Social psychology

Question 1

Define personality

Answer 1

Social psychology is the study of how individuals think about, are influenced by, and relate to others in social contexts. Specifically, it examines:

Social thinking (how we form judgments about ourselves and others),

Social influence (how the presence of others affects our behavior),

Social relations (how we interact and form connections with others

Question 2

Describe why it’s important to consider cultural differences in psychology

Answer 2

Cultural differences significantly influence how people perceive and interpret social behavior:

Western cultures (individualistic) tend to make personal attributions, explaining behavior based on individual traits.

Eastern cultures (collectivistic) are more likely to make situational attributions, emphasizing the role of social context.

For example, Americans tend to take personal credit for successes, while Asians often show less self-serving bias, valuing modesty and communal harmony
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Understanding these cultural differences helps psychologists avoid biased interpretations and promotes more accurate, culturally sensitive assessments and interventions.

Question 3

Describ the influence of other people on the way individuals behave

Answer 3

Other people can strongly influence behavior through social norms, roles, and conformity:

The Stanford prison experiment showed that ordinary people could engage in cruel behavior when placed in a powerful role within a social structure.

Milgram’s obedience studies demonstrated that individuals often comply with authority figures, even when asked to perform harmful actions.

People also conform to group norms to avoid rejection or because they believe others have more accurate information (normative vs. informational influence)

Question 4

Describe how people understand their social environment

Answer 4

People understand their social world through processes like:

Attributions: Judging the causes of behavior (personal vs. situational).

Schemas and stereotypes: Mental frameworks that help interpret information, though they can lead to biased perceptions.

First impressions: Early information tends to shape our ongoing perception of others (primacy effect).

Self-fulfilling prophecies: Expectations about others can influence how we treat them, which can, in turn, cause them to behave in ways that confirm those expectations
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