What is Social Psych (Lecture 1)

The scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by the real or imagined presence of others.

The ways in which others affect our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, including the influence of real or imagined people, group norms, and culture.

Affect, Behavior, and Cognition.

The tendency for people to perceive the same event differently based on their identities or group memberships.

People actively create their perception of reality through experiences, group membership, and interpretations.

External forces that cause normal individuals to act in surprising or extreme ways.

Automatic, quick judgments about social events that can sometimes be inaccurate.

Judging the likelihood of events based on how easily examples come to mind.

The motivation to see oneself and connected things in a positive light.

The motivation to hold accurate beliefs to better navigate and succeed in the world.

The tendency to cling to initial beliefs even when evidence shows they are wrong.

Information that comes easily to mind and has the greatest influence on behavior.

Automatic, low-effort thinking that leads to short-lasting understanding.

Controlled, effortful thinking that leads to long-lasting understanding.

Social Psychology uses empirical research to test ideas, while common sense accepts untested ideas.

A discussion on whether human behavior is universal or shaped by culture.

A tool to assess body image perceptions influenced by cultural norms.