Chapter 2 Objectives
After covering this chapter you should:
1. Know the definition of a group (what are the 5 key aspects of a group?)
2. Be able to define cohesiveness and list several factors that increase affect cohesiveness
a. Cost of getting into a group
b. Group size
c. Past history of success
d. External threats or competition
e. Desire for status
3. Be able to explain how the presence of others can affect our performance using:
a. The Drive Theory of Social Facilitation
b. The Distraction-Conflict Theory of Social Facilitation
4. Be able to define social loafing
5. Understand how expectancy, instrumentality, and valence operate to produce social loafing
6. Be familiar with techniques that can be used to reduce social loafing
7. Be familiar with the different strategies people use to manage conflict and the bases of these
strategies.
8. Be familiar with the different schemes groups frequently utilize to make decisions.
9. Be familiar with the concept of group polarization and the reasons why it occurs
10. Be familiar with how groups can make bad decisions
a. Groupthink
b. Failing to pool resources (information sharing)
11. Be familiar with how people judge fairness
a. Distributive justice
b. Procedural justice
12. Know the three methods used to distribute rewards
a. Equity
b. Equality
c. Need
13. Understand how equity theory explains how we perceive fairness
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Chapter 3 Objectives
After covering this chapter you should:
14. Know the 3 major influences on attraction
a. Propinquity
b. Similarity
c. Attractiveness
15. Be familiar with what features people tend to find attractive.
16. Understand what impact physical attractiveness has and theories why it has such an impact.
17. Be aware of the gender differences for the impact of physical attractiveness
18. Understand evolutionary theory as it relates to mate selection.
19. Know what parental investment theory is how and how it relates to mate selection.
20. Know the research supporting evolutionary theories predictions about mate selection (e.g.,
Buss’s research.
21. Know social structure theory, how it contradicts evolutionary theory and the research
supporting it.
22. Be familiar with the gender differences in:
a. short-term mating preference
b. jealousy
23. Know how and why propinquity influences attraction. Be familiar with the research
supporting this effect.
24. Know how and why similarity influences attraction. Be familiar with the research supporting
this effect.
Chapter 13 Objectives
After covering this chapter you should:
1. Be able to define aggression
2. Be familiar with the techniques used to study aggression in the lab
3. Be familiar with the biological and psychological approaches to understanding what causes
aggression
a. Biological theories
i) Instinct theories (Why do social psychologists doubt instinct theory?)
(1) Freud
(2) Lorenz
ii) Neural influences
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iii) Genetic influences
iv) Blood chemistry influences
(1) Testosterone
(2) Serotonin
b. Psychological Theories
i) Drive theories
(1) Frustration-aggression hypothesis
ii) Social learning theories
(1) Instrumental conditioning
(2) Observational learning
c. Modern theory of aggression
i) GAAM theory
(1) Be aware of the various input variables that can result in aggression
(a) Social Determinants
(i) Frustration
(ii) Provocation
(iii)Exposure to media violence
(iv) Heightened arousal (excitation transfer theory)
(b) Personal Determinants
(i) Type A “personality”
(ii) Hostile attribution style
(iii)Narcissism
(iv) Gender
Frustration
Provocation
Exposure to aggressive models
Cues associated with aggression
Causes of discomfort/negative affect
Arousal
High irritability
Beliefs about aggression
Proaggression values
Type A behavior pattern
Hostile attribution bias
Affective
States
Aggressive
Cognitions
Aggression
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(c) Situational Determinants
(i) Alcohol
(ii) Temperature
4. Be familiar with the various means of controlling aggression
a. Catharsis (know why it doesn’t work)
b. Punishment
c. Exposure to nonaggressive role models
d. Cognitive intervention
e. Teaching social skills
f. Inducing incompatible responses
5. Be familiar with the different theories of why people engage in prosocial (helping) behavior
a. Social-exchange theory
b. Empathy-Altruism hypothesis
c. Social norms hypothesis
d. Negative-State relief model
e. Empathetic joy hypothesis
f. Genetic determinism model
6. Be familiar with the five steps to emergency helping
Interpret as
emergency?
s
Ye
s
Ye
No
No
No help
No help
No
s
Ye
Notice the
situation?
s
Ye
Assume
responsibility?
Have
needed
skill
Try
to help
No help
No
No help
7. Be familiar with the various factors that inhibit helping at each step
a. Noticing and Interpreting the situation
i)
Being in a hurry (Seminary student study)
ii)
Ambiguity
iii)
Pluralistic ignorance (Smoke filled room)
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iv)
Fear of looking foolish (embarrassment)
b. Assuming responsibility
i)
Diffusion of responsibility (Seizure study)
ii)
High cost to intervene (Subway study with bodybuilder)
8. Define the bystander effect and be able to explain how the presence of others affects the
following factors that inhibit prosocial behavior.
a. Ambiguity
b. Pluralistic ignorance
c. Fear of looking foolish
d. Diffusion of responsibility
9. Be familiar with the factors that increase the likelihood of helping.
a. Victim characteristics
i)
Attractive
ii)
Similarity to potential helper
iii)
Not perceived as responsible for your plight
b. Situational characteristics
i)
Few other bystanders are present
ii)
We are in a small town or rural area
c. Helper characteristics
i)
Not in a hurry
ii)
Feeling guilty about something
iii)
In a good mood
(1) Understand the effects of mood on helping
(a) When does a good mood increase likelihood of helping
(b) When does a good mood decrease likelihood of helping
(c) When does a bad mood increase likelihood of helping
(d) When does a bad mood decrease likelihood of helping
iv)
Is an altruistic person
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10. Be familiar with gender differences in helping behavior
a. When are men more likely than women to help?
b. When are women more likely than men to help?
11. Understand the effect of victim-helper similarity on reactions to receiving help
a. What happens when the victim is very similar to the helper? Why?
b. What happens when there is low victim-helper similarity? Why?
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