PSYC201

Ch10:Behaviorsinsocialandculturalcontext
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Chapter 10

behavior in social and cultural context

I. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY

A. Social psychologists study how social roles, attitudes, relationships, and
groups influence people to do things they would not necessarily do on their own
B. Cultural psychologists study the origins of roles, attitudes, and group norms
in peoples ethnic, regional, and national communities
II. ROLES AND RULES
A. Definitions
1. Norms--rules about how people are supposed to act
2. Roles--positions in society that are regulated by norms about how people
in
those positions should behave
III. SOCIAL INFLUENCES ON BELIEFS
A. Social cognition--area in social psychology concerned with social influences
on
thought, memory, perception, and other cognitive processes
B. Attributions
1. Attribution theory--theory that people are motivated to explain their own
and others behavior by attributing causes of that behavior to a situation
or a disposition
a. Situational attributions--identify the cause of an action as something in
the
environment
b. Dispositional attributions--identify the cause of an action as something
in the person, such as a trait or motive
c. Fundamental attribution error
(1) Tendency to overestimate personality factors and underestimate
the
influence of the situation when explaining someone elses
behavior
(2) More prevalent in Western cultures
d. Self-serving bias--when explaining ones own behavior, people take
credit for good actions and attribute the bad ones to the situation
e. Just-world hypothesis
(1) People have a need to believe the world is fair and that good people
are rewarded and bad people are punished
(2) This can lead to blaming the victim
2. Most human actions are determined by both the situation and personality
C. Attitudes
1. Attitudes are relatively stable opinions containing a cognitive element and
an emotional element
2. Friendly persuasion : Repetition of information increases the likelihood it
will be believed;Exposure to an argument from an attractive person is also
persuasive; Pairing a message with something pleasant increases
persuasion; Fear
3. Coercive persuasion (brainwashing) involves the following processes:
a. The person is put under physical or emotional distress
b. The persons problems are defined in simplistic terms and simple
answers are offered repeatedly
c. The leader offers unconditional love, acceptance, and attention
d. A new identity based on the group is created
e. The person is subjected to entrapment
f. The persons access to information is severely controlled.

PSYC201
Ch10:Behaviorsinsocialandculturalcontext
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IV. INDIVIDUALS IN GROUPS

A. Conformity--taking action or adopting attitudes as a result of real or imagined
pressures; influences = social norms, culture
B. Groupthink
1. Groupthink--the tendency for all members of the group to think alike and
suppress dissent
a. When the need for agreement overwhelms the need for the wisest
choice
C. The anonymous crowd
1. Diffusion of responsibility = Tendency of individuals to fail to take action
because they believe someone else will do so
2. Social loafing
a. Diffusion of responsibility in work groups
b. Individuals slow down and let others work harder
c. Does not happen in all groups
(1) Increases: (a) When members are not accountable for their work,
(b) When working harder duplicates efforts, (c) When the work is
uninteresting
(2) Declines:
(a) With challenging work;
(b) When each member
has a
different job
D. Altruism and dissent
1. Altruism--a willingness to take selfless or dangerous action on behalf of
others
V. US VERSUS THEM: GROUP IDENTITY
A. Ethnic identity
1. Personal identity--a sense of self that is based on our own unique traits
2. Social identities--aspects of our self-concepts that are based on
nationality,
ethnicity, religion, and social roles
a. Many people face a dilemma of balancing ethnic identity (close
affiliation
with a religious or ethnic group) with acculturation
(identifying with and feeling part of the dominant culture)
B. Ethnocentrism = The belief that ones own culture or ethnic group is
superior
C. Stereotypes
1. Summary impression of a group in which all members of that group are
viewed as sharing a common trait or traits
2. They help us quickly process new information, retrieve memories, and
organize experience
VI. GROUP CONFLICT AND PREJUDICE
A. Consists of a negative stereotype and strong emotional dislike of a group and
a B. The origins of prejudice
1. It can ward off feelings of doubt and fear
2. Prejudice is a tonic for low self-esteem
3. Economic benefits and justification of majority group dominance in times
of job competition
C. Reducing conflict and prejudice
1. Both sides have equal status and economic standing
2. Both sides have opportunities to work and socialize together
3. Both sides must have the moral, legal, and economic support of
authorities
4. Both sides cooperate in working toward a common goal