Social CognitionSocial Cognition

© 2014 Wadsworth Cengage Learning

Chapter 5

Can you tell who was the silver medalist by only looking at their facial expressions?

OverviewOverview

What is Social Cognition?What is Social Cognition?

Attributions: Why Did That Happen?Attributions: Why Did That Happen?

Heuristics: Mental ShortcutsHeuristics: Mental Shortcuts

(So-Called) Errors and Biases(So-Called) Errors and Biases

Are People Really Stupid?Are People Really Stupid?

Debate: Faith and Social Debate: Faith and Social CognitionCognition

Consider Carolyn Briggs, who became Consider Carolyn Briggs, who became involved in, and then rejected, Christian involved in, and then rejected, Christian fundamentalismfundamentalism How can someone believe so intensely and How can someone believe so intensely and

then reject those same beliefs?then reject those same beliefs? How are our beliefs shaped by those around How are our beliefs shaped by those around

us?us? Consider some cognitive biases and errors Consider some cognitive biases and errors

you have madeyou have made

What is Social What is Social Cognition?Cognition?

The rise of cognitive psychology in the 1970’s The rise of cognitive psychology in the 1970’s and the development of attribution theory in and the development of attribution theory in the 60’s & 70’s lead to the scientific study of the 60’s & 70’s lead to the scientific study of thinking.thinking.

Social psychologist study how people think Social psychologist study how people think about people and social relationships.about people and social relationships.

What is unique about thinking about people as What is unique about thinking about people as opposed to thinking about something else, like opposed to thinking about something else, like frogs or computers? Why is it important to frogs or computers? Why is it important to study how people think about people?study how people think about people?

Why People Think, and Why Why People Think, and Why They Don’tThey Don’t

Humans have a greater capacity for higher Humans have a greater capacity for higher order thinking than other animals.order thinking than other animals.

But they are cognitive misers.But they are cognitive misers.

Cognitive miser: reluctance to do much Cognitive miser: reluctance to do much extra thinkingextra thinking During their free time, why do most people During their free time, why do most people

choose to think about a subject such as choose to think about a subject such as baseball, but baseball, but notnot about a subject such as about a subject such as calculus?calculus?

Automatic and Deliberate Automatic and Deliberate ThinkingThinking

Stroop test – measures effortful control over Stroop test – measures effortful control over responses, requiring participants to identify responses, requiring participants to identify the color of a word ( which may name a the color of a word ( which may name a different color).different color).

Illustrates automatic and deliberate control.Illustrates automatic and deliberate control.

Stroop effect – occurs in the Stroop test, Stroop effect – occurs in the Stroop test, finding that people have difficulty finding that people have difficulty overriding the automatic tendency to read overriding the automatic tendency to read the word rather than name the ink color.the word rather than name the ink color.

Automatic and Deliberate Automatic and Deliberate Thinking Thinking

How does the Stroop effect illustrate How does the Stroop effect illustrate automatic versus deliberate thought?automatic versus deliberate thought?

How do we know if a thought is automatic?How do we know if a thought is automatic? Requires no awarenessRequires no awareness Not guided by intentionNot guided by intention Not subject to deliberate controlNot subject to deliberate control Requires no effortRequires no effort Highly efficientHighly efficient

Automatic thinking involves little effort because?Automatic thinking involves little effort because?

Knowledge StructuresKnowledge Structures Are organized packets of information that Are organized packets of information that

are stored in memory.are stored in memory.

Schemas: information about a conceptSchemas: information about a concept

Scripts: schemas about certain eventsScripts: schemas about certain events

Priming: activating a concept in the mindPriming: activating a concept in the mind

Framing: presentation as positive or Framing: presentation as positive or negativenegative

Thought Suppression and Thought Suppression and Ironic ProcessesIronic Processes

How do automatic and deliberate thought How do automatic and deliberate thought processes work together to suppress processes work together to suppress unpleasant thoughts?unpleasant thoughts?

How difficult is it to control thoughts? How difficult is it to control thoughts?

Thought SuppressionThought Suppression

For the next 60 seconds, try For the next 60 seconds, try NOTNOT to think of to think of a a white bearwhite bear whenever the image of a whenever the image of a white bearwhite bear appears appears

in your thoughts, in your thoughts, raise your handraise your hand

Thought SuppressionThought Suppression

now raise your hand if you were thinking of now raise your hand if you were thinking of a white bear before this exercise …a white bear before this exercise …

Why was it so hard to keep it out of your Why was it so hard to keep it out of your thoughts????thoughts????

AttributionsAttributions

Attributions: inferences people make about Attributions: inferences people make about events in their livesevents in their lives

How do internal and external attributions How do internal and external attributions shape behavior? How do stable and shape behavior? How do stable and unstable attributions shape behavior?unstable attributions shape behavior?

What is the purpose of self-serving bias?What is the purpose of self-serving bias?

Self-Fulfilling ProphecySelf-Fulfilling Prophecy

Actor/Observer BiasActor/Observer Bias

How do actors and observers make different How do actors and observers make different attributions for behaviors?attributions for behaviors?

What factors might lead to a fundamental What factors might lead to a fundamental attribution error?attribution error? How does culture affect the fundamental How does culture affect the fundamental

attribution error?attribution error? What evidence challenges the pervasiveness What evidence challenges the pervasiveness

of fundamental attribution error? What other of fundamental attribution error? What other theories might explain actor/observer bias?theories might explain actor/observer bias?

HeuristicsHeuristics

Flawed or Clever Flawed or Clever ThinkingThinking

How does the standard view that people’s How does the standard view that people’s thinking is flawed fall short?thinking is flawed fall short?

In what ways do heuristics offer a better In what ways do heuristics offer a better option than precise mathematical option than precise mathematical calculations?calculations?

(So-Called) Errors and (So-Called) Errors and BiasesBiases

How does the automatic mind help guard How does the automatic mind help guard against information overload?against information overload?

What types of errors do people make when What types of errors do people make when relying on automatic thought?relying on automatic thought?

Two types of informationTwo types of information Statistical informationStatistical information Case historyCase history When is it beneficial to pay closer attention to When is it beneficial to pay closer attention to

case histories? When is it not?case histories? When is it not?

Confirmation bias: tendency to notice and Confirmation bias: tendency to notice and search for information that confirms one’s search for information that confirms one’s beliefs and ignore information that beliefs and ignore information that disconfirms itdisconfirms it How is this helpful for human experience?How is this helpful for human experience?

Illusory correlation: tendency to Illusory correlation: tendency to overestimate link between variables that overestimate link between variables that are related only slightly or not at allare related only slightly or not at all How does the media contribute to illusory How does the media contribute to illusory

correlations?correlations?

(So-Called) Errors and Biases (cont’d.)

(So-Called) Errors and (So-Called) Errors and Biases (cont’d.)Biases (cont’d.)

Base rate fallacy: ignore base rate Base rate fallacy: ignore base rate information and be influenced by distinctive information and be influenced by distinctive features of the case features of the case

Hot hand: luck will continueHot hand: luck will continue

Gambler’s fallacy: a chance event is Gambler’s fallacy: a chance event is affected by previous events and will “even affected by previous events and will “even out”out” How do the hot hand and gambler’s fallacies How do the hot hand and gambler’s fallacies

tie into the representative heuristic?tie into the representative heuristic?

(So-Called) Errors and (So-Called) Errors and Biases (cont’d.)Biases (cont’d.)

False consensus effect: False consensus effect: Overestimate the number of people who share Overestimate the number of people who share

one’s opinionsone’s opinions How does the false consensus effect relate to How does the false consensus effect relate to

the availability heuristic? How does it relate the availability heuristic? How does it relate to the anchoring & adjustment heuristic?to the anchoring & adjustment heuristic?

(So-Called) Errors and (So-Called) Errors and Biases (cont’d.)Biases (cont’d.)

False uniqueness effectFalse uniqueness effect Underestimate the number of people who Underestimate the number of people who

share one’s prized characteristics or abilitiesshare one’s prized characteristics or abilities What effect does this bias have on self-What effect does this bias have on self-

esteem?esteem?

(So-Called) Errors and (So-Called) Errors and Biases (cont’d.)Biases (cont’d.)

The theory perseverance effectThe theory perseverance effect Once a conclusion is drawn, it is only changed Once a conclusion is drawn, it is only changed

by overwhelming evidenceby overwhelming evidence How does this tie in with the belief that How does this tie in with the belief that

humans are meant to argue?humans are meant to argue?

PolarizationPolarization Shifting towards more extreme positionsShifting towards more extreme positions Why would people polarize after careful Why would people polarize after careful

thought and consideration of a topic?thought and consideration of a topic?

(So-Called) Errors and (So-Called) Errors and Biases (cont’d.)Biases (cont’d.)

Statistical regressionStatistical regression Statistical tendency for extremes to be Statistical tendency for extremes to be

followed by less extremesfollowed by less extremes How does statistical regression explain the How does statistical regression explain the

Sports Illustrated jinx?Sports Illustrated jinx?

Illusion of controlIllusion of control A false belief that one can influence eventsA false belief that one can influence events How can the illusion of control be dangerous How can the illusion of control be dangerous

for gamblers?for gamblers?

Counterfactual Counterfactual ThinkingThinking

Imagining alternatives to past or present Imagining alternatives to past or present factual events or circumstancesfactual events or circumstances How do some students apply first instinct How do some students apply first instinct

fallacy when taking tests?fallacy when taking tests? How can upward counterfactuals help people How can upward counterfactuals help people

make things better for the future?make things better for the future? How can downward counterfactuals bring How can downward counterfactuals bring

comfort after misfortune?comfort after misfortune?

Table 5-2 p182

Are People Really Are People Really Stupid?Stupid?

How do “errors” and “biases” make sense if How do “errors” and “biases” make sense if humans are argumentative creatures?humans are argumentative creatures? How serious are the “errors” that people How serious are the “errors” that people

make?make? In what ways are they correct decisions?In what ways are they correct decisions? In what ways are they corrected by society or by In what ways are they corrected by society or by

cancelling each other out? cancelling each other out?

How can people reduce cognitive errors? How can people reduce cognitive errors? What can we do to encourage people to use What can we do to encourage people to use

deliberate instead of automatic thinking?deliberate instead of automatic thinking?

What Makes Us What Makes Us Human?Human?

How does language open up opportunities How does language open up opportunities for exploration of linkages of meaning?for exploration of linkages of meaning?

In what ways is the conscious mind uniquely In what ways is the conscious mind uniquely human?human?

What types of thinking are uniquely human?What types of thinking are uniquely human?

What types of errors and biases are What types of errors and biases are uniquely human?uniquely human?

Discussion: Errors and Discussion: Errors and BiasesBiases

What types of errors and biases do you What types of errors and biases do you think are more beneficial for humans? In think are more beneficial for humans? In what ways?what ways?

Do you believe that humans are designed to Do you believe that humans are designed to argue and persuade? How does this theory argue and persuade? How does this theory challenge the traditional view of thinking challenge the traditional view of thinking about errors and biases?about errors and biases?

ConclusionConclusion

Social cognition examines how people think Social cognition examines how people think about other people and about relationshipsabout other people and about relationships

Much thinking is done by the automatic Much thinking is done by the automatic mind, as opposed to deliberately thinking mind, as opposed to deliberately thinking through thingsthrough things

What were traditionally thought of as errors What were traditionally thought of as errors in thinking may have advantages for human in thinking may have advantages for human lifelife