Levels of Analysis (LoA) BIOLOGICAL COGNITIVE SOCIOCULTURAL Biological LoA Focuses on physiology and genetics Gender differences via genetic makeup XY and XX chromosomes Gender differences from the impact of hormones testosterone and estrogen Cognitive LoA Focuses on mental processes Memory Thinking Perception Attention Gender differences via gender schema theory Social cognition Gender stereotypes Sociocultural LoA Focuses on how environment and culture impact behavior and thinking Impact of cultural definitions and roles for our mental representations of each gender Gender differences explained through social learning theory Watching individuals of the same sex for behavior cues Biological Level of Analysis PHYSIOLOGY AND GENETICS Biological LoA: Physiology & Behavior Biology can affect cognition and cognition can affect biology…relationship is bidirectional Physiological factors that impact behavior: Brain processes Neurotransmitters Hormones Genes Physiology does not work alone since environmental stimuli influence our behavior Stressful experiences Attractive person passing by Brain damage caused by trauma Goal of IB Psychology Taking a holistic approach to human behavior Interactionist Approach: Both sides of nature (biology) vs. nurture (environment) argument. Principles of Human Behavior (Biological LoA) Behavior can be innate since it is genetically based Evolution…key role in behavior 2. Animal research can provide insight to human behavior Much research done with animals 3. Biology correlates with behavior Links between specific biological factors and specific behaviors 1. Reductionist Approach Micro-level research; breaking down complex human behavior into simple parts. Criticized for being over simplistic but allows us to gain detailed knowledge of human behavior Important because it allows understanding of several factors that influence one behavior Impact of Neurotransmitters on Behavior Influences mood, memory, sexual arousal, and mental illness Acetylcholine Muscle contraction, helps with development of memory in hippocampus Dopamine Voluntary movement, learning, feelings of pleasure Norepinephrine (noradrenalin) Arousal, alertness, stimulation of sympathetic nervous system Serotonin Sleep, arousal levels, emotion Affect of Serotonin on Behavior Tokyo University (Kasamatsu and Hirai, 1999) Aim: How sensory deprivation affects the brain Buddhist monks deprived of food, water, no communication, and exposure to cold weather 48 hours, hallucinations Blood samples before and right after hallucinations (serotonin levels increased which activated the frontal cortex and hypothalamus) Conclusion: Sensory deprivation released serotonin which altered monks experience. Drugs Stimulate the production of neurotransmitters Block receptor sites if too much is produced Technology and the Brain & Behavior Technology gives researchers the ability to monitor and discover the “map” of the brain’s activity Previously, case studies were used; usually situations that would be unethical to reproduce in the lab. Case studies of brain damaged patients carried out over a long period of time (longitudinally) Phineas Gage, Paul Broca, Carl Wernicke Allows for observation of short-term and longterm effects Localization of Brain Function The idea that specific parts of the brain are responsible for specific functions When a behavior is localized in the brain, it is possible to trace the origin of the behavior to a specific part of the brain. Does not explain ALL human behavior but is a major step forward in brain research Research on the role of the nucleus accumbens (pleasure center) Robert Heath (1950s) James Old (1950s) Electrically stimulated parts Rats would receive electrical o f the brain in depressed patients=experienced pleasure One patient (B-19) electrically stimulated himself 1,500 times in 3 hours Experienced euphoria and elation and was eventually disconnected against his will stimulation to the nucleus accumbens when a lever was pressed Crossed over electrified grids and preferred pleasure lever over food and water Brain Functions and Ethical Considerations Electrical stimulation of the nucleus accumbens is based mainly on dopamine (desire) and serotonin (satiety and inhibition) Via animal studies, all drugs increase the production of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and reduce serotonin. Cocaine and nicotine Frequent use of drugs increase the amount of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens. Why drug addicts have an obsessive drive to seek more drugs even though they know its not good for them Spiders on Drugs http://www.trinity.edu/jdunn/spiderdrugs.htm Technology vs. Invasive Techniques Technology Study the active brain EEG, PET, fMRI More ethical May be misleading Invasive Techniques Ablation (removing) & leisoning (scarring) techniques on animals Harm cannot be reversed Ethical? Pain? Jig-Saw Activity Slides… Biological LoA: Genetics & Behavior Behavioral genetics: Understanding how both genetics and the environment play a role to individual variations in human behavior. Rhesus macaque monkeys & humans 93% genes are shared, the 7% makes a large difference Complexity of genetics: Inheritance contributes to behavior and acts as a building block however, it is not probable that one specific gene is responsible for complex behaviors: Intelligence, criminal behavior, attachment, altruism Biological / genetic predisposition + Stress (environment) = DISORDER The diathesis-stress model The model looks at the genetic/biologic vulnerability to a disorder/disease and the stress or traumatic environmental stimuli that may trigger a disorder (such as depression) The diathesis-stress model uses the analogy of a "walking time bomb" to help explain why, for example, not 100% of identical twins both get depression. It also helps to explain why a large percent of people in traumatic situations (post 9/11, rape, etc.) never develop PTSD. The model further talks about a balance -- the greater the diathesis or predisposition, the less the stress required for the disorder to "appear" and visa versa. Last years notes on genetics and evolution… I hope you didn’t lose them! If you did, in your hours of free time, check these out on the wiki Inheritance Genes that are passed down from parents to their off-spring Humans are composed of 24 pairs of chromosomes 20,000-25,000 genes James Watson: Human Genome Project 1990-2003 Mapped human genes Regardless of this amazing accomplishment, the role of specific genes are still unknown Genetic Research Based off of correlation studies Independent variable is not manipulated, so no cause and effect can be determined. Three types: Twin Studies Family Studies Adoption Studies Twin Studies Dizygotic (DZ) Monozygotic (MZ) Identical: one egg split in two Share 100% of genes Same sex Fraternal: Formed from two separate eggs Share 50% of genes just like any other siblings Same or different sex Used as basis for hypotheses since they show the different degrees of genetic relationship. In twin studies the correlation found is known as concordance. Family Studies More representative of the general population Different degree of relatedness is compared with behavior to determine the impact of genes. Child Mother (50%) Father (50%) Grandparent (25%) Grandparent (25%) Adoption Studies Used to determine how great of an impact environment plays in behavior since the child does not share any genes with foster parents. Often criticized because of selective placement Agencies tend to find adoptive parents that are similar to their biological parents which cause a difficulty in determining separating genetic inheritance from environment influences. This process is known as selective placement. Evolution Another principle of the biological LoA is that the environment presents obstacles & challenges for each individual. In essence, those that adapt have a better chance of survival & having offspring which allows their genes to be passed down. Theory of Natural Selection Members of a species acquire adaptive behaviors to survive the ever-changing environment (those better suited for environment will breed and pass on characteristics) http://youtu.be/Pt2gHpqfZNA Adaption: Species develop characteristics that make it more competitive in its environment Charles Darwin (Galapagos Island, finches, beaks) On the Origin of Species (He didn’t yet know of the biological process through which traits are inherited) Descent of Man The Descent of Man findings We humans share several behaviors with other animals Mate selection Love of mother for offspring Self-preservation Similar facial expressions as apes Similar feelings as animals Monkeys vs. Humans Tetsuro Matsuzawa (2007) Looked at spatial memory in young chimps Used 3 chimps that were taught to recognize the numbers 1-9 on a computer Humans and chimps saw number flashed on a touch screen monitor and then the numbers were covered with blank squares and then were asked to touch the squares in sequential order. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf3_JrTEGW0 Findings Humans had more errors and less accuracy as numbers were flashed and replaced by squares quicker As agriculture developed, spatial memory skills aren’t as important for finding food Perhaps this skill was replaced by the ability to develop language Chimps had astonishing memory; no difference in their recall in relation to the amount of time that the numbers were replaced with squares. Adaption for survival skills such as remembering where food and danger is located in the rain forest Ethical Considerations Because research in human genetics looks to identify certain genes involved in hereditary diseases there can be some negative outcomes: May pose risks to participates due to the link between genetic heritage and people’s life Information obtained may cause stress to participants family If misused, information can be stigmatizing which could lead the inability to get a job or health insurance. Once again, notes last year over confidentiality should be revisited Aboriginal people may object to genetic studies Eugenics and other forms of discrimination is the cause. Consent and speaking to community leaders are a must for many aboriginal and ethnic groups. Intelligence During the beginning of the 20th century, governments and schools became very interested in one’s intellectual potential and the role genetics play in IQ Alfred Binet developed an intelligence test to help understand this concept better within the French educational system Research has shown that poverty plays a major role in the development of a child’s intelligence The Bell Curve Book published in 1994 by Harvard professor Richard J. Herrnstein The debate about the role of genes and environment have to do with ethnic difference in intelligence is not yet resolved Media discussed the idea that there may be intergroup differences in intelligence, thus conferring the idea that the root of intelligence in debatable The “g” factor Argued by Charles Spearman, there is a general intelligence factor that is the basis of all intelligence Rather than looking a specific educational subjects (history, math, etc.) Spearman’s intelligence test measures the following: Spatial ability Reasoning Divergent Thinking Verbal Fluency Meta-analysis in Relation to IQ Tests Bouchard & McGue (1981) used 111 studies of IQ correlations between siblings from research around the world Found that the closer the kinship the higher correlation of IQ Meta-analysis: statistical synthesis of the data from a set of comparable studies of a problem that yields a quantitative summary of the pooled results Minnesota Twin Study (Bouchard et al.) Longitudinal study, been going on since 1979 Most cross-cultural study to date (participants from across the world) Compares MZAs (identical twins raised apart) to MZTs (identical twins raised together) Mean age of MZAs was 41 (start of study), until this study most research was done with adolescents Twins completed 50 hours of testing and interviews Findings Same person tested twice Identical twins reared together Identical twins reared apart Fraternal twins reared together Biological siblings reared together 87% 86% 76% 55% 47% Conclusions 70% of intelligence can be attributed to genetics inheritance, the other 30% is due to other factors Much research has supported the MTS The size and nature of the sample has made it one of the most impressive study ever conducted Criticisms of the MTS Relied on media cover for participants Ethical concerns about how twins were reunited No adequate control to establish the frequency of contact between the twins prior to the study “Equal environment assumption” Cannot assume twins raised together experience the exact same environment (different friends, teachers, exposure to stimuli, etc.) Adoption Studies for Intelligence Scarr & Weinberg (1977) and Horn et al. (1979) Researched parents that raised adopted and natural children Any significant differences in IQ between the adoptive and biological children would be attributed to genes No significant difference in IQ correlations were found Parents were wealthy, white, middle class and high IQs & adopted children were poor, lower-class backgrounds, and lower IQs Environmental Role on IQ Wahlstein (1997) found that intelligence has a lot to do with environment and genetics Found that transferring an infant from a low SES to a home where parents had a high SES improved childhood IQ scores 12-16 points (about one standard deviation) Enriched environment may raise IQ in children Strong interaction between genes and the environment to produce intelligence level Less Effort Hypothesis Hainer et al. (1988) used PET scans to see how much energy was used in solving problems vs. data recall Helped decipher what intelligence is (based on knowledge or ability to solve problems) Those with higher IQs had lower metabolic rates when solving a reasoning problem in comparison to those with a low IQ No difference in data recall Those with a higher IQ use less energy to think than those with lower IQs IQs Change over Time Plomin & Petrill (1997) found that correlations between parent and child IQs change over time Ages 4-6, 40% correlation Early adulthood, 60% correlation Older adults, 80% correlation Our genetic disposition pushes us towards environments that accentuate that disposition, thus leading to increased heritability throughout life SES seems to the most important environmental factors in IQ development Flynn Effect James R. Flynn noticed a rise in average scores on intelligence tests in most parts of the world over the last century Ulric Neisser (1997) The America Scientist, average mean scores are going up about 3 points every decade (increase is even higher in abstract reasoning) Better nutrition Improved schooling Different child-rearing practices Increase in technology in modern life Living a higher visual environment plays an important role in IQ scores Does this prove a real increase in IQ or just better understanding of intelligence and tests? Cognitive Level of Analysis MENTAL PROCESSES Cognitive Psychology Cognition (cognoscere) “to know” Ulric Neisser (1967) “all the processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used.” Includes the structure and function of the mind How the human mind comes to know things about the world and how this knowledge is used Cognitive neuroscience: Combines the knowledge about the brain and knowledge about cognitive processes. Cognitive Processes Cognitive Processes: Perception Thinking Problem-Solving Memory Language Attention Cognition is based on an individual’s mental representations of the world Words Images Concepts Different experiences influence our mental representations Principles of Cognitive Psychology 1.) Mental processes guide behavior Bottom-up Top-down Output (behavior) 2.) The mind can be studied scientifically Developing theories and using scientific research methods 3.) Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors Schemas Mental processes guide behavior (Principle 1) The mind is a complex “machine” using hardware (brain) and software (mental images or representations) Information input via bottom-up processing (from the senses) Information is processed in the mind via topdown processing (pre-stored information/memory) Output (behavior) Cognitive Theories and Models in the Real World Subtle relationships between how people think about themselves and how they behave A person’s mindset is important to predicting his/her behavior People have fixed ideas about other people (stereotyping) which can lead to discrimination Are memories infallible? The reconstructive nature of memory We do not store exact copies of experiences; we outline events which are filled out with information when it is recalled The brain can fabricate illusions which seem so realistic we believe they are true False Memory: We cannot distinguish between what we have experienced and what we have heard about an event Perception Interpretation and organization of information from the senses to produce some meaningful experience of the world Perception of an ambiguous object or event is influenced by: Context Frequency How recent What we think we objectively experience may in fact be a result of the brain’s interpretation of that object or event The Mind Can Be Studied Scientifically (Principle 2) New findings can adjust original theories/models or they can also be rejected if empirical evidence no longer supports it Psychologists study cognition in laboratory settings as well as daily context Previously, the experimental was assumed to be the most scientific method In the 1960s, Ulric Neisser suggested that cognition cannot be isolated from our everyday experiences Experimental tasks did not always resemble what people did in their daily lives Studying the Mind Traditionally, controlled experiments were favored Controlled variables Experimental research might suffer from artificiality Data is used to support/refute cognitive models Today more methods are used: Case studies Incredible memory patients Brain damaged patients (Localization functions) Imaging technology Which areas of the brain are active when making decisions, how cognitive processes can be disruptive by brain damage (amnesia or Alzheimer patients) Cognitive Processes are Influenced by Social & Cultural Factors (Principle 3) Frederic Bartlett coined the term schema (mental representation of knowledge) Interested in cultural schemas and how they impact remembering Discovered that people have difficulties remembering a story from another culture and they adjusted the story to fit in with their own cultural schemas Memory in not a tape recorder and we remember in terms of meaning and what makes sense to us, thus memory is subject to distortions Mental Representations & Memory How we store images and ideas in memory We use mental representations to think, make plans, imagine, & daydream Self-representation: How you perceive who you are and how you look Mental representations are organized in categories which are stored in your memory Manipulating mental representations allows us to think about situations & predict possible outcomes Make plans, calculate risks, create Schemas and Schema Theory Schemas describe how specific knowledge is organized and stored in memory so it can be accessed and used when needed Schema theory: Cognitive theory about information processing Suggests that what we already know will influence the outcome of information processing because we humans are active processors of information We interpret and integrate information to make sense of experiences even if we are unaware of it When information is missing we fill in the blanks based on existing schemas or inventing information leading to mistakes (distortions) Cognitive Schemas Networks of knowledge, beliefs, and expectations about particular aspects of the world Pre-stored mental representations Allows us to have expectations of what will happen Imagination allows us to picture characters in book book > movie What we already know affects the way we interpret events and store knowledge in our memory Points to Remember About Cognitive Schemas Organize information about the world with fixed and variable slots; if slot is unspecified it is filled in by a “default value” (best guess) Can be related to form systems Active recognition devices (pattern recognition) Help predict future events based on the past Represent general knowledge rather than definitions Schema Theory & Memory Processes Schema processing can affect memory at all stages Encoding: Transforming sensory information into meaningful memory Storage: Creating a biological trace of the encoded information in memory, which can be consolidated or lost Retrieval: Using stored information ENCODING Put into Memory STORAGE Maintain in Memory RETRIEVAL Recover from Memory Evaluation of Schema Theory (Support) Research supports the idea that schemas affect cognitive processes such as memory Useful in understanding how people categorize information, interpret stories, & make inferences Contributed to understanding of memory distortions as well as social cognition Social psychologists use social schemas to help explain stereotyping and prejudice Evaluation of Schema Theory (Limitations) It is not entirely clear how schemas are acquired and how they actually influence cognitive processes Cohen (1993) said that the concept of schemas is too vague to be useful yet researchers use it to explain cognitive processing Daniel Gilbert argues that the brain is a “wonderful magician but a lousy scientist” by looking for meaningful patterns but does not check for accuracy Multi-Store Model Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968) created the most influential information processing model thus far Based off of two assumptions: 1.) Memory consists of a number of separate stores/types The memory stores are seen as components that operate in conjunction with permanent memory through processes 2.) Memory processes are sequential; one must happen before another Memory Storage Processes Attention: Pay attention to sensory input in order to remember it Coding: Give material a form that enables you to remember it Rehearsal: Keeping material active in memory via repetition until it can be stored Steps of the Multi-store Model 1. Sensory memory: information from the world Stays here only for seconds and only a small portion will transfer to STM Modality specific: related to different senses (hearing & vision) 2. Short-term memory (STM) store: 7 item limit for a duration of 6-12 seconds Quickly lost if not given attention 3. Rehearsal is necessary for long-term memory Long-term Memory (LTM) Storehouse of information Since we do not know how much info can be stored, LTM is believed to have unlimited capacity and for an indefinite duration Material is not exact (outline) and memory can be distorted due to schemas “filling in gaps” Working Memory Model Baddeley & Hitch (1974) based their model off of the multi-store model Challenged the idea that STM is a single store STM includes several components Central executive Episodic buffer Phonological loop Visuospatial sketchpad Central Executive Controlling system which monitors and coordinates the operations of the other components (slave systems) Most important part of the working memory model Limited capacity and is modality free (can process any sensory information) Attentional control is the most important job of the central executive Attentional Control Happens in two ways: 1.) Automatic level: Based on habit and controlled automatically by stimuli in the environment Includes routine procedures 2.) Supervisory level: Deals with emergencies or creates new strategies when old ones are no longer sufficient Reactions Episodic Buffer Consciously trying to remember details Acts as a temporary and passive display store until the information is needed (similar to a TV screen) Processing of the information takes place in other parts of the system Here’s your picture Phonological Loop Divided into 2 components 1.) Articulatory control system: Inner voice which holds information in verbal form Remembering a telephone number and repeating it Holds words until you are ready to speak 2.) Phonological store: Inner ear which holds speech-based material in phonological form Memory only lasts 1.5-2 seconds if it is not refreshed by the articulatory system Receives info. directly from sensory memory in the form of auditory material and from LTM in the form of verbal information and the articulatory control system Visuospatial Sketchpad Inner eye Deals with visual and spatial information from the sensory memory or LTM Evidence of Working Memory Most contemporary research accepts the idea of working memory Experiments using dual-task techniques/interference tasks support the model Participants were asked to carry out a cognitive task that used most of the capacity of their working memory Telling a story to a person while also trying to learn a list of numbers If the two tasks interfere with each other so that one or both are impaired, it is assumed that both tasks use the same component in the STM Working Memory Model vs. Multi-store Model Working Memory Model More satisfactory explanation of storage and processing than the STM component of the multistore model Include active storage and processing which helps understand all sorts of cognitive tasks (reading comprehension and mental math) Explains the idea of multitasking (performing different cognitive tasks at the same time without disruption) Multi-store Model Assumes that mental processes are passive Working Memory in Children Pickering & Gathercole (2001) used the Working Memory Test Battery for Children Found that there is an improvement in performance in working memory capacity from the age of 5 until about 15 Working memory during childhood varies widely across individuals of the same age Provides evidence that problems with working memory is associated with problems in academic performance Problems with the phonological loop have been linked to math and reading abilities Visual and Spatial Memory Linked to Math Skills Holmes et al. (2008) studied the association between visuospatial sketchpad capacity and math attainment in relation to age Samples: Ages 7-8 and 9-10 Studied age differences in relationship between visual and spatial memory and the range of math skills Findings: Math performance could be predicted based off of the performance on the visual patterns test SOCIOCULTURAL Level of Analysis Principles of Sociocultural LoA Since humans are social animals, we have the basic need to “belong” 2. Culture influences behavior 3. Since humans are social animals, we have a social self Not only do we have an individual identity, but also a collective/social identity 4. People’s views of the world are resistant to change (ideological immunity) 1. Research: Sociocultural LoA Goal: To see how people interact with each other Usually it doesn’t make much sense to use experiments Majority is in qualitative methods Want to study the behavior of “participants” in realistic ways Naturalistic, “as it really is”; in environments in which the behavior is likely to occur Participant observation Interviews Focus groups Thoughts Worth Mentioning About Research In the past, laboratory experiments were used because they were considered the most scientific way of collecting data Although modern techniques are more “real” they are descriptive data therefore they cannot explain cause-and-effect (causation) relationships Participant observation is most common to “see the world through the eyes of the people being studied.” Participant Observation Overt Covert Researcher does not inform participants that they are being observed Deceit is used to gain “trust” of members of the group Intentions are not disclosed and behaviors are recorded without obtaining informed consent Can’t take notes which causes researcher to rely on memory leading to distortion of data Interviews can’t be used for fear of being discovered Example: Leon Festinger et al’s When Prophecy Fails (1956) Participants know they are being observed Gain trust of the group being observed Can use interviews to gather more information Example: O’Reilly (2000) Attribution Theory Fritz Heider The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations (1958) Attribution: How people interpret and explain casual relationships in the social world We have a desire to understand why things happen By observing behaviors we try to make inferences about intentions and responsibility Actor-observer effect: Making attributions about behavior depending on whether they are performing it themselves or observing someone else doing it Answering that “WHY” Question Situational Discussing own behavior Blaming the situation Analyzing the person’s action with regards to the situation he/she is in Ex: Late work/missing assignments= genuine issue such as a family/personal issue Dispositional Observing someone else’s behavior Blaming the person A person’s behavior is influenced by internal characteristics Ex: Late work/missing assignments= Lazy & irresponsible and never finishes work on time Errors in Attributions Fundamental Attribution Error Overestimating the role of dispositional factors and underestimating the role of situational factors in an individual’s behavior Self-serving Bias (SSB) When people take credit for their success, attributing them to dispositional factors and dissociate themselves from their failures, attributing them to situational factors A Deeper look into Fundamental Attribution Error Reasons why this error is common: Reason People #1: tend to view themselves as adaptable, flexible, and ever-changing We don’t like to view ourselves as that “type” of person but when we look at others we don’t have enough information about them to make a rash decision about them so we attribute their behavior to disposition (that’s just who they are) Looking at our own behavior we believe we would have acted differently under different circumstances Western Culture Influence Reason Placing #2: blame is part of Western culture So is people being held accountable for their action Evil actions are more acceptable when blamed on evil than to refer to environmental factors as explanations The judicial system is looking for a satisfactory motive in order to convict someone of murder Basics of Lee et al. (1977) Aim: Will student participants make the fundamental attribution error even when they knew actors were playing a role Roles: Host, contestant, audience Findings: Role was not attributed to the person’s situation and attributed the person’s performance to dispositional factors (intelligence) Concerns: Sample (student participants) 1. 2. Professors seen as authorities Not representative of greater population Conclusion: People with social power usually initiate and control conversations; makes them seem knowledgeable and ideas are not challenged Reasons why we use the self-serving bias: #1: Serves as protection (Greenberg et al., 1982): Attribute success to dispositional factors boosts our selfesteem Attribute failures to situational factors protect our self-esteem #2: Cognitive factors play a role (Miller & Ross, 1975): Expect to succeed and do skills and ability Expect to succeed and fail bad luck/external factors Expect to fail and do well external factors/good luck Expect to fail and we do dispositional factors Exception to the above rules: Severely depressed individuals make more dispositional attributions thus blaming themselves for feeling miserable Cultural Differences in SSB Modesty Bias: Explaining failures in terms of lacking ability Kashima and Triandis (1986): Show slides of scenes from unfamiliar countries Americans attributed success to ability Japanese attributed failures to their lack of ability Chandler et al. (1990) Also observed modesty bias in Japanese students Watkins & Regmi (1990) Same held true for Nepalese students Bond, Leung, & Wan (1982) Chinese students that showed modesty bias rather than SSB were more popular with peers Kashima & Triandis argue this is due to collective societies which derive self-esteem from group identity as opposed to individual accomplishments Social Identity Theory Social Identity Theory (Henri Tajfel): Assumes that individuals strive to improve their self-image by trying to enhance their self-esteem, based on either personal identity or various social identities Promotes self-esteem through achievement & affiliation with successful groups Indicates the importance of social belonging Based off of social categorization: Putting people into groups In-group (us) Out-group (them) Causes prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, ethnocentrism, in-group favoritism, and conformity to in-group norms Studies for Social Identity Theory Cianldini et al. (1976) Football supporters supporting teams after victories Tajfel (1978) “establishment of positive distinctiveness” Tajfel et al. (1971) Kandusky vs. Klee Limitations of the Social Identity Theory #1: Describes but does not predict human behavior #2 : Using it in isolation is reductionist which doesn’t allow for consideration of how the environment interacts with the “self” Cultural expectations, rewards as motivators, and societal constraints (poverty) may play more of role in behavior that one’s own sense of in-group identity Social Representations Social representations (Moscovici, 1973): The share beliefs and explanations held by society in which we live or the group in which we belong They are the foundation of social cognition which help us make sense of the world and master is; they also allow communication to take place among members of a community by providing social codes for social exchange and naming a classifying unambiguously the various aspects of their world and their individual and group history Social Representations=Cultural Schemas A group may have its own representation of success, beauty, or intelligence Adler (1990) Meaning of “share” Russian mother’s explanation of sharing children playing together with a toy at the same time American mother’s explanation of sharing children taking turns to play with the same toy Howarth (2002) Social representations of Brixton and their impact they have on the identity of adolescents females Those not living in Brixton had negative representation of Brixton Those who lived there saw Brixton as “a diverse, creative, and vibrant” community These ideas impacted the girls in their friend choice, sports teams, relations with police, and their employment opportunities Illustrates the impact of social representations as the basis of stereotypes (negative and positive) and how they contribute to social identity Stereotyping Stereotype: A social perception of an individual in terms of group membership or physical attributes Generalization of a group and then attributed to everyone in that group A form of social categorization that affects the behavior of those that hold the stereotype, and those labeled by the stereotype A result of schema processing Can be negative of positive Stereotype Threat Occurs when one is in a situation where there is a threat of being judged or threatened stereotypically, or a fear of doing something that would inadvertently confirm that stereotype Steele & Aronson (1995) Method & Aim: Experiment to see the effect of stereotype threat on performance Sample: African American and European American students Procedure: 30 minute verbal test w/ difficult multiple-choice questions. Two groups were used, each with both types of pariticipants “Genuine test of their verbal abilities” (AA scored lower than EA) “A laboratory task that was used to study how certain problems are generally solved “(AA were higher than AA in first group and their scores matched the EA) Additional studies: Women (math) and lower social class Conclusions: Stereotype threat can impact members of any social of cultural group Helps explain why some racial & social groups believe that they are more/less intelligent than others; harms performance of these groups Spotlight Anxiety According to Steele (1997), stereotype threat leads to spotlight anxiety (emotional distress and pressure that undermines performance) Leads to underperformance which naturally limits educational prospects Spencer et al. (1997): Gave students that are strong in math a difficult math test Predicted women would do worse and they did (due to stereotype that women are not as skilled in math) When same concept was demonstrated with literature skills both groups performed equally well Formation of Stereotypes Social categorization Campbell (1967) argues there are 2 key sources: 1.) Personal experiences 2.) Gatekeepers (media, parents, other members of our culture Argues that stereotypes have a basis in some reality Grain of truth hypothesis: an experience with an individual from a group will then be generalized to the group Criticized due to errors in attribution Illusory Correlation Hamilton & Gifford (1976): People forming false associations between memberships of a social group and specific behaviors women’s abilities in math Cause people to overestimate a link between two variables Come in many forms and culturally-based prejudice about social groups can to some extent be classified as illusory correlations An example of cognitive bias: a person’s tendency to make errors in judgment based on cognitive factors Attribution errors are a examples of cognitive bias Confirmation Bias People tend to seek out or remember information that supports relationships (caused by illusory correlation) Overlook information that contradicts what they already believe Makes stereotypical thinking resistant to change Snyder & Swann (1978): Sample: Female college students Procedure: Meet introvert or extrovert. Asked to prepare questions to ask the person they were about to meet Conclusion: Questions confirmed their perceptions/stereotypes of introverts/extroverts Introverts: “What do you dislike about parties?” or “Are there times you wish you were more outgoing?” Extroverts: “What do you do to liven up a party?” In-group’s Influence on Stereotypes Social Desirability Effect Social and Cultural Norms Norm: Set of rules based on socially or culturally shared beliefs of how an individual ought to behave Regulate behavior within the group Deviants are punished, marginalized, stigmatized Can be seen as a positive if creative and affective change takes place in society Leads to conformity since we are social animals that need to belong Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura) Assumes that humans learn behaviors through observational learning (learning by watching models and imitating their behavior) Indirect (not intentionally trying to impact behavior) or direct models (teachers) Factors of Learning Attention Paying attention to model Retention Observer remembers behavior that was observed Motor reproduction Observer is able to replicate the behavior Motivation Observer wants to demonstrate behavior/what they learned Factors of Motivation Consistency: Imitation is more likely if model has consistent behaviors Identification with the model: If models are similar to observer (age or gender) than replication of behaviors are more likely Rewards/punishment Vicarious reinforcement (we can learn from observing and we don’t have to experience consequences ourselves) takes place by watching people around us---in reality and movies; observational learning Liking the model: Warm and friendly models are more likely to be imitated as opposed to cold, uncaring models Yarrow et al. (1970) Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment (1961) Explanation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCo33v3Fwc4 Video footage with Bandura’s explanation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YclZBhn40hU BBC video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zerCK0lRjp8 Social Learning Theory in Real Life Does watching violence on television cause people to become violent? Studies are consistent in proving that watching aggression shows children how to be aggressive in new ways and also draw conclusions about whether being aggressive to others will bring rewards or punishment Huesmann & Eron (1986): 15 year longitudinal study found a positive correlation between the number of hours of violence watched on TV and the level of aggression demonstrated when being a teenager 8 year olds that watched TV violence were more likely to be arrested and prosecuted for criminal acts as adults Not all Television is Bad! Evidence supports shows like Sesame Street teaches positive behaviors and academic & social skills such as sharing, empathy, and academic curiosity Soap operas/radio dramas use the Sabido method/social learning theory in order to effect change in society We can learn from role models, especially people we can identify with Unwanted teen pregnancies, reduce the spread of HIV, promote literacy, and empower women in developing countries Researchers found exposure to Tanzania’s Twende na Wakati (Let’s Go with the Times) showed an increase in safe sex, women’s status, and family planning (1993-1996) Evaluation of Social Learning Theory Helps explain: Why behaviors are passed down in a family or within cultures Why children can acquire behaviors through trial-and-error learning Criticism: Though a behavior is acquired it is not always demonstrated (behaviors may lie dormant) Because of this, it is hard to say if the behavior is a 100% result of observing the model The theory doesn’t explain why some people never develop the behavior even though they are exposed to it Social Learning TheorySocial Cognitive Theory & Self-Efficacy Theory Both are based on social learning theory but the focus is on beliefs and how they influence behavior An important elaboration of social learning theory to explain why people are motivated not by the role models, but also by their own beliefs and previous experiences Social Influence: Compliance Robert Cialdini (leading researcher in the psychology of persuasion) The result of pressure from person persuading is not always felt directly Compliance techniques: ways in which individuals are influence to comply with the demands or desires of others Advertising and marketing Sales tactics are always examined on the basis of what would most likely persuade consumers to buy specific products Factors that Influence Compliance 1.) Authority: Compliance with people of authority; famous people wearing basketball shoes 2.) Commitment: Agreement through behavior or by statements, they are more likely to comply with similar requests 3.) Liking: People comply with people they like 4.) Reciprocity: The need to “return a favor” 5.) Scarcity: Opportunities are more favorable when they are less readily available; “last chance” & “limited time” sales 6.) Social proof: View behaviors as correct if they see others performing it Reciprocity One of the most widespread and basic norms in human culture Creates confidence among people in what is given to another is not lost but a sign of a future obligation that enables development of various types of relationships and exchanges We learn this in childhood Feelings of guilt plays a key role Companies offer free gifts, free travel, free hotel rooms, etc. Lynn & McCall (1998): Mint with bill, tip increases Door-in-the-face Technique 1st request (turned down) leads to smaller 2nd request 2nd request is accepted because they believe the request was lowered to accommodate them Cialdini et al. (1975): 1st group: Chaperone juvenile delinquents on a day trip to the zoo: 83% refused to volunteer 2nd group: 1st request: work as counselors for 2 hours a week for 2 years: 0% 2nd request: Chaperone juvenile delinquents on a day trip to the zoo: 50% agreed How to Avoid Manipulation in Daily Life Scenario: Salesperson lowers the price of a product because the costumer thinks it is too expensive: Make a compromise Don’t totally reject what is being offered by others but accept initial favors in good faith and in some cases be prepared to view them as tricks If it is a trick, don’t feel the need to respond with a favor unless you really want to Commitment Being consistent with previous behavior People make a decision to take a stand, encountering personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with the commitment (even appears illogical to an outsider) Kurt Lewin (1951): Claims this behavior is motivated by goal gradients Foot-in-the-door Technique Dickerson et al. (1992) University students conserving water; Santa Cruz, CA 1.) Sign a poster: “Take shorter showers. If I can do it, so can you!” 2.) Took survey that made them think about the amount of water they used Shower time decreased by 3.5 minutes Consideration: They signed the poster because they were already committed to the cause Low-balling Ciadelni et al. (1974) Sample: 1st year psychology students 1st group: Volunteer to be part of study on cognition at 7 a.m. (24% participation) 2nd group: Same favor, but not told time; 56% agreed. After that, told the time and also could back out; no one did On the day of the meeting, 95% of the students (of the 56% that agreed) showed up Hazing Common amongst sports teams & fraternities Old School Video Clip Many universities banned the practice due to deaths but it still exists Extreme temperatures Drinking themselves into comas Digging their own graves Similar to initiation rites seen in other cultures: African societies have initiation rites (rites of passage) to indicate their entrance into adulthood Boot camp: teach recruits how to do their job but also overcoming difficulty and humiliation Thought Process of Enduring Hazing 1.) Person chooses to join the group, recognizing initiation is involved 2.) Rationalization that it is “worth it” 3.) Upon completion there is a sense of accomplishment Young (1963): 54 tribal cultures Those with the most extreme ceremonies had the strongest group solidarity Is Hazing Necessary? Aronson & Mills (1959): Aim: Enduring trouble or pain to join a group causing people to value the group more vs. those that do not Sample: Female college students Procedure: Join a sex discussion group Embarrassing initiation and no initiation Attend a meeting (made up of confederates; acting bored and uninterested) Conclusions: Initiation Found the meeting extremely valuable No initiation “worthless and uninteresting” Gerard & Mathewson (1966) follow-up study: Women received electrical shocks during initiation found their group interesting, intelligent, and desirable Social Influence: Conformity The tendency to adjust one’s thoughts, feelings, or behavior in ways that are in agreement with those of a particular individual or group or with accepted standards about how a person should behave in specific situations (social norms) AKA: Peer pressure when dealing with youth/school Conformity isn’t limited to just feeling the need to fit in Asch’s Conformity Study (1951) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyDDyT1lDhA Asch Paradigm Factors that influence the likelihood of conformity: 1.) Group Size (1955): with only one confederate, 3% of participants conformed; 2 confederates, 14%, 3 confederates, 32%. Large groups did not increase conformity, in some cases very large groups decreased the level of conformity 2.) Unanimity (1956): When all confederates agreedconformity. If a confederate disagreedparticipant was less likely to conform 3.) Confidence (Perrin & Spencer, 1988): Engineers and medical students conformity rates were almost non-existent; more competentless likely to conform 4.) Self-esteem (Stang, 1973): High self-esteemless likely to conform Criticisms of Asch’s Experiment 1.) Artificiality and ecological validity: Use of strangers made the situation atypical Asch argued that experiments are social situations in which participants feel like an outsider if they dissent Concern for demand characteristics 2.) Culture limited validity: The group was not multiculturalstudy is limited in its application Asch paradigm is no longer valid today? 3.) Ethical considerations: Deception & anxiety 4.) Bias in interpretation of the findings (Friend et al., 1990): In the face of unanimity, so many people did not conform Which factors allow people to dissent, rather than which factors influence conformity? The Influence of Minority Opinions Moscovici and Lage (1976): When a minority maintains a consistent view, it is able to influence the majority 4 participants & 2 confederates, described a blue-green color as green, 32% of participants made at least one incorrect judgment about the color of slides shown; they also continued to give incorrect responses after the confederates left the experiment Hogg and Vaughan (1995): Some of the reasons for the influence of a minority groups include: 1.) Dissenting opinions produce uncertainty & doubt 2.) Such opinions show alternatives exist 3.) Consistency shows that there is commitment to the alternative view 20th Century Examples of Minority Influences Consistency allows environmental movement to move majority opinions more towards conservation and protection of the environment Women’s Rights Movements Civil Rights Movements Irving JanisGroupthink: The group is blinded by optimism that their decisions will be successful Members begin to doubt their own reservations and refrain from voicing dissenting opinions Why Do People Conform? Deutsch & Gerard (1955) believe conformity is a result of informational social influence (the way people cognitively process information about a situation) and normative social influence Festinger (1954) argues that people evaluate their own opinions and ideas through social comparison (looking at what others do) Cognitive dissonance Anxiety when you think differently Feeling of not “with it” Conform to group’s opinion Rationalize your opinion and develop confidence that your opinion is acceptable Normative Social Influence Based off of animal instincts and our need to belong Avoid rejection and gain social approval Example: if being opposed to a certain trend causes you to never be invited to parties, you will begin to dress a certain way in order to gain friends/popularity Cultural Aspects of Conformity People’s reaction to the word “conform” Asians conform more and value it to a greater degree and American’s see as a negative trait East vs. West dichotomy Cashmore & Goodnow (1986) Italians Burgos & Dias-Perez (1986) Puerto Ricans (obedience in children) Individualistic vs. Collectivist cultures Smith & Bond (1993) Economic practices Berry (1967) Temne (single crop cooperation and coordination) vs. Inuit (continual hunting & gathering) Definitions of Culture Matsumoto (2004)…128 different definitions of culture “Surface culture” (visible): eating habits, clothing, rituals, communication, etc. “Deep culture” (cultural manifestations): beliefs, attitudes, values, etc. Kuschel (2004) Ask questions on how specific factors in culture relate to behaviors such as initiation rites, honor killing, etc. Argues that if culture is used as an explanation of behavior, it can lead to circular arguments and generalizations Culture is vague and includes many variables, it should not be used as an explanation in itself More “definitions” of Culture Lonner (1995): “common rules that regulate interactions and behavior in a group as well as a number of shared values and attitudes in the group.” Hofstede (2002): “mental software”… “cultural schemas that have been internalized so that they influence thinking, emotions, and behavior.” Shared among groups Learned through daily interactions and by feedback from members of the group Universal Behaviors Etic Approach Rules that can be applied to all cultures around the world Taken within crosscultural psychology where behavior is compared across specific cultures that share common perceptual, cognitive, and emotional structures Emic Approach Behaviors that are culturally specific Caused psychologists the re-examine their ideas of “truth” with regards to culture Cultural Variations Mead (1935) looked at three cultures within New Guinea Arapesh: Women and men were sensitive and non-aggressive as well as “feminine” personalities Mundugamor: Men and women were ruthless, unpleasant, and “masculine” Tchambuli: Women were dominant, men were more emotional and concerned about personal appearance Illustrates how society can powerfully influence gender- role development Matsumoto’s Definition of Culture (2004) “a dynamic system of rules, explicit and implicit, established by groups in order to ensure their survival, involving attitudes, values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors.” Dynamic: Changes over time in response to environmental and social changes & exists on many levels Explicit: written rules Implicit: understood rules Anthropologists study objects (foods, buildings, grave sites), psychologists focus on subjective elements (attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms) Cultural Norms Behavior patterns that are typical of specific groups Passed down from generations through observational learning by the group’s “gatekeepers” (parents, teachers, religious leaders, peers) Marriage partners are chosen Alcohol consumption Acceptance/rejection of spanking children Cultural Dimensions of Behavior Perspectives of a culture based on values and cultural norms Hoefstede (1973): Multinational IMB employees answered a survey about morale in the workplace Content analysis of responses, looking at key differences submitted by different ethnicities The trends he noticed among the 40 most represented countries were called “dimensions” Help facilitate communication between cultures Handshake in America vs. Middle Eastern countries during negotiations mean different things Cultural Dimensions Individualism vs. Collectivism Uncertainty vs. Avoidance Hoefstede Short-term orientation (Finland, France, Germany, & US) Value personal steadiness and stability Focus on the future over the past Innovation is highly valued Bond (1988) discovered some Asian cultures replace the uncertainty-avoidance dimension Confucian work dynamism: Focusing on virtue over truth Long-term orientation Value persistence, loyalty and trustworthiness Hoefstede’s Warning Against Ecological Fallacy When one looks at two different cultures, it cannot be assumed that two members from two different cultures must be different from one another, or that a single member of a culture will always demonstrate the dimensions which are the norm of that culture Proxemic Theory Hall (1966); Hidden Dimension “Personal space” Friends are allowed to be closer Conversations 4-7 inches (Americans) Parts of Europe, half that Time Consciousness Monochronic Cultures Focus on one thing at a time High degree of scheduling Punctuality and meeting deadlines are valued Polychronic Cultures Many things happening at once Focus is on relationships and interactions Interruptions are seen as “part of life” Little frustration during late or postponed events/assignments