Ch 4 - Behavior and Attitudes
Part 2: Feb 9
Stanford Prison Experiment
(continued)
• By day 2, guards were clearly ‘into their
roles’. Sadistic, cruel behaviors.
• Prisoners had become passive, some had to
leave the experiment due to distress.
• Not secluded - family and friends visited,
chaplain, ‘lawyers’.
• No one complained about treatment.
Stanford Prison Experiment
• Experiment called off by Day 6.
• How/Why?
• This experiment wouldn’t take place today
– Why?
– What are Zimbardo’s views of this?
Lessons from the SPE
• The power of the situation is huge.
• Roles determined behavior to a large extent.
• Remember - NO differences in students
before the experiment (random assignment).
• Behaviors --> Attitudes??
• Applications?
Overview of Attitude Theories
• Cognitive dissonance theory – justify our actions
to reduce our discomfort
• Self-presentation theory – express attitudes that
make us seem consistent.
• Self-perception theory – when uncertain about our
beliefs, we look at our behavior for clues.
• Self-verification theory – we have a need to seek
confirmation of our self-concept, whether it is pos
or neg.
Cognitive Dissonance
•
•
•
1 powerful determinant of our behavior is the
need to preserve a positive self-image.
When we do something to cause us
discomfort because it goes against our usual
self-image, cognitive dissonance results.
3 ways to reduce dissonance:
1.
2.
3.
Festinger’s Cog Diss research
• Boring experiment – then asked to lie to
another ‘subject’ & say it was interesting.
• Then, measured attitudes…
• Who was more likely to be positive – those
paid $1 or $20?
• Insufficient justification – how does it work?
Cognitive Dissonance (cont)
• Use only enough incentive to get someone
to internalize the attitude.
– Internal justification
• Go overboard  they need the incentive to
do the behavior.
– External justification
• What is our tendency after deciding betw 2
equally attractive options?
Application to child behavior/values
• Does threat of harsh punishment work?
• Example of bullying in children
– How can we get children to internalize values
of not bullying younger siblings?
– Aronson study of mild/harsh punishment for
playing w/forbidden toys
– Did self-persuasion have a long-lasting effect?
Self-Presentation
• Impression management causes change in
attitudes.
• Adjust our attitudes to be consistent with
behaviors
• But….sometimes express our new attitudes
to those who haven’t seen our behaviors.
Self-Perception Theory
• When unsure of our attitudes, we look at
our behavior as if we are observers.
• Rate cartoons as funnier if holding pen
between teeth & using smiling muscles
(facial feedback hypothesis).
• Also suggest unnecessary rewards have
hidden cost.
• Overjustification effect- what is it?
Self-verification theory
• The need to seek confirmation of our selfconcept whether it is pos or negative
– Can sometimes conflict w/need to maintain
favorable view of oneself
– If negative self-concept, what is the dilemma?
• When do negative self-concept people feel
dissonance?
• Summary of theories?