Sociological Perspectives on Social Psychology (Carr)

Sociology 319 Sociological Perspectives on Social Psychology (Carr) Study Guide for Exam #2 (March 31, 2009)

EXAM INFORMATION 1. Exam #2 for Sociology 319 will be held in class on Tuesday March 31 from 3:20-4:40 p.m. in our usual classroom. Please arrive on time! The exam will be distributed promptly at 3:20. The exam is closed book. Part of the exam will use scantron forms, so please bring a #2 pencil. 2. You are expected to know the material from all of the assigned readings, as well as the information conveyed during lectures. If you are missing any information, you should obtain the lecture notes from either your classmates or the class website. The address is: http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~carrds/class_index.html. 3. The exam will consist of 20 multiple choice questions (2.5 points each), five definitions (5 points each), and one multi-part essay question (25 points). You will be given six terms to define; you should choose to answer the five that you know best. You will not receive extra credit for answering all six. For each definition, you must define the concept (or pair of concepts), and provide an example. The exam worth is a total of 100 points.

KEY CONCEPTS AND ISSUES 1. You should be able to define each of the concepts listed below. You should also be able to point out limitations or critiques of the concepts and studies listed, where applicable. You should also be able to name examples, where applicable.

2. Recall that several themes permeate this class. For instance, five theoretical paradigms - reinforcement theory, cognitive theory, role theory, symbolic interactionism, and evolutionary theory - guide most research in social psychology. Keep these themes in mind as you study! They provide a framework to help you understand and integrate the topics we’ve covered in class.

SPECIFIC CONCEPTS

Social Perception and Person Perception Schemas * Person schema * Implicit personality theory * mental map * Asch (1946) “warm- cold” study as an illustration of implicit personality theory * Kelley’s (1950) “warm-cold” variable study as an illustration of implicit personality theory * halo effect * Dion, Berscheid & Walster (1972) “What is Beautiful is Good” study as an illustration of halo effect * Group schema* Stereotype * Eagly & Steffen (1984) theory of social structural roots of stereotypes * Advantages of using schematic processing * Disadvantages of using schematic processing * Complexity-extremity effect * Averaging model of evaluation * Additive model of evaluation * Weighted average model * Strategies for incorporating new information about people into our perceptions * Recency effects * Primacy effects * Why “first impressions” play an important role in person perception * Self-fulfilling prophecy * Implications for policy and practice *

Attribution Theory and Processes Attribution theory* Heider’s “naive scientist” concept * Dispositional versus situation attributions * Subtractive rule as a guideline for making attributions * Kelley’s (1973) covariation model of attribution * the role of distinctiveness, consensus, and consistency in making attributions to actor, object, and context * Sources of bias in making attributions * Correspondence bias * Explanations for correspondence bias * Fundamental attribution error * Focus of attention bias * Actor-observer effect * Explanations for actor- observer effect * Self-serving bias * Cognitive versus motivational explanations for self-serving bias * Attributions for success and failure (stable-unstable/internal-external) * Motivational and psychological consequences of attributions for success and failure (Weiner) *

Attitudes: Components, Measurement and Structure Definition of attitude * Affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions of attitudes * Importance of attitudes in the field of social psychology * Instrumental conditioning as a source of attitude formation * Newcomb’s (1943) Bennington College study as an illustration of attitude acquisition via instrumental conditioning * Classical conditioning as a source of attitude formation * Observational learning as a source of attitude formation * Direct versus indirect methods of attitude measurement * Single-item measures of attitudes * Likert scale * Semantic differential scale * Wrong number technique * Lost letter technique * Vertical versus horizontal structure of attitudes * Primitive belief versus minor belief * Age, period, and cohort influences on attitudes*

Attitude-Behavior Link LaPiere (1923) study of attitude-behavior link, among hoteliers and restaurateurs * Conditions that strengthen or weaken attitude-behavior link * Situational pressures on attitudes & behavior * Generality/specificity of attitude * Origin of attitude * Direct experience as a source of attitude strength * Self-interest as a source of attitude strength * Ajzen & Fishbein (1977) theory of correspondence and the attitude-behavior relationship * Fishbein-Ajzen Reasoned Action Model as a framework for understanding attitude-behavior links * Behavioral intention * Subjective norms * Strengths and weaknesses of Fishbein-Ajzen model *

Attitudinal Change/Persuasion Persuasion * Communication-persuasion paradigm (source, message, target, effect ) * Characteristics of “successful” communicator * Expertness * Trustworthiness * Liking of communicator * Petty & Cacioppo (1984) elaboration likelihood model of persuasion * central and peripheral routes to persuasion * Strengths and weaknesses of central versus peripheral route to persuasion * Emotional appeals * Fear appeals * Effectiveness of fear appeals * One-sided versus two-sided message as a persuasive strategy * Cultural truism * McGuire’s “inoculation” theory * Refutational defense * Personality factors influencing one’s susceptibility to persuasion * Selective exposure * Media campaign * Mass media as a source of attitudinal change *

Self-Presentation and Impression Management Self-presentation (Goffman) * Impression management * Definition of the situation * Frame * Situated identity * Front * Setting * Appearance * Manner * Front region * Back region * Specific tactics of impression management * Ingratiation * Factors influencing ingratiation behavior (incentive value, subjective probability of success, perceived legitimacy) * opinion conformity * other enhancement * selective self-presentation * self-enhancement versus self- deprecation * playing dumb * altercasting * exemplification * intimidation * supplication * aligning actions * disclaimers * account making * excuses * justifications * concession * refusals * Kalab (1987) study of students’ account making * role distancing * Snyder’s self- monitoring concept * Strategies for detecting deceptive impression management * nonverbal signs of leakage and deception * Embarrassment as the result of ineffective impression management * Tact and audience responses to embarrassment * Cooling out and identity degradation as responses to poor self-presentations * self-presentation strategies in public restrooms (Cahill)

Interpersonal Attraction Interpersonal attraction * Proximity and familiarity as precursors to attraction * mere exposure effect * norm of homogamy * the role of physical attractiveness in interpersonal attraction * physical characteristics deemed “attractive” according to evolutionary psychology researchers (Cunningham) * attractiveness stereotype * matching hypothesis * exchange theory as a paradigm for understanding partner selection * equity theory as a paradigm for understanding partner selection * comparison level of alternatives as a tool for understanding partner selection * attitudinal similarity as a source of liking * The importance of similarity in interpersonal attraction * Buss’ findings on the “Strategies of Human Mating” * Reactions to Buss’ study: Stevens et al. (1990) findings on “Education and Attractiveness in Marriage Choices” study *

Close Relationships Self-disclosure as a component of close relationships * reciprocity in close relationships * trust in close relationships * Rubin’s definition and measurement of “liking” versus “love” * romantic love ideal * Exchange theory as a framework for understanding intimate relationships * Equity theory as a framework for understanding the maintenance of relationships * Sternberg’s taxonomy of love relationships (based on intimacy, passion, and commitment) * Responses to unsatisfying relationships * Loneliness * Attachment theory and its implications for relationship formation and maintenance (Hazan and Shaver)