PSY 2012 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Social Comparison Theory, Robin Dunbar, Fundamental Attribution Error
13 Apr 2018
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Document Summary
Social psychology- the study of how people influence others" behavior, beliefs, and attitudes- for both good and bad. Conformity, obedience, and many other forms of social influence are usually good, but can become bad when they are blind or unquestioning. Social comparison theory- we evaluate our abilities and beliefs by comparing them with those of others. Upward social comparison- we compare ourselves with people who seem superior to us in some way, can be positive. Downward social comparison- we compare ourselves with others who seem inferior to us in some way, usually positive. Mass hysteria- contagious outbreak of irrational behavior that spreads much like an epidemic. Social facilitation- the presence of others enhances our performance on easy tasks. Social disruption- the presence of others worsens our performance on difficult task. Attributions- assigning causes to behavior: internal- motivations inside the person, bank robber robbed because he is impulsive, external- motivations outside the person, bank robber robbed because his family is poor.
