Social Cognition and Attitudes Flashcards
Define Social Psychology
Study of how thoughts, feeling and behaviour of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of others.
What do Social Psychologists do
Using a wide range of scientific methods including experiments, field experiments, surveys observation of naturally occurring behaviour, and analysis of what people do and say.
Do Social Psychologists develop theory
Yes from carefully systematic and well-controlled research from data sometimes based on common sense social psychology knowledge
What are social representations
Ready-made social interpretations and explanations of people and situations in the society we live
What do social representations provide
A framework for how we make sense of the world
How can social representations cause problems
How we deal with and judge people based on our representations.
How does societies representations influence us
Media, and politics for instance can sell us a representation like Peter Sutcliff needs to be punished not rehabilitated. Society influences us.
