Psychology 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: Stereotype Threat, Physical Attractiveness, Group Polarization

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Wolfe/ Quinlan

Document Summary

Chapter 13 behaviour in a social context. Attribution: perceiving the causes of behaviour: attributions judgments about the causes of behaviour and outcomes, fritz heider maintained that attempts to understand behaviour involve different types of attribution. Personal attribution people"s behaviour is caused by their characteristics. Situational attribution aspects of the situation cause behaviour: three types of information determine attribution we make. Consistency (is the decision made always consistent) Distinctiveness (is the decision distinct to a situation, or often made) Attitudes and attitude change: attitude a positive or negative evaluative reaction toward a stimulus. Come from conditioning, social learning, and direct experience. If a person had two contradicting cognitions, they experience an uncomfortable state of tension called cognitive dissonance, and reduce it by changing or adding a cognition. Communicator credibility (how believable communicator is) is key to effective persuasion. More effective to present both sides of argument, and refute opposing side. More effective to present moderate argument as opposed to extreme.