PS374 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: When Prophecy Fails, Cognitive Dissonance, Leon Festinger
Document Summary
The scientific study of how individuals" thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by other people. A science of people, rather than other species. Others do not need to be physically present to influence us. Our behaviour and attitudes/thoughts do not always correspond with one another. The presence of others can change how we act in a situation. Distinction between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours was noted by. Triplett (1898) on social facilitation (said others raced faster when against others compared to just against a clock) Doctrine: only observable behaviours can be studied scientifically. Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes, and not repeat responses that lead to negative outcomes. No need to study subjective mental states like thinking and feeling. Gestalt theory: importance of people"s subjective interpretations. The unified whole is different form the sum of the parts . Behaviour is a function of a person + environment. Much research inspired by events of wwii.
