Transcript Social Thinking - davis.k12.ut.us

The scientific study of how we think
about, influence, and relate to one
another.
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Attribution Theory

tendency to give a causal explanation for someone’s
behavior, often by crediting either the situation or the
person’s disposition
Attribution Theory
Attribution theory explains how we form opinions of others.
ANTECEDENTS
“things that
come before”
Information
beliefs, and
motivations
we already have
ATTRIBUTION
“to give to”
Explanations of
why people act
as they do
CONSEQUENCES
“things that
follow”
Our thoughts,
our emotional
responses,
and expectations
Attitude
belief and feeling that predisposes one to respond in a
particular way to objects, people and events
Attribution – an explanation of why
*Our attitude about why someone/I acts the way
they/I do.
 External Factors
(situational)
 Internal Factors
(dispositional)
Fundamental
Attribution ERROR
 Attribute OTHER’s
behaviors to
internal,
dispositional,
personality factors
 Attribute OUR own
behaviors to
situational factors.

How we explain someone’s behavior affects how we
react to it
Situational attribution
“Maybe that driver is ill.”
Tolerant reaction
(proceed cautiously, allow
driver a wide berth)
Dispositional attribution
“Crazy driver!”
Unfavorable reaction
(speed up and race past the
other driver, give a dirty look)
Negative behavior

Our behavior is affected by our inner attitudes as well
as by external social influences
Internal
attitudes
External
influences
Behavior
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Attitudes
follow
behavior
Cooperative
actions feed
mutual
liking
Destructive
actions feed
mutual
dislike

Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon
tendency for people who have first
agreed to a small request to comply
later with a larger request
Door-in-the-Face Technique
tendency for people who have first
REFUSED to a large request to comply
later with a smaller request
Lowballing Technique
use foot in the door to gain compliance,
then “pull the rug out” by lowering
expectation
We feel obliged to return favors, even those we
did not want in the first place
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opposite of foot-in-the-door
Your friend takes you out to celebrate your birthday. You
feel obligated to return the favor when it is his/her
birthday, even if person did not wish for favor in the
first place.

Your actions of accepting their favor alters your own attitude about that
person/birthdays.
 Sleep
on it—don’t act on something right
away
 Play devil’s advocate—think of all the reasons
you shouldn’t buy the product or comply
with the request
 Pay attention to your gut feelings—if you feel
pressured, you probably are
 Be aware of marketing techniques and your
own personality:
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Central Route to Persuasion
Peripheral Route to Persuasion
 Why
do actions
guide attitude?
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Festinger
We are aware of
personal attitude
We do something that
does not match that
attitude (action)
Dissonance (mental
discomfort and
tension) arises
We change attitude to
match action.
Phew! All is well.

Cognitive dissonance

Role: Set of expectations about social position,
defining how those in the position ought to
behave.

What social roles have you played?
Teacher?
 Student?

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Do our attitudes affect the roles(actions) we
take or do our roles(actions) affect the attitudes
we have?
Hey…..this could be the chief!
Another powerful demonstration of the power of social forces on our
behavior.
Philip Zimbardo (1971)
The Stanford Prison Experiment

Imagine answering a newspaper ad and volunteering for an
experiment on the psychological effects of prison life.

You’ve been given a battery of psychological tests to see if you are
a good candidate for this experiment.
 You
are one of 24 participants chosen. A coin
flip decides if you will play a “guard” or
“prisoner” for the next two weeks in the
simulated prison (located in the basement of
the Stanford Psychology Department
building).
 If
you are a “prisoner,” you are arrested by
surprise, taken to “prison,” booked,
fingerprinted, held blindfolded, stripsearched, given a prison uniform, and placed
in a cell.
 If
you are a “guard” you are issued a uniform
and are expected to work 3, 8-hour shifts.
 No specific training is given to you, but you
are told that you are expected to maintain
order.
 The
first day went without incident. Neither
guards or prisoners really knew what their
“role” was yet.
 On
the morning of the second day, the
prisoners decided to assert their
independence (took off their stocking caps,
removed their numbers, & barricaded
themselves in their cells).
 How
would the guards respond?
Reinforcements were called in and they decided
to treat the rebellion with force.
 They broke into each cell, stripped the prisoner’s
naked, put the ring-leaders into solitary
confinement, and began a policy of intimidation.

 Less
than 36 hours into the experiment, Prisoner
#8612 experienced a psychological breakdown.
 Intimidation
by guards increase, stress reactions by
prisoners increases (5 participants had to be
released in 5 days).
 Experiment
ends after 6 days.
Interview with Dr. Zimbardo on Democracy Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0jYx8nwjFQ
Ties to the “real world.” Abu Ghraib prison

Lucy is feeling very anxious.
She wants to buy a new
computer. The sales people
frighten her. She’s never
really had a lot of confidence
in herself when it comes to
business. She also hates
shopping because she doesn’t
like to be taken advantage
of. She doesn’t know a lot
about computers other than
how to use them.

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Use your assigned concept and
prepare a 2-3 minute skit about
Lucy, her computer buying
experience, her actions, her
attitude, and her emotions.
You may expand the story in any
way necessary to fit your concept.
The definition of your concept AND
how it applies to Lucy should be
evident in your skit.
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Cognitive Dissonance
Fundamental Attribution Error
Foot-in-the-Door
Door-in-the-Face
Lowballing
Central Route to Persuasion
Peripheral Route to Persuasion
Reciprocity Norm
Role Playing
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Cognitive Dissonance – Walks in (action), feels anxious/hates shopping (attitude),
decides like shopping to cut down on tension.
Fundamental Attribution Error – Thinks sales people are mean, spiteful
(dispositional). Thinks she gets taken advantage of because of some environmental
factor (situational).
Foot-in-the-Door – Agrees to go with friend, agrees to fill out questionnaire, agrees
to sit at keyboard and type, look at financing options, decides to buy.
Door-in-the-Face – She refuses to buy the first computer she sees that is way out
side of her budget. But, she does agree to come back to the store on Saturday when
a sale is happening.
Central Route to Persuasion – Focus on true argument in making decision to buy
computer. Rational focus. (affordability, durability, necessity)
Peripheral Route to Persuasion – Focus on peripheral cues in making decision to buy
computer(color, apps, “extras”, etc.)
Low-ball Technique – Get foot in the door, then switch out at last minute.
Salesperson takes advantage of Lucy – adds on costs.
Reciprocity Norm – The sales person opens the door for Lucy, gives her a beverage,
so she feels obliged to buy something from him. She may not want the computer he
offers, but she wants to reciprocate his kindness.