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Understanding Social Cognition and Behavior

May 1, 2025

Psychology Chapter 16: Social Cognition

Overview

  • Social cognition is the study of how people think about others and how those thoughts influence behavior.
  • It involves understanding how individuals perceive, interpret, and categorize social information.

Key Concepts

1. Social Perception

  • Definition: The process through which people form impressions of others.
  • Factors influencing perception:
    • Physical appearance
    • Nonverbal cues (e.g., body language, eye contact)
    • Stereotypes and biases

2. Attribution Theory

  • Definition: A framework for understanding how people explain the causes of behavior.
  • Types of Attributions:
    • Internal (Dispositional): Explaining behavior based on personal traits (e.g., personality).
    • External (Situational): Explaining behavior based on external factors (e.g., environment, context).
  • Fundamental Attribution Error: The tendency to overemphasize internal factors while underestimating situational influences.

3. Attitudes

  • Definition: Evaluative judgments about objects, people, or issues.
  • Components of Attitudes:
    • Cognitive: Beliefs or thoughts about the attitude object.
    • Affective: Emotional responses to the attitude object.
    • Behavioral: Actions or intentions toward the attitude object.
  • Attitude Change:
    • Influenced by cognitive dissonance, persuasive communication, and social influence.

4. Stereotyping and Prejudice

  • Stereotypes: Overgeneralized beliefs about a group of people.
  • Prejudice: Negative attitudes towards individuals based solely on their group membership.
  • Discrimination: Unjust treatment based on group membership, often stemming from prejudice.

5. Social Influence

  • Definition: The way individuals change their behavior to meet the demands of a social environment.
  • Types of Social Influence:
    • Conformity: Changing behavior to match the responses of others.
    • Compliance: Changing behavior due to a request or demand.
    • Obedience: Following direct commands from an authority figure.

Conclusion

  • Understanding social cognition is crucial for improving interpersonal relationships and reducing conflict in diverse societies.
  • It helps in recognizing the impact of our perceptions, attributions, and biases on our behavior towards others.