Transcript Introducing Social Change How Psychology Understands Change

Introducing Social Change
How Psychology Understands Change
psychology: what causes people to change?
research tries to find the link between people’s
attitudes (what they think) and their behaviour (what
they do)
what kinds or arguments (logical or emotional) are
most persuasive to people?
do attitudes need to change before behaviour can
change?
psychology: what causes people to change?
people want cognitive consistency in their beliefs (i.e.
want to avoid attitudes that conflict with each other)
popular theory of attitude change is cognitive
dissonance theory which argues that when people are
faced with conflicting attitudes:
(i) will avoid facing the conflict, which only increases
the intensity of the conflict
(ii) one is then forced to either reinforce the original
attitude or change behaviour
psychology: what causes people to change?
Which is the best gift?
psychology: what causes people to change?
Which is the best gift?
In 1956, psychology student Jack Brehm brought some of
his wedding gifts to class (a lamp, a toaster, a transistor
radio, etc.) and asked everyone to rate each item’s
desirability. The students were then asked to choose
between two items they found equally attractive. After
making a choice, the students were asked to rate all the
items again. Everyone increased the ratings of the items
they had chosen and downgraded the ratings of their
second-choice items, showing that humans will always try
to convince themselves that they’ve made the right
decision.
psychology: what causes people to change?
behaviour modification for people without considering
their mental health
does it work for people displaying criminal behaviour?
is negative reinforcement (punishing for bad
behaviour) effective?
is positive reinforcement (rewarding good behaviour)
more effective?
psychology: what causes people to change?
B.F. Skinner and operant conditioning (learning can
be programmed by whatever consequence follows a
particular behaviour. People tend to repeat behaviour
that is rewarded and avoid behaviour that is
punished.)
Operant Conditioning
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Operant Conditioning
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Some other behaviour
experiments
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Piano Experiment
Some other behaviour
experiments
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Cinema Experiment
Some other behaviour
experiments
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Some other behaviour
experiments
Asch Experiment
Volunteers?
Some other behaviour
experiments
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Some other behaviour
experiments
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
psychology: what causes people to change?
behaviour modification - the Stages of Change Model
Stage
Characteristics
denial (“I don’t have a problem”) /refusal (“I like myself
1. precontemplation
the way I am”)
refua
refusal
2. comtemplation
3. preparation
4. action
5. maintenance (begins about six months after action
stage begins)
questioning (“do you think I should do something
about the problem?”)
investigation (“what is my problem doing to my
health? those who love me?”)
commitment (“I’ve got to keep doing this or I will never
change”)
transition (“I must find alternative ways to deal with my
problems and avoid people who will drag me back to
old habits”)