PSYO 1012 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Parental Investment, Social Exchange Theory, Reciprocal Liking
4 Jul 2018
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Lesson 9: Social Behaviour 2
Chapter 14
Discuss how our tendency to identify with groups can lead to prejudice (in-group vs.
out-group)
- We sometimes evaluate and treat people differently because of the group they belong to.
- Our actions are based on in-group/out-group distinctions (“us” versus “them”).
- It hurts to be excluded from our group.
In-group/out-group bias: when we show positive feelings toward people in our own group and
negative feelings toward those in other groups.
Out-group homogeneity: the tendency to see all members of an out-group as the same.
- Ratings of perceived similarity were correlated with willingness to affiliate with ethnic
out-groups.
- The brain’s physical pain circuits also evolved to signal when we have been excluded
from the group.
Define prejudice and discrimination
Prejudice: a biased attitude toward a group of people or an individual member of a group based
on generalizations about what members of that group are like.
- Often stems from stereotypes rather than from careful observation of people’ behaviour.
- Generally negative and often based on insufficient information.
-Racism: prejudices based on race-ethnicity.
-Sexism: prejudices based on sex.
- Prejudicial attitudes are learned early in life; and even if they are formally abandoned
later in life, these reactions can become quite automatic.
- They can operate outside conscious awareness, and sometimes stand in stark contrast to
one’s conscious beliefs.
Discrimination: negative actions directed towards another based upon that individual’s group
membership and is usually the results of prejudicial attitudes.
- Can results from institutionalized rules, such as a requirement that firefighters must be a
certain height, which often discriminates against women and some ethic groups.
Discuss the factors that influence aggression
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Aggression: violent behaviour that is intended to cause psychological or physical harm, or both,
to another being.
- Aggression is deliberate and is often provoked by anger.
- Hostile aggression occurs when aggression stems from feelings of anger.
- Instrumental aggression occurs when aggression is a means to achieve some goal.
- When genetic factors combine with an abusive and neglectful environment, the likelihood
of committing violence increases dramatically.
- Cluster of traits shared by murderers include: being male, growing up in an abusive or
neglectful household, having at least one psychological disorder, and having experienced
some kind of injury to the head or brain.
- The hypothalamus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex are involved in aggression.
oThe part of the prefrontal cortex responsible for impulse control is often
functionally impaired in aggressive and violent people.
oAmygdala damage is found in murderers.
Murderers may have problems with frontal lobe functioning involving
impulse control, emotional intelligence, working memory, and attention.
oLiving in a constant state of fear can lead to neural systems being primed for
unusually high levels of anxiety, impulsive behaviour, and vigilance, or a constant
state of alertness.
oThe two chemical messengers related to aggression are serotonin and testosterone.
- Social influences on aggression
oSituations that frustrate us and prevent us from reaching our goals are likely to
make us aggressive.
oThe closer we are to our goal, the more frustrated we become.
oThe fundamental idea behind Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory is that
observing aggressive people and the consequences of their actions can make us
more aggressive.
oExposure to violent programs or video games increases aggression in kids;
however, sex, personality, and family violence also play a role in aggressive
behaviour.
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Document Summary
Discuss how our tendency to identify with groups can lead to prejudice (in-group vs. out-group) We sometimes evaluate and treat people differently because of the group they belong to. Our actions are based on in-group/out-group distinctions ( us versus them ). It hurts to be excluded from our group. In-group/out-group bias: when we show positive feelings toward people in our own group and negative feelings toward those in other groups. Out-group homogeneity: the tendency to see all members of an out-group as the same. Ratings of perceived similarity were correlated with willingness to affiliate with ethnic out-groups. The brain"s physical pain circuits also evolved to signal when we have been excluded from the group. Prejudice: a biased attitude toward a group of people or an individual member of a group based on generalizations about what members of that group are like. Often stems from stereotypes rather than from careful observation of people" behaviour.
