Social Perception and Attribution 3 Brian Parkinson
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Very First Impressions
Emotion Copyright 2006 by the American Psychological Association 2006, Vol. 6, No. 2, 269–278 1528-3542/06/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/1528-3542.6.2.269 Very First Impressions Moshe Bar, Maital Neta, and Heather Linz Martinos Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School First impressions of people’s personalities are often formed by using the visual appearance of their faces. Defining how quickly these impressions can be formed has critical implications for understanding social interactions and for determining the visual properties used to shape them. To study impression formation independent of emotional cues, threat judgments were made on faces with a neutral expression. Consequently, participants’ judgments pertained to the personality rather than to a certain temporary emotional state (e.g., anger). The results demonstrate that consistent first impressions can be formed very quickly, based on whatever information is available within the first 39 ms. First impressions were less consistent under these conditions when the judgments were about intelligence, suggesting that survival- related traits are judged more quickly. The authors propose that low spatial frequencies mediate this swift formation of threat judgments and provide evidence that supports this hypothesis. Keywords: first impressions, threat, face perception, rapid personality judgment, intelligence Our first impressions of others can be truthful. For example, Until now there has not been a clear definition of such temporal humans are excellent in judging personality traits and complex lower limit on impression formation, but relevant studies have social characteristics such as dominance, hierarchy, warmth, and been conducted with relation to the detection of facial valence. -
A Century of Social Psychology: Individuals, Ideas, and Investigations GEORGE R
1 A Century of Social Psychology: Individuals, Ideas, and Investigations GEORGE R. GOETHALS ^ f INTRODUCTION This chapter tells an exciting story of intellectual discovery. At the start of the twentieth century, social psy- chology began addressing age-old philosophical questions using scientific methods. What was the nature of human nature, and did the human condition make it possible for people to work together for good rather than for evil? Social pschology first addressed these questions by looking at the overall impact of groups on individuals and then began to explore more refined questions about social influence and social perception. How do we understand persuasion, stereotypes and prejudice, differences between men and women, and how culture affects thoughts and behavior? In 1954, in his classic chapter on the historical govem themselves. In The Republic, Plato argued that background of modem social psychology, Gordon men organize themselves and form governments Allport nominated Auguste Comte as the founder because they cannot achieve all their goals as of social psychology as a science. He noted that individuals. They are interdependent. Some kind of Comte, the French philosopher and founder of social organization is required. Various forms emerge, positivism, had previously, in 1839, identified depending on the situation, including aristocracy, sociology as a separate discipline. In fact, sociology oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. Plato clearly did not really exist, but Comte saw it coming. favored aristocracy, where the wise and just govern, Allport notes that 'one might say that Comte and allow individuals to develop their full potential. christened sociology many years before it was Whatever the form, social organization and govem- born' (Allport, 1968: 6). -
Back to the Future of Dissonance Theory: Cognitive Consistency As a Core Motive
Social Cognition, Vol. 30, No. 6, 2012, pp. 652–668 GAWRONSKI COGNITIVE CONSISTENCY AS A CORE MOTIVE BACK TO THE FUTURE OF DISSONANCE THEORY: COGNITIVE CONSISTENCY AS A CORE MOTIVE Bertram Gawronski The University of Western Ontario In his theory of cognitive dissonance, Festinger (1957) described cogni- tive consistency as a psychological need that is as basic as hunger and thirst. Over the past decades, however, the idea of cognitive consistency as a core motive has been replaced by an increasingly narrow focus on dissonance-related changes in attitudes and alternative accounts that at- tribute such changes to mechanisms of ego-defense. The current article aims at reviving the idea of cognitive consistency as a core motive, arguing that inconsistency serves as an epistemic cue for errors in one’s system of beliefs. Because inconsistency can often be resolved in multiple ways, motivated reasoning can bias processes of inconsistency resolution toward desired conclusions, although motivated distortions are constrained by the need for cognitive consistency. The ubiquity of consistency processes is il- lustrated through its role in various instances of threat-compensation (e.g., victim derogation, self-verification, system justification) and the insights that can be gained from reconceptualizing various social psychological phenomena in terms of cognitive consistency (e.g., prejudice-related belief systems, dispositional inference, stability of first impressions). Festinger’s (1957) theory of cognitive dissonance is arguably one of the most in- fluential theories in the history of social psychology. The theory postulates that inconsistent cognitions elicit an aversive state of arousal (i.e., dissonance), which in turn produces a desire to reduce the underlying inconsistency and to maintain a state of consonance.1 Although Festinger was convinced that the psychological need for cognitive consistency is as basic as hunger and thirst, several revisions 1. -
The Perceived Validity of Stereotype Threat As an Explanation for Underperformance
University of Connecticut OpenCommons@UConn Master's Theses University of Connecticut Graduate School 11-18-2016 The eP rceived Validity of Stereotype Threat as an Explanation for Underperformance Gabriel Camacho University of Connecticut - Storrs, [email protected] Recommended Citation Camacho, Gabriel, "The eP rceived Validity of Stereotype Threat as an Explanation for Underperformance" (2016). Master's Theses. 1034. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/gs_theses/1034 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the University of Connecticut Graduate School at OpenCommons@UConn. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of OpenCommons@UConn. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Running head: THE PERCEIVED VALIDITY OF STEREOTYPE THREAT The Perceived Validity of Stereotype Threat as an Explanation for Underperformance Gabriel Camacho B.A., University of Virginia, 2012 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science at the University of Connecticut 2016 THE PERCEIVED VALIDITY OF STEREOTYPE THREAT ii APPROVAL PAGE Master of Science Thesis The Perceived Validity of Stereotype Threat as an Explanation for Underperformance Presented by Gabriel Camacho, B.A. Major Advisor________________________________________________________________ Diane M. Quinn Associate Advisor_____________________________________________________________ Felicia Pratto Associate Advisor_____________________________________________________________ -
Can Self-Persuasion Reduce Hostile Attribution Bias in Young Children?
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0499-2 Can Self-Persuasion Reduce Hostile Attribution Bias in Young Children? Anouk van Dijk1 & Sander Thomaes1 & Astrid M. G. Poorthuis1 & Bram Orobio de Castro1 # The Author(s) 2018 Abstract Two experiments tested an intervention approach to reduce young children’s hostile attribution bias and aggression: self-persua- sion. Children with high levels of hostile attribution bias recorded a video-message advocating to peers why story characters who caused a negative outcome may have had nonhostile intentions (self-persuasion condition), or they simply described the stories (control condition). Before and after the manipulation, hostile attribution bias was assessed using vignettes of ambiguous provocations. Study 1 (n =83,age4–8) showed that self-persuasion reduced children’s hostile attribution bias. Study 2 (n = 121, age 6–9) replicated this finding, and further showed that self-persuasion was equally effective at reducing hostile attribution bias as was persuasion by others (i.e., listening to an experimenter advocating for nonhostile intentions). Effects on aggressive behavior, however, were small and only significant for one out of four effects tested. This research provides the first evidence that self-persuasion may be an effective approach to reduce hostile attribution bias in young children. Keywords Hostile attribution bias . Self-persuasion . Aggression . Intervention . Experiments Children’s daily social interactions abound with provocations by Dodge 1994). The present research tests an intervention approach peers, such as when they are physically hurt, laughed at, or ex- to reduce hostile attribution bias in young children. cluded from play. The exact reasons behind these provocations, Most interventions that effectively reduce children’s hostile and especially the issue of whether hostile intent was involved, attribution bias rely on attribution retraining techniques (e.g., are often unclear. -
Social Psychological Approaches to Consciousness
P1: KAE 0521857430c20 CUFX049/Zelazo 0 521 85743 0 printer: cupusbw November 6, 2006 15:55 F. Anthropology/Social Psychology of Consciousness 551 P1: KAE 0521857430c20 CUFX049/Zelazo 0 521 85743 0 printer: cupusbw November 6, 2006 15:55 552 P1: KAE 0521857430c20 CUFX049/Zelazo 0 521 85743 0 printer: cupusbw November 6, 2006 15:55 CHAPTER 20 Social Psychological Approaches to Consciousness John A. Bargh Abstract any given phenomenon. However, because these studies focus on the relative influence A central focus of contemporary social psy- of both conscious and automatic processes, chology has been the relative influence there has been a strong influence within of external (i.e., environmental, situational) social psychology of dual-process models versus internal (i.e., personality, attitudes) that capture these distinctions (e.g., inten- forces in determining social judgment and tional versus unintentional, effortful versus social behavior. But many of the classic find- efficient, aware versus unaware). Another ings in the field – such as Milgram’s obe- reason that dual-process models became dience research, Asch’s conformity studies, popular in social psychology is that the dis- and Zimbardo’s mock-prison experiment – tinction nicely captured an important truth seemed to indicate that the external forces about social cognition and behavior: that swamped the internal ones when the chips people seem to process the identical social were down. Where in the social psycholog- information differently depending on its rel- ical canon was the evidence showing the evance or centrality to their important goals internal, intentional, rational control of one’s and purposes. own behavior? Interestingly, most models of a given phenomenon in social psychol- ogy have started with the assumption of a Introduction major mediational role played by conscious choice and intentional guidance of judg- Historically, social psychology has been con- ment and behavior processes. -
Judgements of Attributional Responsibility, Social Dominance Orientation, and the Insanity Defense
JUDGEMENTS OF ATTRIBUTIONAL RESPONSISBILITY, SOCIAL DOMINANCE ORIENTATION, AND THE INSANITY DEFENSE. By Stephanie Sean Souter A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Humboldt State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Psychology: Academic Research Committee Membership Dr. Gregg J. Gold, Committee Chair Dr. Amanda Hahn, Committee Member Lori Cortez-Regan M.A. Committee Member Dr. Christopher Aberson, Program Graduate Coordinator July 2020 Abstract JUDGEMENTS OF ATTRIBUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY, SOCIAL DOMINANCE ORIENTATION, AND THE INSANITY DEFENSE Stephanie Sean Souter Issues of race, law, and mental health meet at a cross-section when it comes to cases involving the not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) plea in which the defendant is a member of a marginalized group. Although the duty of a juror is to reach a fair and unbiased verdict, the reality is that there are many ways that a person’s thoughts can be biased without them being aware of this (Bargh, 2001). This mock juror experiment (the first of its kind), investigated the role that Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) and attributional responsibility has in the success of NGRI pleas among African American and white defendants diagnosed with schizophrenia. Participants read a police report, a trial summary, and saw a photo where only skin color varied between condition, with either a white or African American defendant. Measures of SDO, attitudes about NGRI, attitudes about mental illness, and perceptions of attributional responsibility were taken. Results from (N = 320) participants suggest negative attitudes about the insanity plea reduces the likelihood of a juror assigning NGRI, R2 = .09, F(1,318) = 31.75, b = -.49, p < .001. -
Impression Formation and Durability in Mediated Communication
ournal of the J ssociation for nformation ystems A I S Research Paper ISSN: 1536-9323 Impression Formation and Durability in Mediated Communication Susan A. Brown Management Information Systems, University of Arizona [email protected] Robert Fuller Sherry M. B. Thatcher Accounting and Information Management, Management Department, University of South Carolina University of Tennessee [email protected] [email protected] Abstract: Using literature from impression formation and social information processing theory, we examine the impact of communication style on impression formation and durability in a mediated environment. We leverage common writing styles found in workplace emails—emoticons, uppercase, lowercase, typographical errors—to examine how message receivers evaluate senders using these styles. Via a lab experiment with 748 subjects, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and working professionals, we found that impressions were associated with writing style beyond the email content. Receivers perceived senders of emails containing emoticons, errors, or written entirely in uppercase or lowercase as less functionally competent. They also perceived senders as less methodologically competent when emails used emoticons and less politically competent when emails were all lowercase or contained errors. They perceived senders using a neutral writing style as less sociable than senders using emoticons. In contrast to impression durability in face-to-face environments, receivers positively revised impressions when senders changed their style to neutral from any of the non-neutral styles. We attribute this difference to two characteristics of the IT artifact: symbol variety and reprocessability. Keywords: Computer-mediated Communication, Social Information Processing Theory, Impression Formation, Email Styles. Fred Niederman was the accepting senior editor. -
Theory and Experiment in Social Communication
THEORY AND EXPERIMENT IN SOCIAL COMMUNICATION BY LEON FESTINGER KURT BACK STANLEY SCHACHTER HAROLD H. KELLEY JOHN THIBAUT 4867 THEORY AND EXPERIMENT IN SOCIAL COMMUNICATION BY LEON FESTINGER KURT BACK STANLEY SCHACHTER HAROLD H. KELLEY JOHN THIBAUT RESEARCH CENTER FOR DYNAMICS INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN REPORT OF STUDIES UNDER OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH CONTRACT OCTOBER, 1950 I.lllioptmiill In U.S.A. EDWARDS BROTHERS, INC. ANN All BO PI. MICHIGAN 1 9 J 1 FOREWORD For the past three years the Research Center for Group Dynamics has been conducting a program of research in the area of social com• munication under contract N6onr-23212 NR 170 698 with the Office of Naval Research. During these years two field studies and a number of laboratory experiments have been done. This compilation presents the reports of the laboratory studies together with a theoretical integration of the work which has been done to date. These studies have centered mainly on two sets of problems, namely, communication stemming from pres• sures toward uniformity in groups and communication in hierarchical structures. The reports of the experiments in this compilation are grouped along these lines. While all of the studies were done at the Research Center for Group Dynamics, some of the authors have since gone elsewhere. Kurt Back is now on the staff of the United States Bureau of the Census. Stanley Schachter is a member of the Department of Psychology of the Uni• versity of Minnesota. John Thibaut is in the Psychology Department of Boston University. Leon Festinger, under whose general supervision this program is being carried out, and Harold H. -
Why Accuracy Dominates Bias and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN SCIENCES (2017), Page 1 of 65 doi:10.1017/S0140525X1500062X,e1 Précis of Social Perception and Social Reality: Why accuracy dominates bias and self-fulfilling prophecy Lee Jussim Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08544. [email protected] http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/∼jussim Abstract: Social Perception and Social Reality (Jussim 2012) reviews the evidence in social psychology and related fields and reaches three conclusions: (1) Although errors, biases, and self-fulfilling prophecies in person perception are real, reliable, and occasionally quite powerful, on average, they tend to be weak, fragile, and fleeting. (2) Perceptions of individuals and groups tend to be at least moderately, and often highly accurate. (3) Conclusions based on the research on error, bias, and self-fulfilling prophecies routinely greatly overstate their power and pervasiveness, and consistently ignore evidence of accuracy, agreement, and rationality in social perception. The weight of the evidence – including some of the most classic research widely interpreted as testifying to the power of biased and self-fulfilling processes – is that interpersonal expectations relate to social reality primarily because they reflect rather than cause social reality. This is the case not only for teacher expectations, but also for social stereotypes, both as perceptions of groups, and as the bases of expectations regarding individuals. The time is long overdue to replace cherry-picked and unjustified stories emphasizing error, bias, the power of self-fulfilling prophecies, and the inaccuracy of stereotypes, with conclusions that more closely correspond to the full range of empirical findings, which includes multiple failed replications of classic expectancy studies, meta- analyses consistently demonstrating small or at best moderate expectancy effects, and high accuracy in social perception. -
Stanley Schachter 1922–1997
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES STANLEY SCHACHTER 1922–1997 A Biographical Memoir by RICHARD E. NISBETT Biographical Memoirs, VOLUME 78 PUBLISHED 2000 BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. Courtesy of Columbia University. STANLEY SCHACHTER April 15, 1922–June 7, 1997 BY RICHARD E. NISBETT TANLEY SCHACHTER was one of the very few social psycholo- Sgists ever elected to the National Academy of Sciences (in 1983). His contributions ranged across the study of com- munication and social influence, group processes, sources of the affiliation motive, intellectual and temperamental correlates of birth order, nature of emotional experience, people’s ability to correctly attribute the causes of their behavior to external versus internal factors, causes of obesity and eating behavior disorders, the addictive nature of nicotine, psychological reactions to events that affect stock market prices, and the proper interpretation of “filled” (“uh,” “er”) pauses in speech. Few, if any, social psychologists ever made contributions over a wider range of topics. Remark- ably, the diverse content of the contributions was tied to- gether by a small number of powerful theoretical concepts. Stanley Schachter was born on April 15, 1922, to Nathan and Anna Schachter in Flushing, then a semi-rural part of Queens, New York. Knowing that he wanted to go away to school, but knowing nothing of the rarefied and preppy atmosphere he was about to enter, he chose Yale, where he initially majored in art history. He stayed on for a master’s degree in Yale’s psychology department, which he found 3 4 BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS far more to his liking than the undergraduate school. -
Illusion and Well-Being: a Social Psychological Perspective on Mental Health
Psyehologlcal Bulletin Copyright 1988 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 1988, Vol. 103, No. 2, 193-210 0033-2909/88/$00.75 Illusion and Well-Being: A Social Psychological Perspective on Mental Health Shelley E. Taylor Jonathon D. Brown University of California, Los Angeles Southern Methodist University Many prominenttheorists have argued that accurate perceptions of the self, the world, and the future are essential for mental health. Yet considerable research evidence suggests that overly positive self- evaluations, exaggerated perceptions of control or mastery, and unrealistic optimism are characteris- tic of normal human thought. Moreover, these illusions appear to promote other criteria of mental health, including the ability to care about others, the ability to be happy or contented, and the ability to engage in productive and creative work. These strategies may succeed, in large part, because both the social world and cognitive-processingmechanisms impose filters on incoming information that distort it in a positive direction; negativeinformation may be isolated and represented in as unthreat- ening a manner as possible. These positive illusions may be especially useful when an individual receives negative feedback or is otherwise threatened and may be especially adaptive under these circumstances. Decades of psychological wisdom have established contact dox: How can positive misperceptions of one's self and the envi- with reality as a hallmark of mental health. In this view, the ronment be adaptive when accurate information processing wcU-adjusted person is thought to engage in accurate reality seems to be essential for learning and successful functioning in testing,whereas the individual whose vision is clouded by illu- the world? Our primary goal is to weave a theoretical context sion is regarded as vulnerable to, ifnot already a victim of, men- for thinking about mental health.