Social Psychology

[Buela_Vigneswaran]

Social Psychology

Social psychology examines how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts, emphasizing the influence of others on our actions. Here’s an overview:

1. Social Cognition and Perception

• Social Cognition: How people process, store, and apply information about others.
  • Concepts: Schemas (mental frameworks), stereotypes, and attribution.
• Attribution Theory: Explains how people attribute causes to behavior.
  • Internal (Dispositional): Attributing behavior to personal traits.
  • External (Situational): Attributing behavior to environmental factors.
  • Fundamental Attribution Error: Overemphasis on internal causes for others’ actions.

2. Attitudes and Persuasion

• Attitudes: Combinations of beliefs, feelings, and behaviors toward objects or situations.
• Persuasion Theories:
  • Central Route: Based on logical arguments and evidence.
  • Peripheral Route: Based on superficial cues like appearance or emotions.
• Concepts: Cognitive dissonance (inconsistencies between attitudes and behavior).

3. Group Dynamics and Behavior

• Conformity: Adjusting behavior to align with group norms (e.g., Asch’s conformity experiments).
• Obedience: Following authority figures (e.g., Milgram’s study on obedience).
• Groupthink: When group harmony overrides realistic decision-making.
• Social Loafing: Reduced effort when working in a group.

4. Prejudice, Discrimination, and Stereotyping

• Prejudice: Negative attitudes toward a group.
• Discrimination: Acting unfairly based on prejudice.
• Stereotypes: Oversimplified beliefs about a group.
• Strategies to reduce prejudice include contact theory and education.

5. Interpersonal Relationships

• Factors influencing relationships:
  • Attraction: Physical appearance, proximity, similarity.
  • Social Exchange Theory: Relationships are based on costs and benefits.
• Types of relationships: Friendship, romantic, family bonds.