Social Psychology. What We Will Cover in This Section. Roles. PDF Created with deskpdf PDF Writer - Trial ::

Transcription

1 Social Psychology Dr. Dennis C. Sweeney What We Will Cover in This Section Conformity Attitudes Group Behavior Prejudice Roles Socially defined expectations that we expect individuals to fulfill in a given situation. Helps us organize what is expected of us. Helps us organize what we expect of others. CONFLICT occurs when we have competing expectations placed on us. 3/4/2009 Self Presentation and Social Perception.ppt 3 1

2 The Abilene Paradox Hot, windy day in Coleman, Texas. Father-in-law says, Lets get into the car and go to Abilene and eat at the cafeteria. Everyone agrees. Conformity Change in behavior as a result of real or imagined group pressure. Level 1. COMPLIANCE Acting in accord with social pressure while privately disagreeing. 2

3 Level 2. OBEDIENCE Behavior change in response to demands of authority. Level 3. ACCEPTANCE Acting AND believing in accord with social pressure. Conformity Continuum Acceptance Obedience Compliance Independence Assertiveness Defiance 3

4 Obedience: Milgram Studies Milgram Studies Design S and confederate draw slips: teacher and learner. Teacher gets mild example of a shock. Learner strapped in chair with electrodes. Learner mentions heart condition. Teacher has a shock generator with switches from 15 to 450 volts. When shocked the learner twitches, groans, screams, then is silent. Milgram Results 63% went to 450 volts. One said, OK professor, what do we do next? 4

5 Overall Results Standard Two teachers New Experimenter Subject chooses Why People Obey 1. Give responsibility to authority. 2. Task is routine. 3. Wanting to be polite. 4. Entrapment (Escalating Wrong Doing). Attitudes A favorable or unfavorable evaluative reaction toward something or someone. 3/4/2009 Attitudes.ppt 15 5

6 Attitude Influence Emotions Behavior Cognitions 3/4/2009 Attitudes.ppt 16 Friendly Persuasion Familiarity Effect. The more we are exposed to an object the more we will like it. Validity Effect. The more we are exposed to a statement the more we will believe it to be true. 3/4/2009 Attitudes.ppt 17 Classical Conditioning Association of some neutral object with either pleasure or pain. 3/4/2009 Attitudes.ppt 18 6

7 Operant Conditioning The consequences of behavior lead to learning. Positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement. 3/4/2009 Attitudes.ppt 19 Examples A parent praising a child for good grades. Learning that slowing down where the policeman usually lurks avoids getting a speeding ticket. Smiling when shaking someone s hand leads to a good initial impression. 3/4/2009 Attitudes.ppt 20 Observational Learning 3/4/2009 Attitudes.ppt 21 7

8 What is It? Learning that occurs when our behavior is influenced by the actions of others called models. 3/4/2009 Attitudes.ppt 22 Group Influence Question What is a group? 8

9 What Is a Group? Several interdependent people who have emotional ties and interact on a regular basis. Two or more people who interact and influence each other. Asch Studies Participants and five confederates are seated at a horseshoe table. Participant always is given position 6. Group is asked to select the line that best matches a reference line. First several trials all agree. Later the first five all agree on the wrong line. 9

10 A B C Asch Findings Results 37% always conformed. 25% never conformed. 50% went along at least half the time. Note. Privately the person would write the correct response. Alone later would give the correct response. This represents public COMPLIANCE. Social Loafing The tendency for people to reduce their efforts on a common goal or simple tasks when their efforts are pooled. 10

11 Free Riders People who benefit from the group but give little in return. Dealing With Social Loafing 1. Motivation. - Increase sense of personal responsibility. - Feel that contributions are important. 2. Identification. 3. Make the activity interesting. 4. Optimize interpersonal trust. Diffusion of Responsibility The belief that the presence of other people makes one less personally responsible for the events that occur in that situation. 11

12 Question If you could do anything humanly possible with complete assurance that you would not be detected or held accountable, what would you do? Deindviduation Loss of a sense of individuality and a loosening of normal constraints against deviant behavior. Deindividuation Is Influenced By Group size. Physical anonymity. Social cues. Self-awareness. 12

13 Group Think Group decision-making style characterized by such an excessive tendency among group members to seek concurrence that they lose the ability to impartially evaluate alternative points of view. Symptoms of Group Think 1. The group is invulnerable. 2. Discounting information that conflicts with the majority view. 3. Dissenters are pressured to conform. 4. Illusion of unanimity. Breaking the Group 1. Perceive the need to do something. 2. Cultural norms encourage action. 3. Benefits exceed the cost. 4. Have an ally. 13

14 List Two Adjectives that Describe Each of the Following 1. Frenchman. 2. Librarian. 3. Fraternity brother. 4. Drug abuser. 3/4/ Prejudice An unjustified negative attitude toward a group and its individual members suggesting lower social status. - Global. - Judgmental. - Oversimplification. 3/4/ Elements of Prejudice. 3/4/

15 Stereotype Beliefs about members of a group based only on their membership in that group. Not necessarily judgmental. Inaccurate. Resistant to change. 3/4/ Discrimination The negative behavior or action based on stereotypes and prejudice. Directed at individual because of membership in the group. Typically unjustified. 3/4/ Reactions to Groups Stereotype Discrimination Prejudice 3/4/

16 Minority Group A group in which the members have significantly less power, control, and influence over their own lives than do members of the dominant group. 3/4/2009 Prejudice.ppt 46 Ethnic and Gender Prejudice 3/4/2009 Prejudice.ppt 47 Racism Prejudice towards people in a racial or ethnic group. May be overt or hidden. May be institutional. Overt racism is generally falling in the United States. 3/4/2009 Prejudice.ppt 48 16

17 Modern Racism Overt discrimination less likely. Trent Lott People still likely to hold stereotypical beliefs. 3/4/2009 Prejudice.ppt 49 Sexism Prejudicial beliefs toward people of a given gender. Gender roles. Gender Schema. Resistant to change. 3/4/2009 Prejudice.ppt 50 Sexual Harassment Unwelcome physical or verbal behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive social environment. A perception. May be a misuse of power. Underreported. 3/4/2009 Prejudice.ppt 51 17

18 Reducing Prejudice 3/4/ Contact Hypothesis Under certain conditions direct contact between antagonistic groups will reduce prejudice. 3/4/ Contact Hypothesis Requirements 1. Equal social status and power. 2. Sustained close contact to work and socialize together. 3. Intergroup cooperation toward common goal. 4. Moral, legal, and economic support. 3/4/

19 Quiz Question Identify one prejudice you feel you have, tell why you think it is a prejudice, and list one way you could reduce it. 3/4/ /4/