Week 2
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This document provides an overview of key concepts in social psychology, including social exchange theory, social cognition theory, and symbolic interaction. Social exchange theory examines relationships in terms of the reciprocal exchange of resources and benefits, and how power dynamics influence these exchanges. Social cognition theory focuses on how people develop schemas and make inferences to understand social situations and behaviors. Symbolic interaction emphasizes the everyday negotiations and meanings created through social interactions and gestures.
Week 2
- 1. SCY2400-SCY3400Week 2 – What is Social PsychologyDebbie McCormick
- 2. This WeekHousekeepingWhat is Social PsychologyPsycho-social factors of behaviourConceptual frameworks (Ways of understanding)Social CognitionSocial Exchange TheorySymbolic InteractionFunLearn something
- 4. FacebookNot an official Monash page
- 5. Official notifications posted to Blackboard
- 6. Post relevant pictures, links, newsBlackboardDiscussion forums
- 7. Chat
- 8. Calendar
- 11. What is Social PsychologyPsychologyAcknowledges social and cultural forcesIndividual is primary unit of analysisEvaluates differences in behaviour at functions of:PersonalityEmotional makeupAptitudeSociologyAcknowledges individual processesGive priority to the impact of social dynamics and social contexts which shape:CognitionEmotional experiencesBehaviour
- 12. What is Social PsychologyThe ‘Social’Effect of others on individual behaviourThe situation (context)Interactions and exchanges at the micro-level, group dynamics and group development, and crowds at the macro-level.The ‘Psychological’Individual and individual traits/responses
- 13. What is Social PsychologyStudy of relationships between people with respect to:Individual ‘mental processes’ (psychodynamics) and;Meaning given to experience as it derives from social values/normsSocial psychologists are interested in the impact that social environment and interaction has on attitudes and behaviors
- 14. What is Social PsychologyConcerned with a wide range of social topics, including:group behaviorsocial perceptionleadershipnonverbal behaviorconformityaggressionprejudice
- 15. How could this happen?When someone is in an accident or otherwise needs help, he or she has a better chance of getting help if only one other person is present than if several are present. True.Video “The Bystander Effect” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSsPfbup0ac Three traditional social psychological explanationsSocial influenceEvaluation apprehensionDiffusion of responsibility
- 16. Social InfluenceThe effects of others behaviour on your actions and decisionsInterpretation (Informational)People look to others to assess whether there is an emergency, and if so, what to do about it. If no one else is doing anything then perhaps it’s not an emergency.Social norms (Normative)Social norms prescribe the privacy of intimate relationships.Clark, R. D., III, & Word, L. E. 1972. "Why don't bystanders help? Because of ambiguity." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24, 392-400.
- 17. Evaluation ApprehensionEmotional rather than cognitive Concern with what others might think about themPeople may experience evaluation apprehension when they are part of a negatively stereotyped group and involved in a stereotype-linked activity.http://www.despair.com/connot.html
- 18. Diffusion of ResponsibilityLess people = less diffusionMany of the 38 witnesses of Kitty Genovese’s murder said they assumed someone else had taken actionVideo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OdKow7IAuwLatane, B., & Darley, J. 1970. The unresponsive bystander: Why doesn't he help? New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts
- 19. Other factorsGenderWould they have reacted differently if victim and assailant were same gender?They were different gender?SocioeconomicWould someone have been more likely to respond if the attack occurred in an affluent area?Gender is a central factor in most social situations
- 20. Conceptual (Theoretical) FrameworksA conceptual (theoretical) frameworkis used in research to outline possible courses of action or to present a preferred approach to an idea or thought.
- 21. Key principles of behaviourismReward = encourages behaviourPunishment = discourages behaviourWe learn behaviours by doing or watching, and experiencing consequencesSocial Learning Theory – individual behaviourSocial Exchange Theory - applies these principles to understanding social behaviour
- 22. Social Exchange TheoryEvery human relationship involves the exchange of resources:Material (money, goods)Intangible (status, affection)If balance becomes unequal, disadvantaged partner may exitKey factor is availability of alternativesMay remain if alternatives are worse
- 23. Social Exchange TheoryOperation of PowerGreater control than the other over available rewards and punishments = more power
- 24. Need the relationship less
- 25. Tables can be turnedhttp://www.funagain.com/control/product?product_id=014054
- 26. Social Exchange TheoryGivesGetsTime & expertise (P)Time (S)Subservient behaviour (S)Status acknowledgementStatus enhancement (P)Personal satisfaction (P)Individual tutoring (S)
- 27. Social Exchange Theory – Main PointsFacilitates the analysis of behaviour in the context of social interactionAnswers offered emphasise situated, individual powerMethod minimises effect of socialstructuresthat may advantage the otherGenderAgeOccupation
- 28. Social CognitionEmphasises the ways in which we think about our social worldsTwo fundamental premises:Cognitive mediation = thought intervenes between action and behaviourBecause we can’t perceive or use all the information in a situation our minds only process a portion Distinguishes between the ways our thoughts are organised and processed
- 29. SchemasSocial SchemasOrganised, abstract frameworks of informationRepeated experience with people, social roles, or situations allow us to develop expectations of ‘typical’ behaviourWe develop schemas about:People and ourselvesSocial position (gender or race stereotypes)Social roles (parent, student, teacher)Social situations (going to the movies, queuing)
- 30. SchemasWhen we enter a situation we need to:Attend to some things in the environment, but not allStore some information, but not allRetrieve information from long-term memory, but not allInfo is used to make social inferencesDecisionsJudgements of probabilityEvaluationsAttributions of causality or assessments of the characteristics of others
- 31. SchemasThe schemas we develop are informed and influenced by existing schemasPeople in different social positions and with different social experiences may develop systematically different schemasVariations lead to systematic differences in the evaluations and judgements
- 32. Symbolic InteractionEmphasises the everyday interactions and negotiations that constitute social lifeMeaning is not inherent in the people or objects a person encounters but is created by the person perceiving themThis implies that one of the main tasks of social interaction is to come to a shared definition into a common perspective that facilitates the accomplishment of their mutual goals
- 33. Symbolic InteractionSymbolic Interaction is the nuances of an interactionSymbolic gestures used in interactions include:Sitting or standing Tone of voiceNon verbal indications
- 34. SummarySocial Exchange Theory focuses on the nature of exchangesWhat do people get; what do they give?Who has the power?Social Cognition Theory Actors perceptions, thoughts and Expectations about self and others behaviourSymbolicInteractionAddresses actual negotiations between actorsWhat symbolic gestures are used in the interaction
Editor's Notes
- #11: Groupbehaviour- large and small, crowds, dyadsSocial perception – how we perceive society and othersLeadership - political, warNonverbal Behaviour – cultural, virtualConformity – why do people conform, implicationsAggression – conflict, interpersonal, civil, wars, terrorismPrejudice – stereotyping, bias
- #12: Social behaviourcan be caused by multiple factors and understood in a variety of ways. Let’s go back to the video we watched last weekVideo 3.36
- #13: Situation is often ambiguous so people look to others for clues about how to act
- #14: if no one else is intervening they may be appear foolish or wrong to intervene Example – In the past a woman may have felt uncomfortable working in a male-dominated environmentPeople who run on crime shows who aren’t guilty
- #15: Diffusion of responsibility – people will usually leave it up to others to assistHypothesised that if the Kitty Genovese tragedy had happened in a park where the only people present were Kitty, the assailant and bystander, the bystander would have been more likely to help Movie theatre power outage story What would you do – movie theatre scenario, baby in the car, Kitty Genovese
- #16: In the Kitty Genovese case, in woman/man households it was the man who decided to take action These are crucial question in social psychology because, more than many other discipline, it sees human behaviour as rooted in social context, Examples where this could come into play? You are on the train station a woman is being hit by another woman A man is hitting a woman A woman is slapping a child A woman is hitting a man No one has only one factor
- #17: In the research possible causes of behaviour a framework assists, as the name says, in ‘framing’ the ideas, methods of reserch etc
- #19: People tend to stay in mutually rewarding relationships. If the exchange relations are not mutually rewarding a relationship is likely to be terminated by the disadvantaged partner.
- #20: Story of the teacher and student – who gives what, who gets what (whiteboard)
- #21: Does the student have other ways of passing the course?
- #23: How we think about our environment affects how we behave. Two different people in the same situation may behave differently, based on how they think about the situation
- #24: The need for cognitive efficiency encourages the development of cognitive categories such as social schemas as a way of organising informationExamples (Woody Allen ‘type’)Schema exercise
- #25: Whay are schemas necessary and how do they work?We use schemas in selecting what to attend to, what information to retain in memory, and what information to retrieve in making social inferences.
- #26: Like building blocks - something plus something = somethingIs something always the sum of all it’s parts?
- #28: Ask what each could signify