeches that were
either pro-Castro or
anti-Castro
Then these other
debaters rated speech
readers’ true attitudes
toward Castro…
The Effects of Attribution
Attributions differ: Some people blamed the New Orleans
residents for not evacuating before Katrina. Others
attributed their inaction to the situation—to their not having
transportation.
The Effects of Attribution
 Social Psychology
Social Thinking
Attitudes and Actions
Attitudes Affect Actions
Attitude – feelings, often
influenced by our beliefs,
that predispose us to
respond in a particular
way to objects, people
and events.
Attitudes Affect Actions
Attitude – feelings, often
influenced by our beliefs,
that predispose us to
respond in a particular
way to objects, people
and events.
Actions Affect Attitudes
Foot-In-The-Door – the
tendency for people who
have first agreed to a
small request to comply
later with a larger request.
Actions Affect Attitudes
Role-Playing – When we
adopt a new role, we strive
to follow social prescriptions.
In the famous Stanford
Prison experiment, a toxic
situation triggered degrading
behaviors among those
assigned to the guard role.
Actions Affect Attitudes
Cognitive Dissonance –
the idea that we act to
reduce discomfort when our
actions conflict with our
attitudes (or beliefs).
 Social Psychology
Social Influence
 Social Psychology
Social Influence
Conformity and Obedience
Credit: Michael E Ray
Group Pressure and Conformity
Conformity – adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to
coincide with a group standard.
Group Pressure and Conformity
Which of the three comparison lines is the same length as
the standard line?
Group Pressure and Conformity
Conditions that strengthen conformity: (1) The group
has at least three people. (2) The group is unanimous. (3)
The individual is made to feel incompetent. (4) Culture
strongly encourages respect for social standards.
 Social Psychology
Social Influence
Why do we conform?
Group Pressure and Conformity
After seeing Slides 1 and 2, participants judge which
person in Slide 2 was the same as the person in Slide 1.
Difficulty is manipulated by varying the time to view Slide
2 (5 seconds or ½ second)…
Group Pressure and Conformity
And importance is manipulated by telling participants that
they will receive $20 if they are the most accurate
participant in the experiment (or not telling them this).
Group Pressure and Conformity
Obedience
Obedience
The most fundamental
lesson of our study is that
ordinary people, simply
doing their jobs, and without
any particular hostility on
their part, can become
agents in a terrible
destructive proces.
- Stanley Milgram
 Social Psychology
Social Influence
Group Influence
Individual Behavior in the Presence of Others
Social facilitation –
stronger responses or better
performance on simple or
well-learned tasks in the
presence of others.
Individual Behavior in the Presence of Others
Deindividuation – the loss
of self-awareness and selfrestraint occurring in group
situations that foster
anonymity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UtlwxoZVgY
Non-Anonymous
Alone
Group
Anonymous
Non-Anonymous
Anonymous
Alone
7.5%
21.4%
Group
20.8%
57.2%