PSYC 333 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Stage Fright, Cognitive Load, Social Comparison Theory
7 May 2018
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Department
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Professor
Lecture'7:'Self-presentation'II''
(Jan.'30)'
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Bibliography:'
-Ross,' Lee.' “Contruing' the' Social' World”,' from' The' Person' and' the' Situation:'
Perspectives' of' Social' Psychology/Lee' Ross,' Richard' E.' Nisbett.' Philadelphia:' Temple'
University'Press,'1991.''
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Introduction':'Self-enhancement'
Some'researchers'argued'that'the'need'for'self-enhancement'is'the'bedrock'assumption'
of'social'psychology.'
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As'we'saw'last'weeks,'individuals'have:''
-a'strong'desire'to'have'a'positive'self'view'
-positive'illusions'
-a'strong'desire'for'others'to'see'us'positively''
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=>'How'do'we'support'such'positive'self-views?''
Last' class' we' talked' about' non-motivational' reasons,' today' we' will' talk' about'
motivational)social)reasons.''
1.' biased) evaluations) when) we) compare) ourselves) to) others'(e.g.,' better' than'
average'effect)'
2.'biased)evaluations)when)we)compare)ourselves)to)our)self)=>'the'subject'of'today'
course'
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Plan:'
I.)Temporal)Comparison)and)Social)Comparison)))
A.'The'temporal'self'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2000,'2001,'2002)'
B.'Self-enhance'and'self-evaluate'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2000,'study'4)'
C.'Prime'enhancement'vs.'evaluation'goals'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2000,'Study'2)'
D.'Temporal'comparisons'
E.'Social'comparison'theory'
F.'“From'Chump'to'Champ”'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2001)'
G.'Temporal'distance'manipulation'(Wislon'and'Ross,'2001,'Study'6)'
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II.)Self-enhancement)vs.)verification)
A.'Why'verify?'
B.'How'to'test'it?''
C.'Studies:'Low'and'High'Self-Esteem'and'Self-verification'Strivings'
D.'Cognitive-affective'crossfire'
E.'Dual'process'theories'
F.'Self-esteem'and'temporal'distance'
G.'The'Spotlight'effect''
'1.'The'Spotlight'Effect'(Gilovich,'Medvec,'Savitsky,'2000,'Study'1)'
'2.'“Group'discussion”'(Gilovich,'Medvec,'Savitsky,'2000,'Study'3)'
I.'Temporal'Comparison'and'Social'Comparison'''
A.'The'temporal'self'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2000,'2001,'2002)'
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We'have'many'selves'over'time.''
How'am'I'compared'to'how'I'used'to'be?'=>'Asking'ourselves'this'question'is'a'way)to)
maintain)a)positive)self-view.))
Social) comparison) can) be) threatening' (we' often' compare' to' similar' or' superior'
others)' to' ourselves' but' temporal) comparison'-'esp' to' past' selves' –' are) often)
“downward”)and)therefore)feel)safe.))
Ex:'I'used'to'be'shy'in'kindergarten'but'now'I'am'extraverted'(temporal'comparison)'
Vs'How'shy'am'I'compared'to'my'peers'?'(social'comparison)''
People)see)themselves)has)improving)overtime.))
H:' Temporal' (vs.' social)' comparisons' are' favoured' when' people' want' to' enhance'
themselves'because'they'are'safer.''
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B.'Self-enhance'and'self-evaluate'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2000,'study'4)'
Method:''
1.'Participants'where'put'in'different'mindset:'self-enhance'and'self-evaluate.''
-Instructions:'self'enhance'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2000,'study'4)'
Sometimes'we'want'to'describe)ourselves)in)a)way)that)makes)us)feel)particularly)
good) about) ourselves.'We'select'information'that'makes) us) feel) best) and) describe)
ourselves)in)the)most)positive)light.)
Describe'yourself'in'a'way)that)makes)you)feel)good)about)yourself.''
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-Instructions:'self'evaluate'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2000,'study'4)'
Sometimes' we' want' to' evaluate) ourselves) as) accurately) as) possible.'We' select'
information' that) we) feel) is) most) useful) and) relevant) in) making) a) precise)
assessment)of)ourselves.'
Describe'yourself'in'a'way'that'provides)the)most)accurate)assessment)of)yourself.)
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Results:''
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People' primed' with' enhance) goal' made' more) temporal) comparison) than) social)
comparison.)
Those' will' the' accuracy) goal) made) more) social) comparison) than) temporal)
comparison.'
They' also' measured' mood' after' the' study:' people' in' the' enhance' condition' were' in' a'
better' mood' than' people' in' the' evaluate' condition.' =>' we' feel' better' about' ourselves'
when'we'make'temporal'comparison'(vs.'social'comparison).''
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C.'Prime'enhancement'vs.'evaluation'goals'(Wilson'and'Ross,'2000,'Study'2)'
Method:''
=>'In'this'study,'enhancement'and'evaluation'were'prime,'people'were'not'explicitly'ask'
to'self'enhance'or'self'evaluate.''
Prime'and'not'explicitly'ask'people'
1.'“Word'association'task”'People'read'36'words'and'categorize'according'to'meaning.'
Half'of'the'participants'are'put'in'a'enhance'condition,'and'half'in'a'evaluation'condition.''
-Enhance' (positively' and' praise):' flawless,' worthy,' positive,' satisfied,' flatter,' boast,'
approve,'admire'
-Evaluation' (accuracy' and' evaluation):' factual,' unbiased,' precise,' honest,' scrutinize,'
verify,'assess,'evaluate''
2.' Participants' are' ask' to' describe' their' selves' on' number' of' attributes' (social' skills,'
independence,'self-confidence,'open-mindedness)'
3.'Open-ended'self-descriptions'coded'for'comparison'standard''
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Results:''
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This' study' confirm' the' first' study:' people' in' the' enhance' prime' make' more' temporal'
comparison'than'social'comparison,'and'people'in'the'evaluate'prime'make'more'social'
comparison'than'temporal'comparison.''
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Document Summary
Contruing the social world , from the person and the situation: Perspectives of social psychology/lee ross, richard e. nisbett. Some researchers argued that the need for self-enhancement is the bedrock assumption of social psychology. A strong desire to have a positive self view. A strong desire for others to see us positively. => asking ourselves this question is a way to maintain a positive self-view. Social comparison can be threatening (we often compare to similar or superior others) to ourselves but temporal comparison - esp to past selves are often. Ex: i used to be shy in kindergarten but now i am extraverted (temporal comparison) Vs how shy am i compared to my peers ? (social comparison) H: temporal (vs. social) comparisons are favoured when people want to enhance themselves because they are safer: self-enhance and self-evaluate (wilson and ross, 2000, study 4) Method: participants where put in different mindset: self-enhance and self-evaluate.
