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Social Psychology
What is Social Psychology?

Branch of psychology concerned with the
way individual’s thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors are influenced by others.

Part 1
Person Perception & Stereotypes
 Attributions


Part 2
Attitudes & Persuasion
 Social Influence

Person Perception

Our impressions of other people

We form opinions about people based on
very little information
Who is more competent?
A.
B.
Left
Right
Who is friendlier?
A.
Left
B.
Right
Who is more sociable?
A.
Left
B.
Right
Who is more attractive?
A.
Left
B.
Right
Who is more attractive?
A.
Left
B.
Right
Who is more attractive?
A.
Left
B.
Right
Halo Effect

A cognitive bias whereby the perception of
one trait (i.e. a characteristic of a person
or object) is influenced by the perception
of another trait (or several traits) of that
person or object

Example: Thinking a beautiful person is
also intelligent
Stereotypes about attractive
people

There is little correlation between physical
attractiveness and personality traits


Why do we tend to incorrectly assume that
beautiful people are smarter, more fun, and
friendlier?
Stereotypes: generalized beliefs and
expectations about a particular group and its
members
If you were a teacher, which
students would you expect to be
high achievers?
A.
B.
Left
Right
“Good Students”
“Thugs” “Punks”
Self-fulfilling Prophecy

If a teacher thinks her students who dress
a certain way lack ambition, she will treat
them in a certain way that brings out a
lack of ambition.
Is this a reason to have dress
codes or uniforms?
A.
B.
Yes
No
Where do our stereotypes
come from?
Johnny’s dad tells a bunch of racist
jokes and his dad’s friends laugh
hysterically. Now Johnny tells these
jokes at school.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Social Identity Theory
Classical conditioning
Observational learning
Media’s influence
Melanie loves to watch The Sopranos.
When she meets an Italian kid at
school, she asks him if his dad is in the
mafia.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Social Identity Theory
Classical conditioning
Observational learning
Media’s influence
Sandra comes from a family that is very
proud of their African American heritage.
Her grandmother has taught her that black is
beautiful and that other races are not. She
tells Sandra that she should only date and
marry African American men. Sandra
spends very little time around white people
and has no interest in doing so.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Social Identity Theory
Classical conditioning
Observational learning
Media’s influence
Where does prejudice come
from?

Observational learning

Media

Social Identity Theory


We use group membership as a sense of pride and
self-worth, which can be good, but…
This can result in hatred towards “out groups”
Stereotypes

Widely held beliefs that people have certain
characteristics because of their group membership

Gender, Ethnic, Age, Sexual Orientation, and
Occupational stereotypes

Simplification at cost of accuracy


stereotypes -> evaluations (prejudice) -> discrimination
Putting someone in a small, distorted social box is
limiting and insulting
Stereotypes cont.

Why is it so hard to change people’s
stereotypes?


When someone who judges people using stereotypes
(prejudice) meets a likeable member of the out-group,
they consider this person the “exception to the rule.”
How can they be changed?

Equal-status, cooperative contact

Research shows that personal contact with a disliked group
at work/school can lead to mutual good feelings if there are
not obvious differences in power or status
Have negative stereotypes about
African Americans improved?
Doll Test Research

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqSFq
nUFOns
What have we covered so far?

Person Perception

Stereotypes
About attractive people (and the Halo Effect)
 Self-fulfilling prophecy
 Origins of stereotypes




Observational Learning
Social Identity Theory
Media
Changing Stereotypes
 Doll Test Research

Everyday we form impressions about why
people do what they do based on very
small amounts of information.
ATTRIBUTIONS
Attributions

Our assumptions about why we and others do
the things we do.

We like to make sense of our world, so we make
up explanations for why things happen.

Influence our reactions toward others.

Internal vs. external
How would you feel if your son
wrecked your car because…

It was snowing…
External Attribution
How would you feel if your son
wrecked your car because…

He was speeding…
Internal Attribution
The woman in line in front of you is
using food stamps to pay for her
purchases. If you had to choose
one of the options below, which
would you choose?
A.
B.
C.
D.
She is lazy.
She is uneducated.
She is not intelligent.
She got laid off.
If you have ever used food
stamps, or if you use them in the
future, which of the following would
be the most likely reason?
A.
B.
C.
D.
You are lazy.
You are uneducated.
You are not intelligent.
You got laid off.
Think about the last time you got a
bad grade. What was the main
cause?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It was my teacher’s fault.
I didn’t study enough.
I didn’t try hard enough.
My motivation was low.
Think about the last time you got a
good grade. What was the main
cause?
A.
B.
C.
D.
My teacher is easy.
I studied really hard.
My teacher gave clear instructions.
I got lucky.
Errors in Attribution

Mental shortcuts lead to mistakes.

Common errors

Fundamental attribution error


When explaining other’s behavior, we
overestimate the role of internal factors.
Self-serving bias
Good things - internal attributions
 Bad things - external attributions

According to the fundamental
attribution error, which of the following
would most people attribute someone’s
financial problems (eg., food stamps)?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The person is lazy.
The person got laid off.
The economy is poor.
The person has been mistreated by
society.
According to the self-serving bias, if
you don’t do well in this class, what will
be the reason?
A.
B.
C.
D.
You didn’t study hard enough.
You were unmotivated.
Dr. Kelly is a bad teacher.
You didn’t read the book.
According to the self-serving bias,
WHEN YOU do well in this class, what
will be the reason?
A.
B.
C.
D.
You are smart.
The class was easy.
Dr. Kelly is a great teacher.
The class was fair.
Attribution Concepts

Attribution Errors

Fundamental attribution error


When explaining other’s behavior, we
overestimate the role of internal factors.
Self-serving bias
Good things - internal attributions
 Bad things - external attributions

Next time…


Attitudes & Persuasion
Social influences


Conformity
Obedience