Social Psychology
Part 1: The Basics
Social Psychology
• DEFINITION: the study of the interaction
between people, groups & social structures
• Interested in the affect (what you feel),
behavior (what you do), and cognition (what
you think) behind action
• Quadrant of Action (body, mind, social,
cultural)
Part 2: Social
Cognition
Social Cognition
• DEFINITION: the ways in which people store,
remember & use information about other
individuals in the social world
• THREE MAJOR AREAS:
• Perception (Attitude, Persuasion, Stereotype,
In-groups v. Out-groups)
• Prejudice
• Attribution
Social Cognition:
Perception
Perception: ATTITUDE
• DEFINITION: an overall evaluation of your
social world; lasting patterns of beliefs &
opinions that predispose one’s reactions to
objects, people & events
• How does attitude affect our lives?
Perception: PERSUASION
• DEFINITION: outside efforts to change one’s
attitude
• Methods of Persuasion:
• Expert recommendation
• Attractive persuader
• Honest persuader
• Mere Exposure Effect
Perception: PERSUASION
Perception: PERSUASION
Perception: PERSUASION
Perception: STEREOTYPE
• DEFINITION: fixed & overly-simplistic
generalizations in regards to the traits,
behaviors and attitudes of a particular group
of people
• Difficult to change; often leads to prejudice
Perception: STEREOTYPE
Perception: INGROUPS v.
OUTGROUPS
• In-group:
• A group that one
belongs to
• Out-group:
• A group that one
doesn’t belong to
Social Cognition:
Prejudice
Prejudice
• DEFINITION: negative attitude in regards to
members of a certain group
• Three components:
• Cognitive
• Emotional
• Behavioral
Prejudice
• Realistic Conflict Theory:
• Competition for scarce resources results in
prejudice
• Social Categorization Theory:
• Social learning occurs from close contact,
imitation of others & role model behavior
Social Cognition:
Attribution
Attribution
• DEFINITION:
inferences generated
to explain the reasons
for events, the behavior
of others, and the
behavior of oneself
Attribution
• Dispositional (Internal) Attribution:
• We attribute behavior to the internal state of
the person who performed it
• Situational (External) Attribution:
• We attribute behavior to factors in the
person’s environment
Attributional Bias
• Fundamental Attribution Bias:
• The tendency to over-value dispositional
explanations for the observed behaviors of
others, while under-valuing situational
explanations
Attributional Bias
• Self-Serving Bias:
• The tendency to attribute personal successes
to dispositional factors, while attributing
personal failures to situational factors beyond
one’s control
Attributional Bias
• Just-World Bias:
• The tendency to
rationalize injustice by
searching for things that
the victim may have done to deserve it
Part 3:
Social Behavior
Ideal Mate: Physical (M)
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Hourglass
Smokin’ hot…
She should have woman parts…
Brown hair, nice eyes, not too short, athletic
Blond or brunette, in shape, shorter than me; must play
one sport, doesn’t matter which…
• She should just be healthy, and not look like an orc…
• It doesn’t matter too much, but not shrek-like or fartsmelly…
Ideal Mate: Physical (F)
• Tall, blue eyes, anyone that looks like Enrique Iglesias…
• Buff, but not steroid looking; no chest and/or back hair
• Brown hair, green eyes, at least 6’0”, muscular but not
“hey I can lift your car” muscular, no body hair
(eyebrows, eyelashes and head hair is acceptable)
• Tall (6’2” to 6’5”), not scrawny, but not a muscle-man,
big arms, brown or blond hair, blue or brown eyes,
normal size nose…
Ideal Mate: Emotional (M)
• Happy, good sense of humor, trustworthy
• Independent & outgoing; just not to the level of Hildog
Clinton
• Easy-going, not a drama-queen, not a flirt
• Very stable; she doesn’t freak out, scream or complain
Ideal Mate: Emotional (F)
• Caring, sensitive, not too serious, empathetic
• Outgoing, understanding, caring, honest, intelligent and
serious, but not too serious
• Caring, faithful, happy, not lazy!
• Funny, nice, not too sensitive, does not cry in front of
me, caring and Christian
• Funny, able to compromise, able to communicate
Cardinal Rules (Guy A)
• The most expensive place you should take a girl is
Chipotle
• Never date from December to February
• No chick flicks
• Don’t try too hard, too early
• Don’t introduce her to your parents
Cardinal Rules (Guy B)
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Appreciate spending down time together
Do not argue
Do NOT meet the parents until you truly know each other
No kids until I’m 30 or so
She must help me out with things sometimes
Cardinal Rules (Guy C)
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Phone calls are better than texts
When you are dating someone, you are dating their family
Always pay for stuff
Surprises are good
Honesty
Cardinal Rules (Guy D)
• Do NOT smell like butt (if you get shampoo/cologne for
Christmas, maybe it’s a sign!
• Do NOT be a narcissist
• Be realistic & if there’s no chemistry, find a new partner
• Don’t set expectations too high; not everyone ends up with
Megan Fox or Scarlett Johannson
Cardinal Rules (Girl A)
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No cheating
Be open to new things
Don’t act too bored/uninterested
Balance significant other with friends
Offer to pay for the first date or split the costs
Cardinal Rules (Girl B)
• Don’t keep checking your phone when you’re with your
significant other
• Always open doors
• Always be open and honest
• Define the relationship early on
• Get creative
Cardinal Rules (Girl C)
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Keep it nonchalant
Be friendly
Stay engaged
If all else fails, move on before things get ugly
Cardinal Rules (Girl D)
• NEVER CHEAT (just end it before you stray away; save
both people the trouble)
• Be kind to each other’s families
• Accept each other’s flaws
• Never reveal too much on the first date!
• Don’t be stupid, duh
Relationships
• Factors that
impact attraction:
• First impressions
• Repeated contact
• Shared similarities
• Physical attraction,
especially facial features
Relationships
• Familiar Faces, the Science of Attraction
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yosfPU3dWgc
Relationships
• Attachment Styles:
• Secure
• Anxious-Preoccupied
• Dismissive-Avoidant
• Fearful-Avoidant
• *Please see handout for further explanation
Love
• Sternberg’s Triangular Model
of Love:
• Love has three dimensions
(passion, intimacy,
commitment)
• 7 types of love
Love
• Liking (Intimacy):
• True friendships;
same sex or
opposite sex
• Companionate (Intimacy + Commitment):
• Long term marriages
Love
• Empty Love (Commitment):
• Arranged marriages
• Fatuous Love (Passion + Commitment):
• Whirlwind relationships that last
• Infatuation (Passion):
• Whirlwind relationships that fizzle out
Love
• Romantic Love
(Passion + Intimacy):
• Good friends with a
physical relationship
• Consummate Love (Intimacy + Passion +
Commitment):
Love
• Reasons for wanting
to feel loved:
• The desire to feel
understood
• Feelings of validation
• Feelings that someone cares for you
Mating Preferences
• Evolutionary
Theory:
• We are ALL
predisposed to raise children
• As a result, men & women look for certain
physical attributes in potential mates
Mating Preferences
• Men look for:
• Attributes that signal fertility & health
• Physical attractiveness
• Women look for:
• Attributes that signal protection &
nourishment
• Earning potential/wealth & power
Mating Preferences
• Societal Implications:
• Increasing number of women in the
workforce; increased economic independence
• Cultural Implications:
• The definition of attractiveness varies from
culture-to-culture
Part 4:
Social Organization
Groups
• DEFINITION: a social entity characterized by
regular interaction, a common frame of
reference and interdependence
• Loyalty & action is driven by group goals,
rather than individual goals
Groups
• Deindividualization:
• Occurs in large groups
• Leads to impulsive acts
• Implications of Modern
Society:
• Internet & social circles
• Impact?
Norms
• DEFINITION: rules that govern members of
a group
• Prescriptive Norms:
• Dictate acceptable behavior
• Proscriptive Norms:
• Dictate unacceptable behavior
Part 5:
Yielding to Others
Conformity
• DEFINITION: a change
in beliefs or actions
that results in
adherence to group norms
• How susceptible are individuals to group
pressure?
Group Cohesion
• Not everyone is affected by
group pressure to conform
• Factors:
• Culture
• Desire for interdependence
• Relationship to the group
Compliance
• DEFINITION: a change in behavior prompted
by a direct request rather than social norms;
obedience
• 6 Primary Factors:
• Friendship, commitment, scarcity,
reciprocity, social validation, authority
Compliance
• Techniques to encourage compliance:
• Foot-in-door technique
• Lowball technique
• Door-in-face technique