Unit 4 Review: Social Psychology and Personality

Overview

• Presenter: Tim Stedman
• Focus: Understanding social dynamics, personality theories, and preparing for the AP exam.

Social Psychology

Attribution Theory

• Attributions: Explanations for behavior
  • Dispositional: Behavior due to personal traits
  • Situational: Behavior due to external factors
• Explanatory Styles:
  • Optimistic: Setbacks are temporary and external
  • Pessimistic: Setbacks are permanent and internal

Attribution Biases

• Fundamental Attribution Error: Overestimate personality, underestimate situation
• Actor-Observer Bias: Attribute own actions to situations, others' actions to dispositional factors
• Self-Serving Bias: Credit self for successes, blame external for failures

Locus of Control

• Internal: Control over life comes from self
• External: Control comes from outside forces

Person Perception

• Mere Exposure Effect: Familiarity breeds liking
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Expectations influence outcomes

Social Comparison

• Upward Comparison: Comparing to someone better
• Downward Comparison: Comparing to someone worse
• Relative Deprivation: Feeling deprived compared to others

Attitude Formation and Change

• Stereotypes: Generalized beliefs about groups
• Prejudice & Discrimination: Negative attitudes leading to unfair behavior
• Implicit Bias: Unconscious attitudes affecting behavior

Other Biases

• Just World Phenomenon: Belief that people get what they deserve
• Outgroup Homogeneity Bias: Viewing outgroup members as similar
• Ingroup Bias: Favoring one's own group
• Ethnocentrism: Judging other cultures based on own values

Attitude Persistence

• Belief Perseverance: Holding onto beliefs despite contrary evidence
• Confirmation Bias: Seeking information that confirms existing beliefs
• Cognitive Dissonance: Tension from mismatched attitudes and actions

Social Influence

Social Norms

• Normative Social Influence: Conforming to fit in
• Informational Social Influence: Conforming for guidance

Persuasion

• Central Route: Based on logical arguments
• Peripheral Route: Based on superficial cues
• Techniques:
  • Foot-in-the-Door: Small request followed by a larger one
  • Door-in-the-Face: Large request followed by a smaller one

Conformity and Obedience

• Asch's Experiment: Influence of group pressure
• Milgram's Experiment: Obedience to authority

Group Behavior

• Individualism vs. Collectivism: Personal goals vs. group harmony
• Group Phenomena:
  • Polarization: Extreme group opinions
  • Groupthink: Poor decisions for harmony
  • Social Loafing: Less effort in groups
  • Deindividuation: Loss of self-awareness in groups
  • Social Facilitation: Improved performance in groups

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

• Focus: Applying psychology to workplace
• Responsibilities: Improving hiring practices, enhancing work-life balance

Pro-Social Behavior

• Altruism: Helping without personal gain
• Social Norms:
  • Reciprocity Norm: Return favors
  • Responsibility Norm: Help those in need

Bystander Effect

• Diffusion of Responsibility: Less likely to help in groups
• Influenced by situational and attentional factors

Personality

Theories

• Freud's Psychodynamic Theory: Personality influenced by unconscious
• Humanistic Psychology: Personal growth and self-actualization
• Social-Cognitive Theories: Interaction of behavior, thoughts, and environment
• Trait Theories:
  • Big Five Traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism

Assessment

• Projective Tests: Reveal unconscious (e.g., Rorschach Test)
• Self-Report Inventories: Assess traits (e.g., NEO-PI)

Motivation

Theories

• Drive Reduction Theory: Behavior motivated by biological needs
• Arousal Theory: Optimal levels of arousal
• Self-Determination Theory: Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
• Incentive Theories: Motivated by rewards

Motivational Conflicts

• Lewin’s Theory:
  • Approach-Approach: Choosing between two positives
  • Avoidance-Avoidance: Choosing between two negatives
  • Approach-Avoidance: Single option with pros and cons

Emotion

• Components: Physiological, cognitive, and labeling experiences
• Facial Feedback Hypothesis: Expressions influence emotions
• Broaden and Build Theory: Positive emotions foster growth
• Universal Emotions: Recognized across cultures
• Display Rules: Cultural norms for expressing emotion

Conclusion

• Understanding social psychology and personality involves a mix of individual traits, cognitive processes, and social influences.