Social Psychology

1. Attribution
   1. Involves determining the causes of peoples' behavior that are prone to error.
2. Fundamental Attribution Error
   1. We attribute behavior to internal traits, underestimate situational variables
3. Actor-Observer Bias
   1. We attribute behavior of others to internal traits and not to the power of the situation upon behavior. We tend though to explain our own behavior by attributing it to the effect of situation and not that or our own traits.
4. Self-Serving Bias
   1. We attribute our successes to disposition and our failures to situations
   2. Helps us maintain a positive outlook and self-image
   3. We all consider ourselves to be better than average
5. Attraction
   1. Proximity and mere exposure to others increase attractiveness, also increase over time.
6. Conformity
   1. Tendency to follow others behaviors, attitudes and beliefs.
7. Asch's Study
   1. Tested power of conformity by asking a group to judge the length of lines
   2. All except for one were confederates of the study. At one point all were informed to give the wrong answer to gauge effect on the subject. The subject also would give the wrong answer.
8. Milgram's Obedience Study
   1. Milgram tested obedience to authority by having a subject (the teacher) shock another participant ( the learner and the Milgram's confederate) with increasingly stronger shocks for errors in learning trials.
   2. The confederate first complains, then screams as if in pain from the shocks, then ceases responding when receiving the shocks from the teacher.
   3. When teacher complains and asks about danger to learner the experimenter asks the teacher to continue with the learning trials.
   4. Study shows that most will comply regardless of discomfort. Milgram found obedience reduced when:
      1. teacher can see learner
      2. teacher physically shocks the learner
      3. the experimenter leaves the proximity of the teacher
      4. the status of the experimenter or institution is perceived as low
   5. Milgram's use of deceit raises many questions about ethical experimental design
9. Social Influence Techniques
   1. Foot in the Door
      1. Start with a small request and then follow up with a large one
   2. Low-Ball
      1. Make an attractive initial offer and later after getting a commitment, make the terms less desirable
   3. Social Loafing
      1. The tendency for individuals to put forth less effort when working on a task with others than when working alone
   4. Group Polarization
      1. Group discussion causes members to shift to more extreme positions than they would normally adopt alone
   5. Groupthink
      1. Members of groups working closely together and isolated from other input tend to become consistent in their beliefs and justification for their decisions in order preserve solidarity and limit dissent. The effect is usually disastrous such as the in events such as the sinking of the Titanic and the Challenger Space Shuttle accident.
   6. Cognitive Dissonance
      1. A state of tension that occurs when one's held beliefs or values are inconsistent. One then reduces tension by changing beliefs or attitudes. Also exists when our behavior is not consistent with our attitudes or values.
   7. Bystander Effect or Altruism
      1. The choice of whether to help a stranger is related to the presence of other bystanders. The greater the number of bystanders the less likely an individual will act.
      2. The feeling that other bystanders will take responsibility in an emergency inhibits our decision to act.
         
         

   Key Terms
   Attribution	To what we believe is the root cause of anothers behavior
   Fundamental Attribution Error	Tendency for observers to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences
   Actor Observer Bias	Tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal traits, but our own behavior to situational variables
   Self Serving Bias	Tendency to attribute our successes to disposition and failures to situations
   Informational Influence	Persuasion from desire to be right or correct
   Normative Influence	Persuasion from desire to be liked
   Cognitive Dissonance	A state of tension that occurs when one's held beliefs or values are inconsistent. One then reduces tension by changing beliefs or attitudes. Also exists when our behavior is not consistent with our attitudes or values
   Bystander effect	Tendency to act to help others when it is perceived others will not or when others are not around when situation is perceived as an emergency. Often the greater the number of bystanders the less likely any individual will act.
   Groupthink	Members of groups working closely together and isolated from other input tend to become consistent in their beliefs and justification for their decisions in order preserve solidarity and limit dissent.
   Conformity	Tendency to follow others behaviors, attitudes and beliefs.