Social cognition - eleven years after

Social cognition - eleven years afterSocial cognition - eleven years after

Daniel Heller, Psychologický ústav AV ČRDaniel Heller, Psychologický ústav AV ČR

10. konference „Sociální procesy a osobnost“10. konference „Sociální procesy a osobnost“

Telč, 13. a 14. září 2007Telč, 13. a 14. září 2007


Martha Augoustinos, Iain Walker:Martha Augoustinos, Iain Walker:

Social Cognition: An Integrated IntroductionSocial Cognition: An Integrated Introduction..

London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage, 1995.London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage, 1995.

Reprinted: 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005Reprinted: 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005

Martha Augoustinos, Iain Walker, Ngaire Donaghue:Martha Augoustinos, Iain Walker, Ngaire Donaghue:

Social Cognition: An Integrated IntroductionSocial Cognition: An Integrated Introduction..

London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage, 2006.London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage, 2006.

social cognition - eleven years aftersocial cognition - eleven years after


Martha Augoustinos, IainMartha Augoustinos, Iain

Walker: Walker: Social Cognition:Social Cognition:

An Integrated Introduction.An Integrated Introduction.

London, Thousand Oaks,London, Thousand Oaks,

New Delhi: Sage, 1995.New Delhi: Sage, 1995.

Reprinted: 1996, 1999,Reprinted: 1996, 1999,

2000, 2001, 2004, 20052000, 2001, 2004, 2005


Gordon B. Moskowitz:Gordon B. Moskowitz:

Social Cognition: AnSocial Cognition: An

Integrated IntroductionIntegrated Introduction..

London: Sage, 1995.London: Sage, 1995.


Ziva Kunda:Ziva Kunda:

Social Cognition:Social Cognition:

Making Sense of People.Making Sense of People.

London: Sage, 1999.London: Sage, 1999.

Ziva Kunda (*13. 6. 1955 + 24. 2. 2004)



Walker, Ngaire Donaghue:Walker, Ngaire Donaghue:





Martha Augoustinos, Iain Walker, Ngaire DonaghueUniversity of Adelaide



Walker: Walker: Social Cognition:Social Cognition:




Reprinted: 1996, 1999,Reprinted: 1996, 1999,

2000, 2001, 2004, 20052000, 2001, 2004, 2005


both monograph and textbookboth monograph and textbook Australian perspective on USA and EuropeAustralian perspective on USA and Europe social cognition in the USA - individualistic and social cognition in the USA - individualistic and

cognitivisticcognitivistic social cognition in Europe - socialsocial cognition in Europe - social

CConteontents:nts: PART I: Theoretical Perspectives in Social CognitionPART I: Theoretical Perspectives in Social Cognition PART II: Integrations, Applications and ChalengesPART II: Integrations, Applications and Chalenges


1 Introduction1 Introduction PART I: Theoretical Perspectives in Social PART I: Theoretical Perspectives in Social

CognitionCognition 2 Attitudes2 Attitudes 3 Social Schemas3 Social Schemas 4 Attributions4 Attributions 5 Social Identity5 Social Identity 6 Social Representations6 Social Representations


PART II: Integrations, Applications and PART II: Integrations, Applications and ChalengesChalenges

7 Social Schemas and Social Representations7 Social Schemas and Social Representations 8 Attributions and Social Representations8 Attributions and Social Representations 9 Stereotypes, Prejudice and Intergroup 9 Stereotypes, Prejudice and Intergroup

AttributionsAttributions 10 Postmodern Challenges to Social Cognition10 Postmodern Challenges to Social Cognition 11 The Social Psychological Study of Ideology11 The Social Psychological Study of Ideology



Walker, Ngaire Donaghue:Walker, Ngaire Donaghue:






1 Introduction1 Introduction PART ONE:PART ONE: 2 Theoretical Foundations2 Theoretical Foundations PART TWO:PART TWO: 3 Social Perception3 Social Perception 4 Attitudes4 Attitudes 5 Attributions5 Attributions 6 Self and Identity6 Self and Identity 7 Prejudice7 Prejudice 8 Ideology8 Ideology PART THREE:PART THREE: 9 Conclusion9 Conclusion


1 Introduction1 Introduction

Defining social psychologyDefining social psychology The crisis in social psychologyThe crisis in social psychology Social cognititonSocial cognititon Aims of this bookAims of this book Organization of this bookOrganization of this book Concluding commentsConcluding comments


2 Theoretical Foundations2 Theoretical Foundations

Introduction to social cognition modelsIntroduction to social cognition models Introduction to social identity theoryIntroduction to social identity theory Introduction to social representations theoryIntroduction to social representations theory Introduction to discursive psychologyIntroduction to discursive psychology A post-cognitive psychology?A post-cognitive psychology? Chapter summaryChapter summary Further readingFurther reading


3 Social Perception3 Social Perception

Social cognition and social perceptionSocial cognition and social perception Social identity theory and social perceptionSocial identity theory and social perception Social representations and social perceptionSocial representations and social perception Discursive psychology and social perceptionDiscursive psychology and social perception Chapter summaryChapter summary Further readingFurther reading


4 Attitudes 4 Attitudes

What is an attitude?What is an attitude? Social cognititon and attitudesSocial cognititon and attitudes Attitudes and social identitiesAttitudes and social identities Attitudes and social representations Attitudes and social representations Discursive psychology and attitudes Discursive psychology and attitudes Chapter summaryChapter summary Further readingFurther reading


5 Attributions5 Attributions

Social cognititon and attributionsSocial cognititon and attributions Attributional biasAttributional bias Social identity and attributionsSocial identity and attributions Social representations and attributionsSocial representations and attributions Discursive psychology and attributionsDiscursive psychology and attributions Chapter summaryChapter summary Further readingFurther reading


6 Self and Identity6 Self and Identity

Social cognitive approaches to self and identitySocial cognitive approaches to self and identity Functions of the selfFunctions of the self Social identity approaches to self and identitySocial identity approaches to self and identity Social representations approaches to self and identitySocial representations approaches to self and identity Discursive approaches to self and identityDiscursive approaches to self and identity Chapter summaryChapter summary Further readingFurther reading


7 Prejudice7 Prejudice

Social cognititon and prejudiceSocial cognititon and prejudice Social identity and prejudiceSocial identity and prejudice Social representations and prejudiceSocial representations and prejudice Discursive psychology and prejudiceDiscursive psychology and prejudice Chapter summaryChapter summary Further readingFurther reading


8 Ideology8 Ideology

Social cognititon and ideologySocial cognititon and ideology Social identity and ideologySocial identity and ideology Social representations and ideologySocial representations and ideology Discursive psychology and ideologyDiscursive psychology and ideology Chapter summaryChapter summary Further readingFurther reading


9 Conclusion9 Conclusion

The individual and societyThe individual and society Levels of analysisLevels of analysis Realist vs. constructivist epistemologies Realist vs. constructivist epistemologies Social changeSocial change


a lot has changed, a lot remaineda lot has changed, a lot remained complete restructuring of the bookcomplete restructuring of the book text which integrates significantly different text which integrates significantly different

approachesapproaches a book which is simultaneously a textbook and a a book which is simultaneously a textbook and a

monograph developing a unique social monograph developing a unique social psychological viewpointpsychological viewpoint

the crisis in social psychology (Cartwright, Elms, the crisis in social psychology (Cartwright, Elms, Gergen, McGuire, Pepitone, Sampson, Tajfel, Gergen, McGuire, Pepitone, Sampson, Tajfel, Taylor and Brown)Taylor and Brown)


Social cognitionSocial cognition refers to theory and research which is aimed refers to theory and research which is aimed at describing and explaining how we, as human beings, at describing and explaining how we, as human beings, experience and understand ourselves in the social world. experience and understand ourselves in the social world.

4 foundational theoretical orientations:4 foundational theoretical orientations: ssocial cognitiocial cognitiveve ssocial ocial iidentitydentity ssocialocial representations representations discursive psychologicaldiscursive psychological

approachesapproaches

4 basic standpoints4 basic standpoints


What is social about social cognition?What is social about social cognition? Susan Fiske and Shelley Taylor: „people are not things“Susan Fiske and Shelley Taylor: „people are not things“ important differences:important differences: people intentionally influence their environmentpeople intentionally influence their environment people, as objects of perception, perceive back (social cognition people, as objects of perception, perceive back (social cognition

is mutual cognition), and joint perception is negotiatedis mutual cognition), and joint perception is negotiated social cognition implicates the self as subject as well as objectsocial cognition implicates the self as subject as well as object social objects may change upon being the target of cognitionsocial objects may change upon being the target of cognition the accuracy, or veracity, of cognitions about people is harder, the accuracy, or veracity, of cognitions about people is harder,

or impossible, to assess than for non-social objectsor impossible, to assess than for non-social objects social cognition involves social explanation social cognition involves social explanation social cognition is shared social cognition is shared


Social cognition modelsSocial cognition models (Fiske and Taylor, 1991) (Fiske and Taylor, 1991) The social cognitive approach is a foundational approach The social cognitive approach is a foundational approach

within social psychological theory and research addressing within social psychological theory and research addressing how we understand the world around us and our place in it. how we understand the world around us and our place in it. Social cognitive research is experimental, and focuses on Social cognitive research is experimental, and focuses on intraindividual mental processes. Emphasis is placed upon the intraindividual mental processes. Emphasis is placed upon the structure of knowledge into mental schemas, which direct structure of knowledge into mental schemas, which direct attention, facilitate encoding of information into memory, and attention, facilitate encoding of information into memory, and facilitate recall of information. Schemas are activated, often facilitate recall of information. Schemas are activated, often unconsciously, by situated environmental stimuli. Activation unconsciously, by situated environmental stimuli. Activation makes it more likely that other related schemas will also makes it more likely that other related schemas will also become activated, and also makes less likely the activation of become activated, and also makes less likely the activation of other, competing schemas.other, competing schemas.


Social Identity TheorySocial Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1981)(Tajfel, 1981) Social identity theory provides a systematic account of the Social identity theory provides a systematic account of the

links between personal and social identity, and between links between personal and social identity, and between interindividual and intergroup behaviours. It focuses on the interindividual and intergroup behaviours. It focuses on the nature of social categorization, especially into ingroups and nature of social categorization, especially into ingroups and outgroups, the primacy of social identity and positive social outgroups, the primacy of social identity and positive social differentiation, and on social comparison processes as the differentiation, and on social comparison processes as the main means for evaluating the valence of social main means for evaluating the valence of social identifications. Self-categorization theory is a development identifications. Self-categorization theory is a development which extends social identity theory into a fuller examination which extends social identity theory into a fuller examination of the cognitive processes underpinning the contextual of the cognitive processes underpinning the contextual fluidity of personal and social identities. fluidity of personal and social identities.


Social Representations TheorySocial Representations Theory (Moscovici, 1981) (Moscovici, 1981) Social representations refer to the ideas, thoughts, images, and Social representations refer to the ideas, thoughts, images, and

knowledge structures which members of a society or collectivity knowledge structures which members of a society or collectivity share. These consensual structures are socially created through share. These consensual structures are socially created through communication and interaction between and among people. communication and interaction between and among people. Representations conventionalize or anchor social objects, persons Representations conventionalize or anchor social objects, persons and events within a familiar categorical context - they give the and events within a familiar categorical context - they give the unfamiliar meaning. Representations are reduced or objectified unfamiliar meaning. Representations are reduced or objectified into both cognitive and pictorial elements which together form a into both cognitive and pictorial elements which together form a core or figurative nucleus stored in memory and accessed during core or figurative nucleus stored in memory and accessed during communication and interaction. Many of our social communication and interaction. Many of our social representations come from the world of science communicated to representations come from the world of science communicated to us through the mass media and elaborated upon by ordinary us through the mass media and elaborated upon by ordinary people to help make sense of everyday life.people to help make sense of everyday life.


Discursive PsychologyDiscursive Psychology (Gergen, 1985) (Gergen, 1985) Discursive psychology rejects the search for internal mental Discursive psychology rejects the search for internal mental

representations and the reliance on internal mechanisms to representations and the reliance on internal mechanisms to understand social life. Instead, discourse is seen as understand social life. Instead, discourse is seen as constitutiveconstitutive and and functionalfunctional, and hence is claimed to be the , and hence is claimed to be the proper site of socialproper site of social psychological analysis. Discursive psychological analysis. Discursive interaction is patterned and ordered, drawing on shared interaction is patterned and ordered, drawing on shared discursive resources such as interpretative repertoires to bring discursive resources such as interpretative repertoires to bring social reality into being and to manage interactantssocial reality into being and to manage interactants'' identities. identities.

a post-cognitive psychology? (Potter, 2000)a post-cognitive psychology? (Potter, 2000) Reality Reality –>–> perception perception –>–> discourse discourse Discourse Discourse –> –> perception perception –> –> realityreality


4 foundamental theoretical perspectives4 foundamental theoretical perspectives social cognitive, social identity, social representations and social cognitive, social identity, social representations and

discursive perspectivesdiscursive perspectives

addressing a series of topicsaddressing a series of topics social perception, attitudes, attributions, self and identity, social perception, attitudes, attributions, self and identity,

prejudice and ideologyprejudice and ideology points of commonality as well as differencepoints of commonality as well as difference aim of identifying a path towards integration across these aim of identifying a path towards integration across these

perspectivesperspectives conceptual, methodological, epistemological limitationsconceptual, methodological, epistemological limitations broad issues about which the four perspectives differbroad issues about which the four perspectives differ


The Individual The Individual andand Society Society psychology - social psychology - sociology (individual psychology - social psychology - sociology (individual

abstracted from social context vs. society and its institutions)abstracted from social context vs. society and its institutions)

Levels of AnalysisLevels of Analysis intraindividualintraindividual (soc. cogn. perspective) (soc. cogn. perspective) interindividualinterindividual (discursive perspective) (discursive perspective) intergroupintergroup (soc. identity + soc. representations perspectives) (soc. identity + soc. representations perspectives) collectivecollective

intraindividual - anathema to soc. representations and discursive res.intraindividual - anathema to soc. representations and discursive res. intergroup - anathema to soc. cognitive researchers intergroup - anathema to soc. cognitive researchers


Realist vs. Constructivist EpistemologiesRealist vs. Constructivist Epistemologies all: humans actively construct their social environment - how?all: humans actively construct their social environment - how? 3 approaches rest on a realist philosophy of science3 approaches rest on a realist philosophy of science vs. discursive perspectivevs. discursive perspective call for more adequate analysis of „truth“ and „reality“ call for more adequate analysis of „truth“ and „reality“

Social ChangeSocial Change largely shared across the four different perspectiveslargely shared across the four different perspectives what is to be changed?what is to be changed?

Social cognition - as much a mirror as a telescope Social cognition - as much a mirror as a telescope

Thank You for Your AttentionThank You for Your Attention

Social cognition - eleven years after

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