II) Biases in Attribution
A) Fundamental Attribution Error:
1) We attribute behavior
to internal traits, underestimate situational variables
B) 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
C) Halo Effect:
1) Favorable or unfavorable
impressions of a person biases future expectations and
influences about that
person
III) Conformity
A) Tendency to follow others in
attitudes or behaviors
B) Generally positive, allows us
to live together
C) Asch’s Study
1) Used 7-9 people, only
one a real subject
2) Had people judging
line lengths
3) At first confederates
told the truth
4) Then they all began
giving the same wrong answer
D) Follow Up Studies
Later, Asch measured the effect of having
at least one confederate dissent & give the
correct answer
E) Conformity Increases
When:
1) People are unsure
of a situation
2) People are of low
group status
3) People lack information
4) The behavior is public
IV) Obedience
A) Milgram tested obedience to
authority by having a subject shock a learner
(his confederate) with increasingly
stronger shocks for errors
B) The confederate first complains,
then screams, then ceases responding
C) Experimenter orders subject
to continue the shocks
D) Obedience Reduced
When:
1) teacher can see learner
2) teacher has to hold
learner's hand to the shock plate
3) the experimenter leaves
V) Compliance Techniques
A) Foot in the Door
1) Start with a small
request
2) Follow up with a large
one
B) Door in the Face
1) Start with a large
request
2) Follow up with a small
one
C) Low-Ball
1) Make an attractive
initial offer
2) After getting a commitment,
make the terms less appealing
VI) Cognitive Dissonance
A) Discomfort that occurs when
a person holds two attitudes or thoughts
(cognition’s) that contradict each
other
B) Reducing dissonance
1) Modify one or both
cognition’s
2) Change importance
of one cognition
3) Add additional cognition’s
4) Deny that cognition’s
are related
VII) Theories of Prejudice
A) Us vs. Them
1) Occurs when we divide
the world between in-groups and out-groups,
thus encouraging prejudice
B) Social Learning Theory
1) Reward, punishment,
and observation of prejudice increases its occurrence.
VIII) Altruism
A) Helping those in need without
any personal gain
B) Chances of helping affected
by number of bystanders
C) Diffusion of Responsibility:
1) The feeling that other
bystanders will take responsibility in an emergency
IX) Aggression
A) Causes are complex:
1) Biological Factors
a) Genetic influence:
b) Testosterone levels also correlate with aggression
c) Alcohol usage increases aggression
2) Frustration-Aggression
a) Behavior is directed toward a goal
b) Achievement of the goal is blocked
c) Causes frustration
d) Frustration increases aggression
3) Social Learning Theory
a) Aggression learned by:
1) Observation and Modeling
2) Reinforcement
3) Punishment
