Introduction to Social PsychologyIntroduction to Social PsychologyResearch/Ethical issuesResearch/Ethical issues

The Person and the SituationThe Person and the Situation

Social PsychologySocial PsychologyChapters 1 & 2Chapters 1 & 2

August 27, 2004August 27, 2004Class #1Class #1

What is Social Psychology?What is Social Psychology?

Social psychologySocial psychology is the scientific study is the scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by other behaviors are influenced by other peoplepeople

Social Psychology, like any science, involves:Social Psychology, like any science, involves:Description:Description: careful and reliable observationcareful and reliable observationExplanation:Explanation: Development of Development of theoriestheories that that

connect and organize observationsconnect and organize observations

Sociocultural PerspectiveSociocultural Perspective

Looks at the whats involved in large social groups Looks at the whats involved in large social groups such as: such as:

norms within cultural groupsnorms within cultural groups social class differencessocial class differences nationality/ethnicitynationality/ethnicity FadsFads

Social NormsSocial Normsrules and expectations for appropriate social behaviorrules and expectations for appropriate social behavior

CultureCulturebeliefs, customs, habits, and language shared beliefs, customs, habits, and language shared by the people living in a particular time and by the people living in a particular time and placeplace

Evolutionary PerspectiveEvolutionary Perspective Genetic predispositions inherited from our ancestors That promoted their survival and reproduction (such as)

tendency to automatically recognize an angry face Animals with features suited to demands of environment

will survive better than those with less well-adapted features

In the same way, humans who are best suited to their environment will be most successful

What we pay attention toWhat we pay attention toHow we interpret and judge social How we interpret and judge social

situationssituationsWhat we retrieve from memory What we retrieve from memory (such as)(such as)

People notice the behaviors of group People notice the behaviors of group members who are in a minority, and members who are in a minority, and exaggerate the significance of the things exaggerate the significance of the things they dothey do

What we pay attention toWhat we pay attention toHow we interpret and judge social How we interpret and judge social

situationssituationsWhat we retrieve from memory What we retrieve from memory (such as)(such as)

People notice the behaviors of group People notice the behaviors of group members who are in a minority, and members who are in a minority, and exaggerate the significance of the things exaggerate the significance of the things they dothey do

Social Cognitive PerspectiveSocial Cognitive Perspective

Ethical Issues in Social PsychologyEthical Issues in Social Psychology

DeceptionDeception

Use of DeceptionUse of Deception

Milgram (1974)Milgram (1974) • Original study included 40 male college Original study included 40 male college

students as the participantsstudents as the participants• Several other versions were conducted Several other versions were conducted

by Stanley Milgram who was a professor by Stanley Milgram who was a professor at Yale University (approx. 1000 at Yale University (approx. 1000 subjects overall)subjects overall)

Milgram (1974)Milgram (1974)

Did they realize it was a hoax?Did they realize it was a hoax?• No, film of the experiments clearly No, film of the experiments clearly

show that subjects were very show that subjects were very uncomfortable – sweating, uncomfortable – sweating, fidgeting, giggling nervously, etc.fidgeting, giggling nervously, etc.

Milgram (1974)Milgram (1974)

How many of the subjects went all How many of the subjects went all the way and hit that final switch (450 the way and hit that final switch (450 volts) even after the learner had volts) even after the learner had apparently passed out????apparently passed out????

Ethical Implications Involved…Ethical Implications Involved…

Implications of this????Implications of this???? Would never be done today – Would never be done today –

considered unethicalconsidered unethical

American Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological Association

Human Subjects Committee Human Subjects Committee Research Review Board (APA) Research Review Board (APA) guidelines:guidelines:• Use deception sparinglyUse deception sparingly• Must be good reason and no other way to get Must be good reason and no other way to get

meaningful resultsmeaningful results• Must obtain an Must obtain an informed consentinformed consent from from

participantsparticipants Basically, they are agreeing to participate despite Basically, they are agreeing to participate despite

potential risks involved and that they can withdraw potential risks involved and that they can withdraw from the study at any timefrom the study at any time

American Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological Association

Can not cause any permanent harm – Can not cause any permanent harm – physically or psychologicallyphysically or psychologically

Full Full debriefingdebriefing – make sure subjects – make sure subjects leave testing laboratory in the same leave testing laboratory in the same mental state they arrivedmental state they arrived

Experimentation: Experimentation: The Scientific MethodThe Scientific Method

Observations Observations Theories (pure speculation)Theories (pure speculation) Hypotheses (best guesses –testable Hypotheses (best guesses –testable

predictions)predictions)

It’s a Continuous CycleIt’s a Continuous Cycle

theories

observations

hypotheses

Variables:Variables:Dependent and IndependentDependent and Independent

DV = Variable (behavior) you are DV = Variable (behavior) you are measuring measuring

In my study: gambling tendenciesIn my study: gambling tendencies

IV = variable or variables being IV = variable or variables being manipulated manipulated

In my study: IVIn my study: IV1 1 = athletic status = athletic status

IVIV22 = sex = sex

Statistical SignificanceStatistical Significance

When the difference observed When the difference observed between two groups is between two groups is probablyprobably not not due to chance factorsdue to chance factors

Common alpha levels (levels of Common alpha levels (levels of significance) are set at .05 or .01significance) are set at .05 or .01

Medical experiments often set theirs Medical experiments often set theirs at .001at .001

Main Effect and InteractionMain Effect and Interaction

Main EffectMain Effect• Looking at one variable to see if there is Looking at one variable to see if there is

an effectan effect InteractionInteraction

• Seeing an effect only when combining Seeing an effect only when combining more than one variablemore than one variable

Making sure things are consistent…Making sure things are consistent…

ReliabilityReliability• Degree of consistency or repeatabilityDegree of consistency or repeatability

Interrater ReliabilityInterrater Reliability• When different observers witness a When different observers witness a

behavior is there agreementbehavior is there agreement Test-Retest ReliabilityTest-Retest Reliability

• Experimenters will often retest people Experimenters will often retest people using either the same test or another using either the same test or another form of itform of it

Making sure things are meaningful…Making sure things are meaningful…

Validity Validity • Are we measuring what we intend to Are we measuring what we intend to

measure?measure? Internal ValidityInternal Validity

• Are we sure the independent variable caused the Are we sure the independent variable caused the effect?effect?

External ValidityExternal Validity• Is the extent to which the results of a study can be Is the extent to which the results of a study can be

applied to circumstances outside the specific research applied to circumstances outside the specific research setting in which a particular study was carried outsetting in which a particular study was carried out

• Or in other words the extent to which the results can Or in other words the extent to which the results can be applied to what is known as the real worldbe applied to what is known as the real world

Is it the Person or is it the Situation?Is it the Person or is it the Situation?Or both???Or both???

Internal and External influences:Internal and External influences: InternalInternal

• Inner personalityInner personality External External

• Specific situational factorsSpecific situational factors

What's more influential insofar as What's more influential insofar as prediction of a person’s behavior is prediction of a person’s behavior is concerned?concerned?

Is it the Person or is it the Situation?Is it the Person or is it the Situation?Or both???Or both???

To address this issue, we will be To address this issue, we will be analyzing real-life and experimental analyzing real-life and experimental examples all semesterexamples all semester• Today’s example:Today’s example:

Subway ConductorSubway Conductor

My error???My error???

Fundamental Attribution ErrorFundamental Attribution Error• Occurs when we overestimate Occurs when we overestimate

someone’s personality as the cause of someone’s personality as the cause of their behavior and underestimate social their behavior and underestimate social influences (the situation)influences (the situation)

But maybe it is the person?But maybe it is the person?

Personality psychologists believe that Personality psychologists believe that an individual tends to behave an individual tends to behave consistently across situationsconsistently across situations• Consistent patterns are seenConsistent patterns are seen• Individual differences are apparent no Individual differences are apparent no

matter the situation matter the situation

Different Persons Respond Different Persons Respond Differently to the Same SituationDifferently to the Same Situation

Different people are attuned to Different people are attuned to different parts of a situation, and the different parts of a situation, and the same situation means different same situation means different things to different peoplethings to different people

If this is true, then is personality the If this is true, then is personality the more influential of the twomore influential of the two

Another question???Another question???

Does the person choose the situation Does the person choose the situation or does the situation choose person?or does the situation choose person?

Situations Choose the PersonSituations Choose the Person

Example: Athletic teams have slots Example: Athletic teams have slots for only so many players, so not for only so many players, so not everyone gets the experience of everyone gets the experience of playing on the teamplaying on the team

Persons Choose Their SituationsPersons Choose Their Situations

We choose situations that provide We choose situations that provide opportunities that fit with our opportunities that fit with our personal characteristicspersonal characteristics

Example: If you are an introvert, a Example: If you are an introvert, a quiet evening at home might be quiet evening at home might be more appealing than a crowded more appealing than a crowded rock concertrock concert

Different Situations Prime Different Different Situations Prime Different Parts of the PersonParts of the Person

Inside each one of us, there are Inside each one of us, there are different motives, memories, and different motives, memories, and feelings feelings

Each of these is likely to be triggered Each of these is likely to be triggered by some situations more than othersby some situations more than others

Different Situations Prime Different Different Situations Prime Different Parts of the PersonParts of the Person

Example: After watching a slapstick comedy Example: After watching a slapstick comedy that primes memories of innocent accidents, that primes memories of innocent accidents, an ambiguous collision with a stranger may an ambiguous collision with a stranger may draw one reaction:draw one reaction:

““Oops. How clumsy of me!”Oops. How clumsy of me!” But a blow-em-up action thriller may trigger But a blow-em-up action thriller may trigger

your inner Rambo:your inner Rambo: ““Hey! How dare you bump into me!”Hey! How dare you bump into me!”

Persons Change The SituationPersons Change The Situation Sometimes people change situations to better Sometimes people change situations to better

achieve their goals…achieve their goals… A teacher will set up his or her class A teacher will set up his or her class so that her students get alongso that her students get along

Other times people change situations Other times people change situations inadvertently…inadvertently…

Depressed college students may Depressed college students may depress their roommatesdepress their roommates

(Joiner & Metalsky, 1996) (Strack & (Joiner & Metalsky, 1996) (Strack & Coyne, 1983)Coyne, 1983)

Situations Change the PersonSituations Change the Person

•You may be a different person after You may be a different person after spending time in a situation… spending time in a situation…

ExampleExample•Two similar high school students Two similar high school students

may be very different after one may be very different after one spends four years in the military spends four years in the military while the other is in a liberal arts while the other is in a liberal arts collegecollege

Situations Change the PersonSituations Change the Person

SocializationSocialization•The process through which a The process through which a culture teaches its members about culture teaches its members about its beliefs, customs, habits, and its beliefs, customs, habits, and languagelanguage

The answer to the questions???The answer to the questions???

Not yet…Not yet…• We will primarily be looking at the We will primarily be looking at the

effects of situational factors throughout effects of situational factors throughout the semesterthe semester

• We will critically attack these ideasWe will critically attack these ideas Maybe in December we will have Maybe in December we will have

some answers???some answers???