Social Psychology
The study of how we think
about, influence and relate to
one another.
Social Thinking
How do we think about one
another?
Attribution Theory
• The idea that we give a casual
explanation for someone's behavior.
•We credit that
behavior either to
the situation or….
•To the person’s
disposition.
Was my friend a
jerk because she
had a bad day or
is just a bad
person?
Fundamental Attribution Error
• The tendency to underestimate the
impact of a situation and overestimate
the impact of personal disposition.
How do you view your
teacher’s behavior? You
probably attribute it to
their personality rather
than their profession.
Attribution At Work
The Effects of Attribution
• Social Effects
• Political
Effects
• Workplace
Effects
Attitudes
• A belief or
feeling that
predisposes one
to respond in a
particular way
to something.
How might different attitudes
respond to this picture?
Do our attitudes guide our actions?
Only if….
• External pressure is minimal.
• We are aware of our attitudes.
• The attitude is relevant to the behavior.
Attitudes
More often, our actions
affect our attitudes.
Foot-in-the-door phenomenon
• The tendency for
people who have
first agreed to a
small request to
comply later with
a larger request.
If I give out an answer on a quiz,
what happens next?
Door-in-face Phenomenon
• The tendency
for people who
say no to a huge
request, to
comply with a
smaller one.
If I ask my wife for the
1952 Topps Mantle card
($15k) she will say? NO
But she may let me
buy a new
playstation game.
Zimbardo Prison Study
Role playing affects attitudes. What do
you think happened when college
students were made to take on the roles
of prison guards and inmates.
What happens when we become
aware that our attitudes don’t
match or actions?
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
• We do not like when we have either
conflicting attitudes or when our
attitudes do not match our actions.
•When they clash, we will change
our attitude to create balance.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
• How does
cognitive
dissonance
theory play a
part in pledging a
fraternity?