Social PsychologySocial Psychology

Chapter 12Chapter 12

Explaining BehaviorExplaining Behavior

AttributionAttribution The process of inferring the cause of The process of inferring the cause of

someone’s behavior, including your ownsomeone’s behavior, including your own The explanation you make for a The explanation you make for a

particular behaviorparticular behavior We tend to attribute the behavior of We tend to attribute the behavior of

others to internal, personal others to internal, personal characteristics – characteristics – fundamental attribution fundamental attribution errorerror

Biases in our thoughtBiases in our thought

Fundamental attribution errorFundamental attribution error Blaming the victimBlaming the victim The just-world hypothesis – we have a The just-world hypothesis – we have a

psychological need to believe the world psychological need to believe the world is just; otherwise we are not safeis just; otherwise we are not safe

What questions circulated upon the safe What questions circulated upon the safe rescue of Elizabeth Smart…or consider rescue of Elizabeth Smart…or consider the safe rescue of Sean Hornbeck and the safe rescue of Sean Hornbeck and Ben Ownby?Ben Ownby?

Attributional BiasesAttributional Biases

Actor-observer discrepancy – we are Actor-observer discrepancy – we are more likely to use an external, more likely to use an external, situational attribution when we are the situational attribution when we are the actoractor

Self-serving bias Self-serving bias We congratulate our efforts and claim We congratulate our efforts and claim

intelligence assisted with a high score on a intelligence assisted with a high score on a testtest

We claim …”They were trick questions…” We claim …”They were trick questions…” when we do poorly on an examwhen we do poorly on an exam

Individualistic vs. Collectivistic Individualistic vs. Collectivistic Culture and attributionCulture and attribution

Self serving bias common in Self serving bias common in individualistic cultureindividualistic culture

Self-effacing (or modesty) bias Self-effacing (or modesty) bias common in collectivistic culturecommon in collectivistic culture One blames himself for his failure and One blames himself for his failure and

attributes success to external, attributes success to external, situational causessituational causes

Table 12.1Hockenbury: Psychology, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2005 by Worth Publishers

AttitudesAttitudes

A learned tendency to evaluate some A learned tendency to evaluate some object, person, or issue in a object, person, or issue in a particular wayparticular way Three componentsThree components

Cognitive – reflected in thoughts and Cognitive – reflected in thoughts and conclusionsconclusions

Behavioral – reflected in actionBehavioral – reflected in action Emotional – reflected in emotional Emotional – reflected in emotional

expressionexpression

Figure 12.1 The Components of AttitudesHockenbury: Psychology, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2005 by Worth Publishers

Attitudes and BehaviorAttitudes and Behavior

We don’t always act in accordance with our We don’t always act in accordance with our attitudesattitudes

Conditions that increase the likelihood of Conditions that increase the likelihood of behaving in accordance with one’s attitude:behaving in accordance with one’s attitude: Attitudes are extreme or frequently expressedAttitudes are extreme or frequently expressed Attitudes have been formed through direct Attitudes have been formed through direct

experienceexperience You are very knowledgeable about the subjectYou are very knowledgeable about the subject You personally stand to gain or lose something You personally stand to gain or lose something

on a specific issueon a specific issue You anticipate a favorable outcome or response You anticipate a favorable outcome or response

from othersfrom others

Prejudice Prejudice

A negative attitude toward people who A negative attitude toward people who belong to a specific social groupbelong to a specific social group

Racial and ethnic groups are far more alike Racial and ethnic groups are far more alike than they are differentthan they are different

Differences that may exist Differences that may exist between between members of different racial and ethnic members of different racial and ethnic groups are far smaller than differences groups are far smaller than differences amongamong various members of the same various members of the same groupgroup

StereotypesStereotypes

A cluster of characteristics that are A cluster of characteristics that are attributed to members of a specific attributed to members of a specific social group or categorysocial group or category

Stereotypes simplify social Stereotypes simplify social information so that we can sort out, information so that we can sort out, process, and remember information process, and remember information about other people more easilyabout other people more easily

Potential Problems with Potential Problems with StereotypesStereotypes

Attributing a stereotypic cause for an Attributing a stereotypic cause for an outcome or event can blind us to the outcome or event can blind us to the true causes of eventstrue causes of events

They are hard to change once they They are hard to change once they are formed are formed We see what we expect to seeWe see what we expect to see We discount information that contradicts We discount information that contradicts

a stereotypea stereotype

Stereotypes (cont.)Stereotypes (cont.)

The out-group, in-group tendencyThe out-group, in-group tendency We speak in terms of “us” and “them”We speak in terms of “us” and “them” We tend to view “us” more favorably then We tend to view “us” more favorably then

“them”“them” We notice diversity within our own group, We notice diversity within our own group,

but not among the “out-group”but not among the “out-group” We tend to believe that our own ethnic We tend to believe that our own ethnic

group or culture is superior, group or culture is superior, ethnocentrismethnocentrism

Prejudice and EmotionPrejudice and Emotion

As with other attitudes, there is an As with other attitudes, there is an emotional componentemotional component Intensely negativeIntensely negative HatredHatred ContemptContempt Fear Fear LoathingLoathing

Prejudice and BehaviorPrejudice and Behavior

DiscriminationDiscrimination Prejudice and intergroup hostility Prejudice and intergroup hostility

increases when different groups are increases when different groups are competing for scarce resourcescompeting for scarce resources

Emotional basis – People are often Emotional basis – People are often prejudiced against groups that are prejudiced against groups that are perceived as threatening important in-perceived as threatening important in-group norms and valuesgroup norms and values

How do we overcome How do we overcome Prejudice?Prejudice?

Contact theory – as Contact theory – as members of members of different groups got different groups got to know one to know one another as another as individuals, individuals, negative negative stereotypes would stereotypes would be disprovedbe disproved What do you think? What do you think?

Overcoming Prejudice Overcoming Prejudice (cont.)(cont.)

Sherif and the Sherif and the Robbers Cave ExperimentRobbers Cave Experiment Hostility between groups can be createdHostility between groups can be created Hostility could be overcomeHostility could be overcome Applicable to other situations?Applicable to other situations?

Aronson and the Aronson and the Jigsaw ClassroomJigsaw Classroom Displayed a greater self esteem and a Displayed a greater self esteem and a

greater liking for children from different greater liking for children from different ethnic groups compared to children in ethnic groups compared to children in traditional classroomstraditional classrooms

ConformityConformity

Asch Conformity StudiesAsch Conformity Studies The subjects followed the majority and The subjects followed the majority and

gave the wrong answer on 37% of the gave the wrong answer on 37% of the trialstrials

Those who responded alone gave the Those who responded alone gave the right answer 99% of the timeright answer 99% of the time

On almost 2/3 of the clinical trials in On almost 2/3 of the clinical trials in which the majority named the wrong which the majority named the wrong line the subjects stuck to their answer, line the subjects stuck to their answer, despite being the minoritydespite being the minority

Conformity and CultureConformity and Culture

Generally higher in collectivistic Generally higher in collectivistic culturescultures Viewed more positivelyViewed more positively

Less in the WestLess in the West Carries a negative connotation given our Carries a negative connotation given our

values of self expression, independence, values of self expression, independence, and “standing out from the crowd”and “standing out from the crowd”

ObedienceObedience

The performance of an action in The performance of an action in response to the direct orders of an response to the direct orders of an authority or person of higher statusauthority or person of higher status

Stanley MilgramStanley Milgram Could a person be pressured by others Could a person be pressured by others

into committing an immoral act, some into committing an immoral act, some action that violated his or her own action that violated his or her own conscience, such as hurting a stranger?conscience, such as hurting a stranger?

Forces that influenced Forces that influenced subjectssubjects

A previously well-established mental A previously well-established mental framework to obeyframework to obey

The situation, or context, in which The situation, or context, in which the obedience occurredthe obedience occurred

The gradual repetitive escalation of The gradual repetitive escalation of the taskthe task

Forces that influenced subjects Forces that influenced subjects (cont.)(cont.)

The experimenter’s behavior and The experimenter’s behavior and reassurancesreassurances

The physical an psychological The physical an psychological separation from the learnerseparation from the learner

Figure 12.4 Factors That Decrease Destructive ObedienceHockenbury: Psychology, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2005 by Worth Publishers

Helping BehaviorHelping Behavior

Kitty GenoveseKitty Genovese Why didn’t anyone help?Why didn’t anyone help?

Apathy – “…alienation and depersonalization Apathy – “…alienation and depersonalization of life in a big city”of life in a big city”

Factors That Increase the Factors That Increase the Liklihood of Bystanders HelpingLiklihood of Bystanders Helping

The feel good, do good effectThe feel good, do good effect Feeling guiltyFeeling guilty Seeing others who are willing to helpSeeing others who are willing to help Perceiving the other person as Perceiving the other person as

deserving helpdeserving help Knowing how to helpKnowing how to help A personalized relationship A personalized relationship

Factors that Factors that DecreaseDecrease the the Liklihood of Bystanders HelpingLiklihood of Bystanders Helping

The presence of other people – The presence of other people – diffusion of responsibilitydiffusion of responsibility

Being in a big city or very small townBeing in a big city or very small town Vague or ambiguous situationsVague or ambiguous situations When the personal costs for helping When the personal costs for helping

outweigh the benefitsoutweigh the benefits