Chapter 14:

Social Behavior

Main Concern of Social PsychologistsMain Concern of Social Psychologists

Human Beings Human Beings as Social Animalsas Social AnimalsHow are the thoughts, feelings, & behaviors of one person influenced by real, imagined, or inferred behaviors of others?

Topics IncludeTopics Include::Social forces & the perception of people & things

The formation & adherence to beliefs and opinions

Group behavior

Like, dislike, & love

Prosocial, antisocial & aggressive behavior

Affiliation and Affiliation and AttractionAttraction

• We are social We are social beings with a beings with a Need to AffiliateNeed to Affiliate– Desire to associate with Desire to associate with

other peopleother people– Appears to be a basic Appears to be a basic

human traithuman trait– Based on desires for Based on desires for

approval, support, approval, support, security, friendship, and security, friendship, and informationinformation

Interpersonal Interpersonal AttractionAttractionSocial and Social and

psychological psychological reasons for reasons for attractionattractionAttractorsAttractorsPhysical AttractivenessPhysical AttractivenessThe #1 AttractantThe “Halo Effect”SimilaritySimilarityFavor SimilarityIncidental Similarities & Assumed Similarities vs. True SimilaritiesProximityProximityThe closer people live together, the better chance of attraction.ExchangeExchangeWe’re attracted to people we get praise from & whom we praise.IntimacyIntimacySelf-disclosure, Reciprocity, & Trust are important.

Liking and LovingLiking and Loving • Romantic LoveRomantic Love

– Marked by high levels of Marked by high levels of interpersonal attraction, sexual interpersonal attraction, sexual desire, and heightened arousaldesire, and heightened arousal

• Triangular Triangular Theory of LoveTheory of Love– Robert SternbergRobert Sternberg– Different forms of love arise Different forms of love arise

from different combinations of from different combinations of three components Intimacy: three components Intimacy:

– Feelings of connectedness and Feelings of connectedness and affection affection

– Passion: Deep emotional and/or Passion: Deep emotional and/or sexual feelings sexual feelings

– Commitment: Determination to Commitment: Determination to stay in a long-term relationship stay in a long-term relationship with another personwith another person

Maintaining Maintaining RelationshipsRelationships

Liking and Loving: Liking and Loving:

Evolution and Mate SelectionEvolution and Mate Selection

• Evolutionary Evolutionary PsychologyPsychology– Study of evolutionary Study of evolutionary

origins of human origins of human behavior patternsbehavior patterns

– Belief that evolution Belief that evolution influences sexual influences sexual attraction, jealousy, attraction, jealousy, etc. etc.

Liking and Loving: Liking and Loving:

Evolution and Mate SelectionEvolution and Mate Selection • Men

– More interested in causal sex More interested in causal sex – Prefer younger, more physically Prefer younger, more physically

attractive partnersattractive partners– More jealous over sexual infidelities More jealous over sexual infidelities

than emotional onesthan emotional ones – Reproductive success depends on Reproductive success depends on

fertility; look for signs of a “fertile” fertility; look for signs of a “fertile” wifewife

– Puts resources only in sired Puts resources only in sired childrenchildren

• Women– Prefer older partners who appear to Prefer older partners who appear to

be industrious, higher in status, or be industrious, higher in status, or economically successful economically successful

– More jealous over emotional More jealous over emotional infidelity than sexual ones infidelity than sexual ones

– Place more time and energy into Place more time and energy into birthing and rearing offspringbirthing and rearing offspring

– Certain that male will provide Certain that male will provide resources resources

AttributionAttributionMaking judgments about Making judgments about the causes of behaviorthe causes of behavior2 factors to explain 2 factors to explain behavior:behavior:Internal (personal factors)Internal (personal factors)External (situational factors)External (situational factors)

3 kinds of information that 3 kinds of information that help us assign causality:help us assign causality:Uniqueness of the circumstancesUniqueness of the circumstancesConsistency from situation to situationConsistency from situation to situationOthers acting the same wayOthers acting the same way

Attribution BiasesAttribution BiasesThe Correspondence Bias The Correspondence Bias (The Fundamental (The Fundamental Attribution Error)Attribution Error)Overestimating the Overestimating the dispositional causes of another’s dispositional causes of another’s behavior.behavior.Failure to take into account the Failure to take into account the effects of the situation.effects of the situation.Another’s behavior is caused by Another’s behavior is caused by internal factorsinternal factors..The Actor-Observer BiasThe Actor-Observer BiasTending to explain Tending to explain others’ others’ behavior as having an internal behavior as having an internal causecause while while your own has an your own has an external causeexternal cause..

Defensive Attribution BiasDefensive Attribution BiasYour Your successessuccesses are attributed to are attributed to internal causesinternal causes, while your , while your failuresfailures have an have an external causeexternal cause..The “Just World” The “Just World” HypothesisHypothesis““KarmaKarma””Good things happen to good Good things happen to good people while bad things happen people while bad things happen to bad people.to bad people.

Social Influence: Mere Presence

• Changes in a person’s behavior induced by the actions of another person– Someone else

influences your decision: husband, wife, mother, peer, etc.

• Social Facilitation can occur– Tendency to perform

better when in the presence of others

• Social Loafing can also occur– Tendency for people to

work less hard when part of a group versus when they are solely responsible for their work

ConformityConformityThe tendency to adjust your behavior to actual or The tendency to adjust your behavior to actual or perceived social pressures.perceived social pressures.This will be done even at the expense of personal preferences.This will be done even at the expense of personal preferences.

There are subtle pressures to conform in every society or group.There are subtle pressures to conform in every society or group.

Cultural norms will influence conformity.Cultural norms will influence conformity.

Asch conformity studies.Asch conformity studies.

ComplianceComplianceThe Tendency to Accede to the The Tendency to Accede to the Request or Demands of OthersRequest or Demands of OthersTechniques that Enforce Techniques that Enforce ComplianceComplianceFoot-in-the-door techniqueFoot-in-the-door techniqueGranting a small request increases the chance of a Granting a small request increases the chance of a larger one being granted.larger one being granted.Low-ball techniqueLow-ball techniqueInduce a person to agree to something then raise the Induce a person to agree to something then raise the cost of the compliance.cost of the compliance.Door-in-the-face techniqueDoor-in-the-face techniqueIf one request is denied, another may be agreed to.If one request is denied, another may be agreed to.

ObedienceObedience Compliance with commands or orders issued by Compliance with commands or orders issued by

others, usually persons in a position of authority.others, usually persons in a position of authority.Milgram found that people will obey even if it means hurting others.

Social Influence: Coercion

• Being forced to change your beliefs or behave against your will

• Most extreme form of social influence

• Requires a captive audience; usually in a controlled setting that allows psychological manipulation

• Historically, fallen under “thought reform.”

• BrainwashingManipulated or forced attitude change requiring a captive audience

Begins by making the target person feel helpless

Social Influence: Social Influence: CoercionCoercion

• CultsCults – Groups that profess Groups that profess

great devotion to a great devotion to a person and follow that person and follow that person almost without person almost without questionquestion

– Leader’s personality is Leader’s personality is usually more important usually more important than the issues he/she than the issues he/she preachespreaches

– Members usually Members usually victimized by the victimized by the leader(s)leader(s)

• CultsCults – RecruitmentRecruitment

• Potential converts Potential converts targeted at a time of targeted at a time of need, especially when a need, especially when a sense of belonging is sense of belonging is most attractivemost attractive

– ConversionConversion• Begins with “love Begins with “love

bombing”bombing”

• IsolationIsolation

• Drills, discipline, ritualsDrills, discipline, rituals

• Use “foot-in-the-door” Use “foot-in-the-door” techniquetechnique

AttitudesAttitudesLearned evaluative Learned evaluative reactions toward reactions toward something or something or someonesomeoneAlways involve prejudging3 Components of an attitude:Thoughts toward the objectFeelings about the object

Behaviors toward or away from the object

What do our attitudes say about this man? Which of the 2 women is the chemical engineer?

Attitudes & BehaviorAttitudes & BehaviorAttitude DevelopmentAttitude DevelopmentFamily, peers, the society & its institutions & the media contribute.Family, peers, the society & its institutions & the media contribute.

The relationship between attitudes & The relationship between attitudes & behavior is not always direct.behavior is not always direct.Variables & personality traits are always involved.Variables & personality traits are always involved.Genetic predispositions may also be involved.Genetic predispositions may also be involved.

Self-monitoringSelf-monitoringObserving a situation for cues about how to react.Observing a situation for cues about how to react.High self-monitors may override privately held attitudes with the High self-monitors may override privately held attitudes with the behavior.behavior.The focus is mainly on meeting the demands of the situationThe focus is mainly on meeting the demands of the situation

Attitudes• Three

components:– Belief ComponentBelief Component

• What a person believes about a particular object or issue

– Emotional Emotional ComponentComponent

• Feelings toward the attitudinal object

– Action Action ComponentComponent

• One’s actions toward various people, objects, or institutions

BeliefComponent

EmotionalComponent

ActionComponent

Forming Attitudes • Attitudes are

formed in several ways:– Direct Contact

• Personal experience with the object of the attitude

– Chance Conditioning

• Learning that takes place by chance or coincidence

– Interaction with Others

• Discussions with people holding a particular attitude

– Group Membership

• Groups exert pressures to conform, which shapes our attitudes

– Child Rearing• Effects of parental

values, beliefs, and practices

– Mass Media• All media that reach large

audiences (magazines, television)

• Contributes to Mean World View

PersuasionPersuasionThe Communication The Communication Model of PersuasionModel of Persuasion1. The credibility of the source1. The credibility of the source2. The message2. The message3. The way the message is 3. The way the message is presentedpresented4. The audience4. The audience

The Process of The Process of PersuasionPersuasionTo be persuaded you must:To be persuaded you must:1. Pay attention to the 1. Pay attention to the message;message;2. Understand the message;2. Understand the message;3. Accept the message.3. Accept the message.

Cognitive Cognitive DissonanceDissonance

The The unpleasant unpleasant state when 2 state when 2 thoughts or a thoughts or a thought & thought & behavior are behavior are incongruent.incongruent.In order to satisfy the In order to satisfy the emotions, a change must be emotions, a change must be made in one of the 2.made in one of the 2.

Attitude Change• Persuasion is most

likely to occur when:1. The communicator is likable,

expressive, trustworthy, and expert on the topic, and similar to the audience in some respect

2. The communicator appears to have nothing to gain if the audience accepts the message

3. The message appeals to emotions, particularly fear or anxiety

4. The message also provides a clear course of action that will reduce fear or produce personally desirable results if followed

5. The message states clear-cut conclusions

6. The message is backed up by facts and statistics

7. The message is repeated as frequently as possible

8. Both sides of an argument are presented to a well-informed audience

9. Only one side of an argument is presented to a poorly informed audience

Prejudice & DiscriminationPrejudice & Discrimination

PrejudicePrejudiceUnfair, intolerant, or Unfair, intolerant, or unfavorable attitude unfavorable attitude toward a group.toward a group.

It is based on assumed It is based on assumed differences.differences.

DiscriminationDiscriminationUnfair behavior toward a Unfair behavior toward a group.group.

Discrimination Discrimination generally follows generally follows prejudiceprejudice..

Sources of PrejudiceSources of PrejudiceFrustration-Aggression Frustration-Aggression HypothesisHypothesisWhen goals are thwarted, frustration results & anger can become displaced.

An Authoritarian An Authoritarian PersonalityPersonalityThey favor rules & tradition & are hostile toward those who defy the norms.

Oversimplification or Oversimplification or OvergeneralizationOvergeneralizationIt’s an attempt to organize social thinking & the social world as much as possible.

PsychologicalLow Self-Esteem

Anxiety

Insecurity

SocialGroupthink

Conformity

Parental Messages

Social Messages (Ads, the Media, etc.)

EconomicMajority’s Desire to Preserve the Status Quo

Competition for Jobs, Power, and Resources

CulturalEthnocentricism

Desire for Group Identity

The Justification for War

Sources of PrejudiceSources of PrejudiceRacismRacismViewing certain racial or ethnic groups as innately inferior.Leads to either/or thinking (in-group vs. out-group/us vs. them).

Reducing PrejudiceReducing PrejudiceThe contact hypothesis:Members of opposing groups must have equal status.One-on-one contact is necessary.Cooperation instead of competition.Social norms should encourage contact.

Social ActionSocial ActionAntisocial Antisocial BehaviorBehaviorAggressionAggressionDirect (expressed) or indirect (repressed)

Mob ViolenceMob ViolenceDeindividuation: The anonymity afforded by being stripped of your identity.There is anonymity in a crowd.

A Normal Brain

Brain of a Violent Person

Preventing Aggression

• Children who are physically abused or punished at home, or who witness violence in their community, are more likely to be aggressive.

• Children who watch martial arts fights or violent TV programs may increase aggression and have more aggressive thoughts

Social ActionSocial ActionProsocial Prosocial BehaviorBehaviorAltruismAltruismHelping that is not motivated by personal gain or notoriety.Anonymity is important.

Cultures where Cultures where individuality is prized, individuality is prized, people are less likely to people are less likely to help.help.The Bystander Effect