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.