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Notes on The lectures for week 2 of Social Psychology A coursera class with professor Scott Plous

Attribution theory (Credited to Fritz Heider) People have 3 possible ways of explaining behavior (Harold Kelley's theory)
Explanation 1: Attribute the behavior to a PERSON (this person behaves this way because he or she is ...). We use these attributions if we see three conditions Condition 1: Low consensus (This happens only to one person, or a few persons like this one) Condition 2: Low distinctiveness (Happens in just about any situation to the same person or class of persons) Condition 3: High consistency (Happens every time to that person of class of persons) We (western culture) tend to use more low distinctiveness and high consistency information, but to underestimate consensus Explanation 2: Attribute the behavior to an ENTITY (outside the person) Salience - The more salient something is, the more it is perceived as causal - Example of research applied in policy: The camera filming an interrogation has to be neutral, not make anyone salient (the more salient a defendant, the more guilty he looks) Causal attribution Explanation 3: Attribute the behavior to the OCCASION FUNDAMENTAL ATTRIBUTION ERROR There are as many explanations as observers - People explain more by situation "I was tired of a long day of work" - Observers attribute more to disposition "You always fall asleep when I try to talk to you" Visual orientation can change the attribution - Watching oneself makes us use disposition attribution. "Yeah, I guess I am a little disengaged, I should pay more attention in the future" - Watching from other's perspective, the observer tends more to situation attribution. "Yeah, it is difficult to pay attention after a long day of work"

Discussion of behavior (Classic studies)


Study 1: The Chinese discrimination bias. 1934 by Richard T. LaPierre He traveled the country with a couple of Chinese friends expecting racial discrimination, but found barely one in 251 restaurants he visited People can hold attitudes that have little to do with actual behavior Srudy 2: The not so Good Samaritan. 1973 by Darley & Baston Asked students to give a lecture on the Good Samaritan or not topic at all Then they created conditions of hurry, do not hurry or you are on time Then they were presented with a person in trouble (an actor). This actor will report how much help was offered - People in a hurry did not help the man in need even if they were going to give a speech on the importance of helping people (good Samaritan) - Were they bad people? No they were in a hurry - Attitudes are unrelated to behaviors or actions What is getting in the way of attitudes and behaviors? Attitudes are more general "Hated all the chinese, but not the observed chinese couple" Attitudes and behavior are elicited in different circumstances. "I would feel helpful, but not when I am in a hurry"

Attitude change Relation between attitudes and behavior (which affects which)
People are motivated to avoid psychological inconsistencies Cognitive dissonance theory: we change our attitude or opinions to narrow the gap Self perception theory: focuses on social inferences and is attributional in nature Cognitive dissonance theory involves a natural tendency to reduce or avoid inner conflict

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Notes on The lectures for week 2 of Social Psychology A coursera class with professor Scott Plous

In studies, subjects tried to "make up" for their dissonances in the experiment with biased decisions in the immediate future

If your receiver is smart or aggressive, it is better to start with counterarguments Also it is better if your audience already shares your position (like immunization) Six Shortcuts to persuasion Shortcut 1: Reciprocity
Obligation to give when you receive Always be the first to give

Shortcut 2: Scarcity: People want more of those things that will end (e.g. Concorde trips) Shortcut 3: Authority
Display your diplomas Wear an uniform Have someone to introduce you and say that you are brilliant

Shortcut 4: Consistency
Look for and ask for initial commitments Give them a little sticker and weeks later, ask them for a bigger thing. They will more likely oblige

Shortcut 5: Liking: People prefer to say yes to those who they like
Similar people People who pay compliment People who cooperate

Shortcut 6: Consensus: Look to the actions and behavior of others to decide the own behavior Social influence There is a danger of normalizing the behavior you want to change (make people think about committing a crime by posting an ad prohibiting it) Techniques
Ask people to imagine something Introduce your help Say "even a penny will help" Foot in the door: Make a smaller request and if they comply, then make a larger request Foot in the face: When people deny a large request, they tend to accept future smaller requests The low ball technique: have they agree, and after they agree, disclose the harder conditions

Prepared by Ariadna 73

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