PSYC 333 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Positive Illusions, Claude Steele, Hinder
7 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture'8:'The'self'under'threat''
(Feb.'1)'
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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:''
The' lecture' started' with' a' pop-up' quiz' about' temporal' comparison' and'
compartmentalization/integration.''
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For'the'exam:'
1.'You'don’t'need'to'know'the'name'of'the'authors'or'the'dates'of'the'studies.''
2.'You'need'to'understand'the'results'of'the'studies'and'to'understand'the'concepts.'A'
good' way' to' revise' is' to' look' at' the' graphs' and' try' to' do' a' multiple' choices' question'
about'them.''
3.'Around'60-70%'of'the'questions'will'be'on'the'lectures.'The'rest'of'the'questions'will'
be'about'the'readings.''
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Plan:'
I.#Threats#to#the#self##
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II.#Self#affirmation#theory#(Claude#Steele)#
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III.#Cognitive#dissonance###
A.'Classical'explanation'of'cognitive'dissonance.''
B.'Dissonance'as'self-affirmation'(Steel)'
'1.'Study'1'(Steele'and'Liu,'1981)'
'2.'Study'2'(Steele'and'Liu,'1983)'
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IV.#Self-affirmation#
A.'Generality'of'self-affirmation'effect'
B.'Study'1:'Prejudice'as'self-image'maintenance'(Fein'and'Spencer,'1997)'
C.'Study'2'
D.'Self-affirmation'and'negative'health'information'(e.g.,'Harris'and'Nepper,'2006)'
E.'Self'affirmation'and'stereotype'threat'
F.'“Reducing'the'racial'achievement'gap”'(Cohen'et'al.,'2006)'
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I.'Threats'to'the'self''
Threats# to# the# self'(definition):' perceived# failures# to# meet# culturally,# socially# or#
personally#significant#standards''
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Threats'to'the'self'(Sherman'and'Cohen,'2006):'
It'is'amazing'that'any'of'us'can'get'through'the'day'without'experiencing'threat'to'the'
self:' in' a' day' there' are' much' more' possibilities' of' threats' than' possibilities' of'
affirmations,'and'we'can'still'live'with'that.''
Ex:'A' study'showed' that'professional' baseball'players' are' expected'to' do'well' 30%' of'
the'time.'=>'what'about'the'70%'?''
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Threat'to'the'self'can'include:'
-substandard'performance'(on'job'or'in'class)'
-frustrated'goals'or'aspirations'
-info'challenging'validity'of'long-held'beliefs''
-defeat'of'one’s'political'party,'or'favourite'sports'team'during'playoffs'
-evidence'that'you'are'engaging'in'risky'health'behavior'(ex:'you'smoke'and'see'a'poster'
about'effect'of'smoking)'
-illness'
-negative'feedback'at'work/school''
-rejection' of' romantic' partner' (people’s' identity' are' often' wrapped' up' with' their'
romantic'relationship)'
-real'(or'perceived)'social'slights'
-interpersonal'or'intergroup'conflict'
-misbehaviour'of'one’s'child'(or'parent!)'
-loss'of'a'loved'one''
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We'engage'in'a'number#of#defensive#responses:'
-positive#illusions'(“everyone'makes'mistakes'sometimes”)'
-biased# perception/judgment# of# information' (e.g.' attributions' for' poor' exam'
performance)'
But'theses'defensive'thwart#learning#opportunities.'
Ex:'If'we'don’t'acknowledge'that'our'boss'think'we'are'not'performing'well'at'work,'we'
can’t'improve'ourselves.''
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II.'Self'affirmation'theory'(Claude'Steele)'
Claude'Steel'is'an'eminent'social'psychologist.''
Claude' Steel:' “The# purpose# of# the# self# system# is# to# maintain# a# phenomenal#
experience#of# the#self#…'as'adaptively'and'morally'adequate,'that'is,'competent,'good,'
coherent,#unitary,#stable.”##
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The'purpose'of'the'self-system'is'to'maintain#the#sense#of#global#self-integrity.''
All'of'these'particular'aspects'of'the'self'feed'in'the'sense'of'global'self-integrity.'
When#self-system#is#threatened,#people#are#motivated#to#repair#it.#
The'self-system'is'flexible#to'promote'sense'of'self-integrity.''
People# can# affirm# by# engaging# in# activities# that# remind# them# of# “who# they# are”#
(and#doing#so#reduces#self#integrity#implication#of#threatening#events).##
Example:' you' are' a' parent' and' your' child' act' badly.' You' can' cop' with' that' if' you'
emphasize' other' aspect' of' the' self' like' the' goals' that' you' have' or' the' fact' that'your'
favourite'sport'team'just'won.''
Self-affirmation# allows# us# to# face# threat# to# the# self# and# learn# about# it# without#
affecting#global#self-integrity.##
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When'Steel'presented'his'theory,'the'major'theory'was'cognitive'distance.''
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III.'Cognitive'dissonance'''
A.'Classical'explanation'of'cognitive'dissonance''
Definition:'a#behaviour#that#contradicts#an#important#attitude#or#value#arouses#an#
unpleasant#state#of#“dissonance”.''
The'classic'way'to'demonstrate'it'is'to'ask#participants#to#write#a#counter-attitudinal#
essay.##
What'you'see'is'that'people# adjust/align# their#attitude# to#“justify”# their#behaviour#
to#reduce#dissonance-related#to#negative#arousal.##
The'major'explanation'of'this'phenomenon'is'the'need#for#psychological#consistency.'
But'Steel# thought'cognitive'distance'was' an'ego-based# need# to# maintain# a# positive#
stable# self-image.' In' order' to' show' that' the' underline' phenomenon' of' cognitive'
dissonance' as' to' do' with' maintaining' a' good' self-image,' he' replicated' the' dissonance'
affects'experiences' and'introduced'a'third'condition'where'people' were' able' to'affirm'
Document Summary
Lecture 8: the self under threat (feb. 1) temporal comparison and lecture started with a pop-up quiz about. Contruing the social world , from the person and the situation: Perspectives of social psychology/lee ross, richard e. nisbett. For the exam: you don"t need to know the name of the authors or the dates of the studies, you need to understand the results of the studies and to understand the concepts. A good way to revise is to look at the graphs and try to do a multiple choices question about them: around 60-70% of the questions will be on the lectures. The rest of the questions will be about the readings. Cognitive dissonance: classical explanation of cognitive dissonance, dissonance as self-affirmation (steel, study 1 (steele and liu, 1981, study 2 (steele and liu, 1983) Threats to the self (definition): perceived failures to meet culturally, socially or personally significant standards. Threats to the self (sherman and cohen, 2006):
