Challenge and ChangeHSB4M

Intro to Social Science:

Social Science: broad field of study that looks at human behaviour

Three disciplines: anthropology, psychology and sociology

Typically social experiments investigate how someone's behaviour influences a groups behaviour or internal states, such as attitude or self-concept.

Read more: http://www.experiment-resources.com/social-psychology-experiments.html#ixzz0y8yzf5Kl

The Halo Effect

If someone was attractive would you think they are more intelligent?

The halo effect is the bias where 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

An example: good-looking person = intelligent

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously

People reduce dissonance (discomfort) by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions

Studies show that we can change our beliefs very easily

Forming Groups:

Robber’s Cave: A group of twenty-two 11 year

old boys were taken to camp at Robber’s Cave State Park, Oklahoma and formed two rival groups

Both saw the other as members of an “outgroup” or rivals

Eventually made peace However....the happy ending was

only achieved after the experiment was performed three times!

Forming Groups:

Stanford Prison Experiment What makes a person evil?

Can a good person commit evil acts? If so, what can make people cross the line?

Students were asked to play role of guards/prisoners

Experiment stopped after only 6 days!

Stanley Milgram: Obedience to Authority Or Just Conformity?

measured the willingness of people to obey an authority figure even if it hurt someone else

In the original 1963 experiment 65% continued with the experiment to the final massive 450 volt shock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwqNP9HRy7Y

False Consensus Effect:

People tend to think other’s think exactly like they do and that their opinions views are superior

People project their thinking on to others

Which do you prefer?

Social Identity Theory

Henry Tajfel experiment 14 and 15 year-old boys, were

brought into the lab and shown slides of paintings by two artists

Formed two groups, boys were asked to distribute virtual money and all the boys favoured their own in-group even though they never met!

They Bystander Effect

Would you help him?

Studies show that if your in a crowd you most like WILL NOT HELP!

Conformity

Which line is bigger?

Soloman Asch experiment:

76% of people denied their own senses by choosing either A or B

SAMPLES:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXz9OcnRBYY

Try one today! Make up a fake news story...see what happens!