Chapter 13
Social Psychology
Social Psychology
Scientifically studies how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
The greatest contribution of social psychology is its study of attitudes, beliefs, decisions, and actions and the way they are molded by social influence
Major Concepts in Social Psych
Fundamental Attribution Error : Conformity Obedience Social influence and behavior o External vs. Internal
Fundamental Attribution Error
Attribution Theory
We can either attribute behavior to a person's stable, enduring traits (dispositional attribution) or we can attribute behavior to the situation (situational
attribution)
Fundamental Attribution Error
We overestimate the influence of personality/disposition and underestimate the influence of situations on behavior
Conformity
Conditions that Strengthen Conformity
1) One is made to feel incompetent or insecure 2) The group has at least three people 3) The group is unanimous 4) One admires the group's status and attractiveness 5) One has no prior commitment to a response 6) The group observes one's behavior 7) One's culture strongly encourages respect for a social standard
Obedience
If people comply to social pressure that is subtle and without consequences, then how will they respond when an outright command is given?
Stanley Milgram's (1933-1984) obedience studies
Lessons from the Conformity and Obedience Studies
In both Asch's and Milgram's studies, participants were pressured to choose between following their standards and being responsive to others, and the majority chose being responsive to others
In Milgram's study, participants were torn between hearing the victims' pleas and the experimenter's orders, and the majority obeyed the experimenter. despite the consequences of their actions on the victim
Zimbardo's Standard Prison Experiment (197