CHAPTER 4 – SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Source: Social Psychology (10th Edition) by Saul Kassin (Author), Steven Fein (Author), Hazel
Rose Markus
Recommended additional study source:
Youtube – Frank M. LoSchiavo (Channel)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dgmcRCl9z4&list=PLApmiahrmPkt2YQ6ovQekaQhRskNhe-
eY&ab_channel=FrankM.LoSchiavo)
Chapter 4 – The Self
Self-Presentation
Self-Other Accuracy in Predicting our Behaviour
• Even though we have access to info (intentions and goals) that others don’t, that info itself
may bias our behavioural self-reports.
• Sometimes we can predict our behaviour better than others, but sometimes the reverse is
true.
• Why do people join Facebook:
1) Social compensation hypothesis – introverts and socially anxious adolescents who
have difficulty developing friendships are likely to use Facebook because they seek
to substitute online contacts for an undesirable offline social life.
2) Social enhancement hypothesis – extroverted and outgoing adolescents are
motivated to add online contacts to their already extensive network of offline friends
to create an image of themselves that reflects their existing positive self-view.
o Social capital: the number of social ties each person has to others; typically,
these are connections people can draw on for knowledge, assistance/other
social goals (higher than the social compensation hypothesis).
Self Presentation Tactics
• Self-promotion: attempting to present ourselves to others as having positive attributes.
• Self-verification perspective: the theory that addresses the processes by which we lead
others to agree with our views of ourselves, wanting others to agree with how we see
ourselves.
• Ingratiation: when we try to make others like us by conveying that we like them, praising
others for flattering them.
• Self-deprecating: putting ourselves down/implying that we are not as good as someone
else.
Source: Social Psychology (10th Edition) by Saul Kassin (Author), Steven Fein (Author), Hazel
Rose Markus
Recommended additional study source:
Youtube – Frank M. LoSchiavo (Channel)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dgmcRCl9z4&list=PLApmiahrmPkt2YQ6ovQekaQhRskNhe-
eY&ab_channel=FrankM.LoSchiavo)
Chapter 4 – The Self
Self-Presentation
Self-Other Accuracy in Predicting our Behaviour
• Even though we have access to info (intentions and goals) that others don’t, that info itself
may bias our behavioural self-reports.
• Sometimes we can predict our behaviour better than others, but sometimes the reverse is
true.
• Why do people join Facebook:
1) Social compensation hypothesis – introverts and socially anxious adolescents who
have difficulty developing friendships are likely to use Facebook because they seek
to substitute online contacts for an undesirable offline social life.
2) Social enhancement hypothesis – extroverted and outgoing adolescents are
motivated to add online contacts to their already extensive network of offline friends
to create an image of themselves that reflects their existing positive self-view.
o Social capital: the number of social ties each person has to others; typically,
these are connections people can draw on for knowledge, assistance/other
social goals (higher than the social compensation hypothesis).
Self Presentation Tactics
• Self-promotion: attempting to present ourselves to others as having positive attributes.
• Self-verification perspective: the theory that addresses the processes by which we lead
others to agree with our views of ourselves, wanting others to agree with how we see
ourselves.
• Ingratiation: when we try to make others like us by conveying that we like them, praising
others for flattering them.
• Self-deprecating: putting ourselves down/implying that we are not as good as someone
else.
