Notes CH 3 (Lesson 1-6) PSY 101 Slides Summary PDF

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PSY 101 Slides Summary Notes hope it helps!!! I made them with the slides. :)...

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Chapter 3 – Social Psychology Lesson 1 – Intro to Social Psychology What is psychology? 1. Why do we do what we do? Science has addressed this question through the field of social psychology, which studies group behavior and how we interact in social situations. 2. Consider the ways our ideas, emotions and actions are bound by social norms or influenced by the opinions of others. Kurt Lewin 1. Kurt Lewin was the father of social psychology, and he developed the equation that behavior is a function of a person's character plus their environment. 2. Whereas behavioral psychologists held the stance that behaviors arise as a response to conditioning, social psychologists recognize the ways that perception of various social situations affects behaviors. 3. Lewin, who fled to the United States from Nazi Germany, is well-known for his work with the American Jewish Council in the post-Holocaust 1940s to reduce anti-Semitism. Lewin and other social psychologists studied prejudices and other issues relevant to the World War II era, including the use of persuasion and military propaganda. Who Uses It? 1. How is social psychology used? 2. Social psychology studies group dynamics and obedience to authority (topics which are relevant to organizational management, for example). So, a human resources professional might use social psychology to assess how dynamics of workgroups influence productivity and decision-making tasks. 3. Marketing and sales professionals also use techniques of persuasion identified by social psychologists in their advertising campaigns and sales pitches. 4. Psychological theories of attraction and influence are also of interest to anyone who promotes products or services. Summary Social psychology is concerned with how we think about ourselves in relation to the world we live in. It examines stereotypes and other ways we perceive and understand things, as well as how our attitudes influence our interactions with others. Social psychology combines sociology (the study of social organizations) with psychology (the study of mental processes) to understand how society influences our thoughts, feelings and actions.

Lesson 2 – Stereotypes Stereotypes 1. Stereotyping is something we do daily, even if we don't realize it. By classifying groups of people, we can better understand the world around us, although prejudice may be a result. 2. For each person, we look at gender, age, ethnicity, religion and other social groupings. These categories are called cognitive schemas, which are based on preconceived expectations. Function of Stereotypes 1. Stereotypes allow us to process new information, compare this information in terms of our past experiences and make decisions on appropriate behavior. 2. On a basic level, stereotypes help us to quickly determine whether to initiate a flight, fight or social response to any situation. 3. Evolutionary psychologists have suggested that the ability to stereotype gives humans an advantage for survival. We may stereotype snakes as bad, and although not all are harmful to us, this positive stereotype helps us to avoid potentially dangerous snakebites. Social Identity 1. Our social identity, or membership in particular groups, largely determines our everyday interactions. 2. Interestingly, we perceive our ingroup ('us') as composed of different types of people, whereas the outgroup ('them') is seen as homogenous. Within the ingroup, the viewer focuses on social distinctions, but within the outgroup similarities are enhanced and often used to gloss over the diversity. 3. Negative stereotypes of outgroups can become fixed so that exceptions are overlooked, leading to distorted caricatures of groups. 4. These overgeneralizations can eventually lead to prejudice and discrimination. Prejudices can be used to legitimize social, economic and political discrimination. How Prejudices Are Formed Psychologists have suggested three ways that prejudices are formed: 1) We develop prejudices based on social learning, or the influence of the beliefs of our peers and family. 2) According to motivational theory, the drive for success motivates people to form prejudices about their competitors. Consider how the media portrays stereotypes about the 'enemy' when our country is at war, justifying events and building an 'us' vs. 'them' mentality. 3) Personality theory proposes that prejudices are based on personal experiences that occur during development. For example, Amy might believe that only boys are good at math, because her mom always told her to ask her dad for help with math homework. Summary Simplifying and reducing people and events into basic categories makes it easier to organize new information and think about the world around us. We make quick decisions about people and events based on our personal background and past experiences. These snap judgments allow us to adopt appropriate behavior in different social situations, but they can also lead to a fear of other groups and discrimination.

Lesson 3 – Attraction What makes people Attractive? Cross-culturally, people who have baby faces, like Leonardo deCaprio, with large foreheads, big eyes and small noses are thought to be attractive. The attraction may originate in the idea that a youthful look indicates health or fertility or may relate to an instinctive human desire to nurture babies. Different cultures have varying ideas about other characteristics that make someone attractive. For example, in some cultures thin people are perceived as attractive, whereas in other cultures, weight is an indication of wealth and fertility. Attractiveness is determined by characteristics that mark status in any given culture. Following the old adage, people who are thought to be attractive are healthy, wealthy and wise. Physical attractiveness isn't the only quality that determines our feelings towards others. We're likely to choose friends and romantic partners who share similar traits with us-like age, personality and intelligence and who belong to the same social groups and thus share religious beliefs, economic class and level of education. Triangular model of love What makes people like one other? How do we choose friends or fall in love with partners? American psychologist Robert Sternberg identified three aspects of love. Sternberg's triangular model of love includes: passion, intimacy and commitment. Various combinations of these aspects can lead to different types of love. For example, a couple might have passion and sexual attraction but lack trust and a commitment to face obstacles together. No Component: non-love, the relationship that you have with an acquaintance, is characterized by the complete absence of intimacy, passion, and commitment. The other seven types of love have at least one component. One Component: Liking, is at the top point of the triangle because it involves intimacy only. Love of this type is characterized by a feeling of closeness and trust. Basic friendship is the perfect example of this type of love because even though you like your friends, the relationship lacks passion and long-term commitment. Infatuation is at the left point of the triangle and involves passion only. It's characterized by physical attraction and sexual arousal. This type of love often occurs at the beginning of a relationship. In fact, its usually what people call 'love at first sight.' However, infatuated love lacks emotional closeness and commitment. If neither develops, this relationship is typically short-lived and superficial. Summer flings or whirlwind romances are good examples of this type of love. Empty love is the next type of love. It's at the right point of the triangle and is characterized by a strong commitment to maintaining the relationship. Because empty love lacks emotional closeness and sexual attraction, examples can usually be seen in one of two circumstances: at the beginning of an arranged marriage where intimacy and passion haven't developed, or in an older relationship where both intimacy and passion have deteriorated. Two Component: Romantic love. On the love triangle, it is located on the left side, between the intimacy and passion points. This is because it is characterized by the presence of both sexual passion and emotional intimacy. This is the type of love that a couple feels when their relationship is blossoming; they are drawn physically to each other, but also feel like best friends and enjoy spending time together. As romantic love lacks serious commitment, it is more prevalent in the teenage and young adult years. Companionate love is on the right side of the triangle, between the intimacy and commitment points, and is characterized by the presence of both commitment and emotional intimacy. This love is usually found in older relationships, such as long-term marriages, where the passion has died, but the couple still feels a deep emotional bond and commitment. It is usually long lasting and can be a very satisfying relationship. Fatuous love. It is located on the bottom of the triangle, between the passion and commitment points. As you'd expect, it is characterized by the presence of both commitment and sexual passion. Fatuous love is also called fantasy love because it's almost like the couple wants to be in love, but has no real emotional bond. A whirlwind courtship and the first months of an arranged marriage would be a good example, because the couple makes a commitment based on sexual fervor, without forming a deep emotional bond to stabilize the relationship. The Ideal Type of Love Consummate love, which can be found right in the middle of the triangle. This love is characterized by the presence of all three components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. This is the cream of the crop; the ideal relationship that most of us strive toward. Couples with consummate, or complete, love share a deep desire to be together on every level, even after many years. It is the strongest and most enduring type of relationship, but Sternberg suggests that it is rare and difficult to maintain. More often than not, this type of relationship loses at least one component. Most likely, it loses passion, as sexual ardor tends to fade with time. Lesson Summary 1. In summary, according to Robert Sternberg's triangular theory of love, love is made up of three components. Sternberg identifies eight types of love, which can be described as different combinations of these three elements. They can be visualized on a triangle. 2. Non-love is the only type of love that Sternberg defines that is not on the love triangle. This is because it's the type of relationship you typically have with an acquaintance, and it has none of the three love components. Liking is at the top point of the triangle because it involves intimacy only. A basic friendship is an example of liking. Infatuation is at the left point of the triangle, and it involves passion only. Love at first sight is a good example. Empty love is at the right point of the triangle. It involves commitment only and can be seen in the relationship that exists at the beginning of an arranged marriage. These three types of love liking, infatuation, and empty love - that have only one component are considered to be significantly less stable than the types of love based on two components. These double-component types are located on the sides of the love triangle. Romantic love is located on the left side, between the intimacy and passion points. This is the type of love felt by a couple who are in a relationship that is blossoming. Companionate love is on the right side of the triangle, between the intimacy and commitment points. A successful long-term marriage in which the passion has died is a good example. Fatuous love is located on the bottom of the triangle, between the passion and commitment points. It is also called fantasy love and can be seen in a whirlwind courtship and marriage. The final, eighth type of love identified by Sternberg is consummate love, which can be found right in the middle of the triangle. This is the ideal relationship that most of us strive toward that has all three components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. It is the strongest and most enduring type of relationship, and Sternberg suggests that it is rare and difficult to maintain.

Lesson 4 – Persuasion Persuasion Influences our attitudes 1. How are we persuaded to change our attitudes or behave in a certain way? In this lesson, you'll see four strategies of persuasion that can be used in a variety of social situations. 2. Let's consider how our friends, family members and social groups influence our attitudes. How does society and peer pressure persuade us to behave in certain ways? Strategies of Persuasion 1. Reciprocity norm. 'You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours.' According to the reciprocity norm, we are likely to feel obligated to exchange social gestures in kind. When someone gives us something or does us a favor, social rules dictate that we should return the courtesy. 2.

Lowball technique. Another method of persuasion is the lowball technique. Say you're looking at new cars. You've already agreed to the initial offer, when the dealer asks you if you want to add on features, like GPS or satellite radio, which are available at an added cost. You're more likely to pay the higher price once you've already agreed to the base rate. It's a good idea to read the fine print on that 'special offer.'

3.

Scarcity principle. One more common sales strategy is to create a false sense of scarcity. Have you ever bought something because it was only available for a limited time? The scarcity principle relies on the idea that limited edition items seem more attractive because they're in short supply. You better grab them fast before they run out!

4.

Coercive persuasion. Coercive persuasion is a tactic that uses fear to manipulate people. By placing people in stressful and vulnerable situations where outside information is restricted, cult leaders persuade members to rely on the group for relief.

Lesson 5– Conformity Social Pressure 1. Sometimes we change our attitudes and behaviors so people will like us. This behavior is called normative conformity, or acting within social norms. 2. Other times, we look to the group to provide knowledge about appropriate behaviors and attitudes. This behavior is known as informational conformity, or the tendency to rely on group wisdom to dictate appropriate actions. 3. Group size affects the level to which individuals conform. Conformity increases when the majority of the group members are acting in unison, an effect that can be compared to herd. 4. Conformity is sometimes eliminated when one person diverges from the group. Unanimous beliefs are the most influential, but a minority influence can impact a larger group if persuasive. 5. How does the fact that you're one of the newest members of the team impact your decision? If you were the team captain, would you be more likely to tell your teammates that their actions weren't cool? 6. Conformity is more likely when the message is coming from higher status individuals. On the flip side, people with low self-esteem are more likely to conform than those with high self. Solomon Asch’s Conformity Experiments This study showed that about 25% of the participants never conformed. Surprisingly, the 75% who did conform went with the majority, even when the wrong answer was given and the difference in the length of the lines was as much as seven inches!! Cultural Influences Conformity is stronger in cultures where a collective group identity is stressed (such as in Asia, Africa and Latin America) and less valued in cultures where individualism and diversity is valued (as is the case in North America and Western Europe). Personal commitment to a group increases our level of conformity with that group.

Lesson 6– Altruism

LINK: the bystander effect.

Altruism 1. Volunteer our time to charity or do anything for the greater good without expecting payment or rewards in return 2. Origins of Altruism: We have biological instincts to help others. We gain an evolutionary advantage when we help our own family members survive and continue contributing to the gene pool. 3. social responsibility norm, we expect firefighters, law enforcement officials, parents, teachers and other responsible leaders to help others even if it comes at a cost. Social learning happens when we see our heroes helping others and then proceed to model our behavior on their actions. We may see their good deeds in real life or on TV. Social Influences 1. Social exchange theory states that we work towards balancing the amount of effort that parties are putting into social relationships. According to this theory, we will continue to help other people until we feel that we're not getting the same amount of help in return. 2. Say you've helped your friend move two times in the past two years, and you ask him if he can lend you a hand now that you're moving to a new apartment. 3. The polite thing for your friend to do is reciprocate and return the favor. If he says no, you might not help him again the next time he asks for help. 4. Even if our original intention isn't to benefit ourselves, we're more likely to continue helping if we receive rewards, such as help when we need it ourselves, social status and recognition. Bystander Effect: The phenomenon whereby violent crimes or accidents occur in crowded urban areas and no one comes to the rescue of the victim. The size of the crowd diminishes the feeling of individual responsibility....