Lecture 1
Fundamental Concepts in Social Psychology
What is Social Psychology?
Social Psychology is the scientific study of how people think, relate, and influence each
other both:
● Interpersonally
● Within and between groups
Key Research Questions:
● How can we promote behaviors that mitigate climate change?
● Who is most likely to radicalize?
● With whom will you be friends by the end of your first year?
● Does altruism exist? Under what conditions?
Social Psychology vs. Common Sense
● Everybody is a "social expert" because of life experience.
● However, common sense is often misleading:
○ Many ideas appear obvious only after scientific research confirms them.
○ Example: The “I knew it all along” phenomenon.
True or False?
1. Opposites attract.
2. First impressions are usually the best.
3. Marriage is good for women but not for men.
4. Beautiful people are more likely to be happy.
● Social psychology scientifically tests such claims.
How Does Social Psychology Work?
● Uses experiments to determine:
1. If a behavior claim is true or false
2. When it applies (situational factors)
3. To whom it applies (demographic differences)
4. Why it happens (causal mechanisms)
,Levels of Analysis in Social Psychology
1. Intergroup relations (e.g., prejudice, discrimination)
2. Intragroup processes (e.g., leadership, group norms)
3. Interpersonal relations (e.g., friendships, attraction)
4. Intrapersonal processes (e.g., self-concept, attitudes)
Personal Social Psychology :
Personality Psychology
● Focus on stable psychological traits that shape behavior
○ Extraversion, agreeableness, “neuroticism” and more.
Social Neuroscience
● All our thoughts, emotions, and behavior are rooted in the physiological matter of the
brain
○ E.g., people who vote conservatively have a larger amygdala!
→ Brain structure that is activated when people feel fear
○
Evolutionary psychology
● Heritability of behavior
○ Many psychological tendencies evolved because they helped our ancestors
survive a challenging environment
○ Automatic ‘fear’ response to snakes but not flowers
○ Automatic ‘fear’ response to outgroup men but less so to outgroup
women
Situational Social Psychology :
● Marketing ( influence of consumer choice)
● Groups ( Conformity in big crowds)
● Culture ( different views)
Core Axioms of Social Psychology
1. Human Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior = f(Person x Situation)
● People react differently to the same situation.
● The same person behaves differently in different situations.
Example:
, ● A person at work vs. at a party may behave entirely differently.
● Situations activate different social roles.
2. People Construct Their Own Social Reality
● Human cognition, emotion, and behavior is strongly influenced by the situation, or
rather,by people’s interpretation of the situation
Example:
● The Thomas Theorem (1928):
“If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.”
● Heider & Simmel (1944):
○ Video of geometric shapes interacting → People automatically interpret
them as social beings.
Consequences:
1. Self-Serving Bias
○ People interpret events in a way that benefits them.
, 2. Motivated Reasoning
○ People accept evidence that supports their worldview & reject opposing
evidence.
3. Ideological Conflict
○ Disagreements become entrenched because each side sees their view as
objectively true.
3. People Are Social Animals
● Most thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by others.
Need to Belong:
Why?
● Evolutionary adaptive reason
● Psychological well being
○ Evolutionary function:
■ Early humans survived in groups (hunting, protection, mating).
○ Dunbar’s Social Brain Hypothesis:
■ Human intelligence/brain evolved due to our complex social life.
● The Herding Instinct
Fundamental Concepts in Social Psychology
What is Social Psychology?
Social Psychology is the scientific study of how people think, relate, and influence each
other both:
● Interpersonally
● Within and between groups
Key Research Questions:
● How can we promote behaviors that mitigate climate change?
● Who is most likely to radicalize?
● With whom will you be friends by the end of your first year?
● Does altruism exist? Under what conditions?
Social Psychology vs. Common Sense
● Everybody is a "social expert" because of life experience.
● However, common sense is often misleading:
○ Many ideas appear obvious only after scientific research confirms them.
○ Example: The “I knew it all along” phenomenon.
True or False?
1. Opposites attract.
2. First impressions are usually the best.
3. Marriage is good for women but not for men.
4. Beautiful people are more likely to be happy.
● Social psychology scientifically tests such claims.
How Does Social Psychology Work?
● Uses experiments to determine:
1. If a behavior claim is true or false
2. When it applies (situational factors)
3. To whom it applies (demographic differences)
4. Why it happens (causal mechanisms)
,Levels of Analysis in Social Psychology
1. Intergroup relations (e.g., prejudice, discrimination)
2. Intragroup processes (e.g., leadership, group norms)
3. Interpersonal relations (e.g., friendships, attraction)
4. Intrapersonal processes (e.g., self-concept, attitudes)
Personal Social Psychology :
Personality Psychology
● Focus on stable psychological traits that shape behavior
○ Extraversion, agreeableness, “neuroticism” and more.
Social Neuroscience
● All our thoughts, emotions, and behavior are rooted in the physiological matter of the
brain
○ E.g., people who vote conservatively have a larger amygdala!
→ Brain structure that is activated when people feel fear
○
Evolutionary psychology
● Heritability of behavior
○ Many psychological tendencies evolved because they helped our ancestors
survive a challenging environment
○ Automatic ‘fear’ response to snakes but not flowers
○ Automatic ‘fear’ response to outgroup men but less so to outgroup
women
Situational Social Psychology :
● Marketing ( influence of consumer choice)
● Groups ( Conformity in big crowds)
● Culture ( different views)
Core Axioms of Social Psychology
1. Human Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior = f(Person x Situation)
● People react differently to the same situation.
● The same person behaves differently in different situations.
Example:
, ● A person at work vs. at a party may behave entirely differently.
● Situations activate different social roles.
2. People Construct Their Own Social Reality
● Human cognition, emotion, and behavior is strongly influenced by the situation, or
rather,by people’s interpretation of the situation
Example:
● The Thomas Theorem (1928):
“If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.”
● Heider & Simmel (1944):
○ Video of geometric shapes interacting → People automatically interpret
them as social beings.
Consequences:
1. Self-Serving Bias
○ People interpret events in a way that benefits them.
, 2. Motivated Reasoning
○ People accept evidence that supports their worldview & reject opposing
evidence.
3. Ideological Conflict
○ Disagreements become entrenched because each side sees their view as
objectively true.
3. People Are Social Animals
● Most thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by others.
Need to Belong:
Why?
● Evolutionary adaptive reason
● Psychological well being
○ Evolutionary function:
■ Early humans survived in groups (hunting, protection, mating).
○ Dunbar’s Social Brain Hypothesis:
■ Human intelligence/brain evolved due to our complex social life.
● The Herding Instinct
