PSY220H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Kurt Lewin, Social Change, Behaviorism
Document Summary
We are social beings we reside in societies that require us to interact many times every day with other people. Social psychology: the scientific study of how individuals thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by other people (gordon allport 1985); field dedicated to understanding the causes and consequences of social interactions. 4 key components to allport s definition: (1) influenced by other people. Other people can affect us without being present (ex: the thought of referendum on separation of quebec causes anxiety) (2) thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. The impact of other people on one s thoughts (cognition), feelings (affect), and, ultimately, behaviours (ex: conformity, aggression, helping, and discrimination) (3) individuals perspective. Social psychologists take the perspective of individuals in a social setting, rather than focusing only on objective features of the situation. Whatever you believe to be another person s motives/intentions determines how you behave. Social construals: how individuals personally construe (perceive, interpret) a social situation.
