CHAPTER 17 – SOCIAL COGNITION

Social Psychology – the study of how people influence, and are influenced by, other people

Social Cognition – the mental processes associated with the ways in which people perceive and react to other individuals and groups


SOCIAL INFLUENCE ON THE SELF

* Social comparison – 


o Reference groups – 


* Downward social comparison

* Upward social comparison

* Social Identity Theory – our beliefs about the groups to which we belong




SOCIAL PERCEPTIONS

* The process through which people interpret information about others, form impressions of them, and draw conclusions about the reasons for their behavior

* Role of Schemas – What do we pay attention to?

o Pay more attention to information about a person that is ______________ with our schema, rather than _______________

o Influence what we ________________________

o Affect our judgment ____________________________

* Impressions

o First impressions – 


o Forming impressions – 


o Lasting impressions – 



* Self-fulfilling prophecy – schemas can cause us to subtly lead people to act in ways that are parallel with our expectations

o Get-Acquainted Study - 





* Attribution – the process through which people explain the causes of behavior; can be internal or external

o Sources of Attribution – how does a person (observer) make attributions about someone else’s (actor) behavior; depend on three variables

* Consensus – 


* High consensus = 

* Low consensus = 


* Consistency – 


* Low consistency =

* High consistency = 


* Distinctiveness – 


* Low distinctiveness = 

* High distinctiveness = 



o Biases in Attribution

* Fundamental Attribution Error –


* Ultimate attribution error – 



* Actor-Observer Bias – 



o The Self-Protective Functions of Social Cognition

* Unrealistic optimism – 


* Unique invulnerability - 


ATTITUDES

* The tendency to think, feel, or act positively and negatively toward objects in our environment

* Structure of Attitudes

o Three components – cognitive, affective, behavioral

o When will behavior be consistent with thoughts and feelings?

* Cognitive and affective components in agreement
* Behavior in line with subjective norms
* Perceived control
* Direct experience

o Mere-exposure effect - 



* Changing Attitudes

o Elaboration likelihood model – 


* Attitudes change in one of two ways

* Peripheral route = 


* Central route = 



o Cognitive dissonance theory – 


* Attitude changes mostly occur when



o Self-perception theory – 



STEREOTYPING AND PREJUDICES

Stereotypes – perceptions, beliefs, and expectations about members of a group (schemas)

Prejudices – positive or negative attitude toward an individual based on membership to a certain group 


* Theories of Prejudice and Stereotyping

o Motivational theories – 



o Cognitive theories – 



o Learning theories – 



* Reducing prejudices

o Contact hypothesis – 




INTERPERSONAL ATTRACTION

* Keys to attraction

o Environment –

o Similarity – 

o Physical attractiveness – 

* Matching hypothesis –


* Intimate Relationships and Love

o Intimate relationships usually involve interdependence and commitment

o Analyzing love

* Sternberg’s Triangular Theory –


* Strong and weak marriages – good predictor is premarital attitudes and feelings, dealing with conflict and anger, sharing views of one another


ADDITIONAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES

* Describe the importance of self-esteem in managing negative emotion. (see Focus on Research Methods: Self-esteem and the Ultimate Terror)

* Describe the cross-cultural experiment on attribution and its outcome. (see Culture and Attribution)