PYC3701
CHAPTER 3 - SOCIAL PERCEPTION
Key concepts Definitions Pg.
Social perception The process through which we seek to know 91
other people
Nonverbal communication Information conveyed by cues other than the 92
content of spoken language
Paralanguage A type of nonverbal communication involving 96
vocal effects other than speech
Facial feedback The view that facial expressions can actually 97
hypothesis trigger emotions
Linguistic style Aspects of speech apart from the meaning of 101
words
Attribution The process through which we seek 103
information and draw inferences
Correspondent inference Theory that asks how we use information 104
about others’ behaviour as a basis for
inferring their traits
Noncommon effects Conditions that can be caused by one 104
specific factor, but not by others
Consensus The extent to which other people react to a 106
given stimulus or event in the same manner
as the person we are evaluating
Consistency The extent to which the person in question 106
reacts to the stimulus or event in the same
way on other occasions
Distinctiveness The extent to which the person reacts in the 106
same manner to other, different stimuli or
events
Action identification The interpretation we place on an act – in 108
terms of differing degrees of abstraction
Correspondence bias The tendency to explain others’ actions as 108
stemming from (corresponding to) their
dispositions, even in the presence of clear
situational causes
Otherwise known as the fundamental
attribution error
Actor-observer effect Tendency to attribute our own behaviour to 111
situational causes, but the behaviour of
others to dispositional causes
Self-serving bias The tendency to attribute our own positive 111
outcomes to internal causes but negative
outcomes to external factors
Impression formation How we develop our views of others 116
Impression management The efforts to make a good impression on 119
or self-presentation others
, Nonverbal Communication: An Unspoken Language
In situations when it is inappropriate or impossible to ask others how they are
feeling, we can pay attention to nonverbal cues provided by changes in the
facial expressions, eye contact, posture, body movements and other
expressive actions
o Such behaviour is relatively irrepressible
Basic Channels of Nonverbal Communication:
Facial expressions:
o Human feelings and emotions are often reflected in the face
o 5 different emotions are clearly represented on a human face
Anger
Fear
Happiness
Sadness
Disgust
Can we accurately recognise others’ facial expressions?
o Some people are better than it than others (“reading others”)
o Reading and expressing emotions are related but only when individuals
are trying to communicate their feelings to others
o Accuracy appears to be tied to people’s intentional focus on showing
their emotions in their facial expressions
Eye contact as a nonverbal cue:
o High level of eye contact may be interpreted as liking or friendliness
o Others who avoid eye contact may be interpreted as shy or unfriendly
o Staring is often interpreted as a sign of anger or hostility
Body language: gestures, posture and movements:
o Can provide useful info about others
o Often reveals others’ emotional states
o Emotional arousal – large number of movements
o Fidgeting can be interpreted as lying
o Emblems – body movement that carry specific meanings in a given
culture
Touching: What it tells us about people
o The meaning of a touch depends on various factors
Who does the touching
The nature of the physical contact
The context in which the touching takes place
o When touching is appropriate it often elicits positive reactions in the
person being touched
CHAPTER 3 - SOCIAL PERCEPTION
Key concepts Definitions Pg.
Social perception The process through which we seek to know 91
other people
Nonverbal communication Information conveyed by cues other than the 92
content of spoken language
Paralanguage A type of nonverbal communication involving 96
vocal effects other than speech
Facial feedback The view that facial expressions can actually 97
hypothesis trigger emotions
Linguistic style Aspects of speech apart from the meaning of 101
words
Attribution The process through which we seek 103
information and draw inferences
Correspondent inference Theory that asks how we use information 104
about others’ behaviour as a basis for
inferring their traits
Noncommon effects Conditions that can be caused by one 104
specific factor, but not by others
Consensus The extent to which other people react to a 106
given stimulus or event in the same manner
as the person we are evaluating
Consistency The extent to which the person in question 106
reacts to the stimulus or event in the same
way on other occasions
Distinctiveness The extent to which the person reacts in the 106
same manner to other, different stimuli or
events
Action identification The interpretation we place on an act – in 108
terms of differing degrees of abstraction
Correspondence bias The tendency to explain others’ actions as 108
stemming from (corresponding to) their
dispositions, even in the presence of clear
situational causes
Otherwise known as the fundamental
attribution error
Actor-observer effect Tendency to attribute our own behaviour to 111
situational causes, but the behaviour of
others to dispositional causes
Self-serving bias The tendency to attribute our own positive 111
outcomes to internal causes but negative
outcomes to external factors
Impression formation How we develop our views of others 116
Impression management The efforts to make a good impression on 119
or self-presentation others
, Nonverbal Communication: An Unspoken Language
In situations when it is inappropriate or impossible to ask others how they are
feeling, we can pay attention to nonverbal cues provided by changes in the
facial expressions, eye contact, posture, body movements and other
expressive actions
o Such behaviour is relatively irrepressible
Basic Channels of Nonverbal Communication:
Facial expressions:
o Human feelings and emotions are often reflected in the face
o 5 different emotions are clearly represented on a human face
Anger
Fear
Happiness
Sadness
Disgust
Can we accurately recognise others’ facial expressions?
o Some people are better than it than others (“reading others”)
o Reading and expressing emotions are related but only when individuals
are trying to communicate their feelings to others
o Accuracy appears to be tied to people’s intentional focus on showing
their emotions in their facial expressions
Eye contact as a nonverbal cue:
o High level of eye contact may be interpreted as liking or friendliness
o Others who avoid eye contact may be interpreted as shy or unfriendly
o Staring is often interpreted as a sign of anger or hostility
Body language: gestures, posture and movements:
o Can provide useful info about others
o Often reveals others’ emotional states
o Emotional arousal – large number of movements
o Fidgeting can be interpreted as lying
o Emblems – body movement that carry specific meanings in a given
culture
Touching: What it tells us about people
o The meaning of a touch depends on various factors
Who does the touching
The nature of the physical contact
The context in which the touching takes place
o When touching is appropriate it often elicits positive reactions in the
person being touched
