PSYC 3580 Exam 1

What is the goal of social psychology?

To identify universal properties of human nature that make everyone susceptible to social influence, regardless of social class or culture

Social psychology is about...

Learning what people actually think, feel, do in given situations (Distinct from "common sense" or "folk wisdom")

The scientific method...

Offers an empirical test to determine what is actually true Collects data to describe and understand social world

Why do people do the things they do?

Identify internal and external processes that guide thoughts, emotions, behavior

What is social psychology?

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

social psychology

emphasis on context, situation

personality psychology

emphasis on person, individual differences

contemporary social psychology

person x situation interaction

Theories

general principles that explain predicted and observed events

Hypothesis

testable predictions about how people will respond under specific conditions (Operational definition: quantify an abstract construct, concept)

Reliability

it is constant

Validity

accuracy

external validity

accuracy across situations/people (tested with replication)

internal validity

accuracy of causal relationship between variables (i.e., rule out alternative explanations)

construct validity

accuracy of construct of interest

The construct of aggression is broad. Different forms of aggression

Physical, verbal, relational

Ways to test a hypothesis

ethnography, correlational approach, field experiments (Quasi-experiments), experiments

Ethnography

studies people in their setting (highly realistic, detailed data, high in ecological validity)

Ethnography Strengths

realistic, good for describing phenomenon

Ethnography Limitations

rarity or secrecy of behavior, massive time commitment, ethics?, causality, sometimes generalizability (low external validity

Correlational Approach

basic relationships: degree of relationship between 2 variables

Coefficient (r) between0.0 and 1.0 (+/-)

Large (absolute) value = strong relationship, (Sign shows direction of relationship)

Examples of positive correlations

Social connections and well-being, Efficacy and performance, Attention and memory, Testosterone and aggression*

Examples of negative correlations

Intergroup contact and prejudice, fatigue and performance, alcohol and self-regulation, power and perspective-taking

Study variables

"cause" variables (independent), "effect" variable (dependent)

field studies

studies in which people's behavior is observed in a natural setting (no "true" independent)

field experiments strengths:

lots of realism, construct validity (ecological validity)

field experiment weaknesses

limited claims about causality, low internal validity, no control over groups (ie. no random assignment)

experimental research

benefit of random assignment, participants get equal chance to be in either condition

mundane realism

setting of the experiment similar to the world at large (ecological validity)

psychological realism

does the experiment evoke the same process as the world at large (internal validity)

4 Methods of Self-Concept

introspection, the looking-glass self, self-perception, vicarious self-perception

Priming

stimuli from environment activates related concepts in the mind

conscious processes

experience of self, deliberate preferences, self-control

non-conscious processes

attention, perception memory automatic processes integration of sense information concept activation

introspection

usually know what we feel or think, but not why

The Looking Glass Self

internalize ourselves exactly like others do

limits of looking glass self

we don't see ourselves exactly like others do people don't always accept the opinions of others

self-perception

view of self informed by, active, available info

vicarious self-perception

people have merged identities with similar others (sense of connection with others based on important self-relevant identities)

Introspection

listening to our "inner voice"

the looking-glass self

learn from feedback of friends and family

four ways of constructing self-concepts

introspection, the looking glass self, self-perception, vicarious self-perception

self-esteem

evaluation of the self

trait

how good you feel about self generally

state

how good you feel about self in the moment

self-esteem strengths

easy, precise, domain-specific

self-esteem limitations

self-presentation, hide negative, inflate positive

explicit measures

more precise specific, but susceptible to self-presentation

implicit measures

less biased primitive, general measure of self-evaluation

low self-esteem

protecting self from failure (avoid negative)

high self-esteem

achievement, success (approach positive)

benefits of high self-esteem

buffer against bad news or failure more resilient report more positive affect initiative more confident less susceptible to persuasion

downfalls of high self-esteem

more willing to experiment with drugs, risky sexual behaviors less influenced by persuasion

narcissism

unrealistically high, extreme self-esteem more aggressive greater ingroup favoritism unfaithful to partners narcissists don't think they are narcissists

terror management theory (TMT)

our self-esteem and culture can protect us from "death anxiety"

sociometer theory

rooted in evolutionary psychology, need others to survive people developed an innate need to belong

self-regulation

self-control or willpower (largely explicit, conscious, deliberate

3 major forms of self regulation

overriding short-term desires in favor of long-term benefits (impulsive control) manage goals (persistence, prioritization) any process of monitoring and altering one's responses (thoughts, behaviors)

sources of regulatory failure

limited resources, limited attention, wavering commitment

A high capacity for self-control predicts...

stable relationships, more success (SELF-CONTROL IS A BETTER PREDICTOR OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS THAN IQ)

components of the limited resource model

behavioral control, thought control, emotion control

prefrontal cortex

implicated in executive control (dorsolateral, ventroateral prefrontal cortecies, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex)

limited resource model

initial acts of self-regulation deplete resources

implications for pursuing multiple goals that require lots of self-regulation?

multiple goals use environment to advantage

Zeigarnik effect

experiences of intrusive thoughts about an active, but unfulfilled goal ("intrusive thoughts" when out with friends when there is something to be done)

"what the heck" effect

Tendency to temporarily abandon one's long-term goals after a single self-control failure

3 self motives

self-appraisal, self-verification, self-enhancement

Self-appraisal

learn the truth about ourselves

self-verification (consistency)

confirm what we already believe about ourselves

self-enhancement

see the best in ourselves

self-handicapping

create obstacle for self excise for failure even more awesome if succeed...

self-serving biases

internal attributions (skill, ability, effort)

unrealistic optimism

we think good things are more likely to happen to us than others; we think bad things are less likely to happen to us than others

false consensus

negative events - we overestimate consensus positive events - we overestimate uniqueness