Intro to Psychology (PSYC101): Module 35: Social Thinking and Social Influence

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

the theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition

the tendency for observers, when analyzing others’ behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events

occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness

occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts

the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request

a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave

A controversial study in which male college students volunteered to spend time in a simulated prison. Participants were randomly assigned to be either prisoners or guards. Guards were given uniforms, clubs, and whistles and instructed to enforce the rules. For a day or two, participants self-consciously played their roles. But then most guards developed disparaging attitudes and became “tyrannical”, devising cruel and degrading routines. The study was called off after 6 days. This study highlighted that there is power in the situation.

the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) or when our thoughts and actions are inconsistent.

For example: When we become aware that our attitudes and actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes.

understood rules for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe “proper” behavior.

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

likened to a chameleon’s ability to take on the color of their surrounding, the spread of behaviors, attitudes, and affect through crowds and other types of social aggregates from one member to another

when individuals take on the emotional tones of those around us

sharing of moods

to feel what others are feelings

adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard

In Solomon Asch’s experiments, experimenters asked the group to state, one by one, which of the three comparison lines is identical to a standard line. Unknown to the participants, the others in the group were confederates and after a few trials, these confederates consistently provided the same wrong answer. These experiments were used to test conformity.

• we are made to feel incompetent or insecure

• we are in a group with at least three people

• we are in a group in which everyone else agrees

• we admire the group’s status and attractiveness

• we have not made a prior commitment to any response

• we know that others in the group will observe our behavior

• we are from a culture that strongly encourages respect for social standards

influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval

influence resulting from a person’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality

One of social psychology’s most famous and controversial experiments. Participants believed they were completing a study on the effects of punishment on learning. The experimenter assigned the participant to be the “teacher” and the experimenter’s confederate was the “learner”. As the “teacher”, participants were told to give the “learner” increasingly intense shocks (no real shocks were administered). The true experiment was a test to assess obedience or how intense of a shock an individual would administer to another human being when told by an authority figure.

• the person giving the order was close at hand and was perceived to be a legitimate authority figure

• the authority figure was supported by a powerful or prestigious institution

• the victim was personalized or at a distance, even in another room

• there were no role models for defiance

improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others

the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable

the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity

the enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group

the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives