PSYCH253 Chapter 1: Chapter 1.docx
15 Oct 2013
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Document Summary
Social psychology is a science that studies the influences of our situations, with special attention to how we view and affect one another. It is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. E. g. nazi able to slaughter 6 million jews. E. g. returning money or taking for yourself. Social psychologists study attitudes and beliefs, conformity and independence, love and hate. Major themes in social psychology: we construct our social reality. We humans have an irresistible urge to explain behaviour, to attribute it to some cause, and, therefore, to make it seem orderly, predictable, and controllable: our social intuitions are often powerful but sometimes perilous. Our intuitions shape our fears, impressions, and relationships. Thinking, memory, and attitudes all operate on two levels one conscious and deliberate, the other unconscious and automatic ( dual processing ) Our social intuitions are noteworthy for both their power and their perils: social influences shape our behaviour.
