SOCIAL COGNITION
Thoughts, beliefs and perceptions about people in our social world
SOCIAL COGNITION APPROACH: NAIVE SCIENTIST
We think about the social world in a manner that is slow, deliberate and conscious
We try to be objective and rational
SOCIAL COGNITION APPROACH: COGNITIVE MISER
We think about social world in a manner that is rapid, automatic and unconscious
Use cognitive shortcuts
SOCIAL COGNITION APPROACH: MOTIVATED TACTICIAN
We think slowly and deliberately when we have motivation + cognitive resources to do so
IMPLICIT PERSONALITY THEORY
Implicit beliefs we hold about which traits tend to go together
If a person possesses a particular trait we infer the presence of other traits we believe to go with that trait
Are formed through previous knowledge/experience
Can be correct/incorrect
SOCIAL GROUP SCHEMAS
Spontaneous categorisation of people as members of social groups
Additional traits inferred on basis of group membership
Often false (stereotypes and generalisations)
FACIAL APPEARANCE
Infer traits based on appearance
Likeability, trustworthiness, aggressiveness etc.
We can detect personality traits, sexual orientation, and financial success, political corruption and criminality at above-chance accuracy
PHSYICAL ATTRACTIVENESS
More attractive people are perceived as more favourable
Attractive faces activated brain regions associated with reward
HALO EFFECT
Tendency to assume positive traits cluster together (attractiveness = positive = other positive traits)
DRESS TYPE
Dressed formally perceived as higher status, professional, wealthy, intelligent
Can influence our own feelings
Those with facial piercings viewed at less suitable for roles
SPEECH TYPE
Brief excerpt of expressive behaviour
Provide more information than static images
BEHAVIOUR CAN BE ATTRIBUTED:
INTERNALLY
-To a person’s disposition
EXTERNALLY
-To aspects of the situation/context
COVARIATION MODEL OF BEHAVIOUR
CONSISTENCY
-Extent to which behaviour consistently occurs over time
DISTINCTIVENESS
-Extent to which behaviour is unique to particular situation/context
CONSENSUS
-Extent to which other people behave similarly in same situation/context
DISCOUNTING PRINCIPLE
People minimise the importance of any potential cause of behaviour when other likely causes are present
AUGMENTATION PRINCIPLE
People attach greater importance of a potential cause of a behaviour when behavioural inhibitors are present
IMPRESSION FORMATION BIASES: ORDER EFFECTS
Primacy effect
-Information presented first disproportionally influences impression
-Affect interpretation of new information
Recency effect
-Information presented last has more impact than earlier information
IMPRESSION FORMATION BIASES: VALENCE EFFECTS
Positive bias
-Positive global impressions formed in absence of any negative information
Negative bias
-Negative global impressions formed with any sign of negative information
SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES
When expectation or assumption is caused to come true due to the expectation or assumption being held in the first place
