Social Psychology - Lecture One

Question 1

Social Psychology

Answer 1

Discipline in which people attempt to understand, explain and predict how the thoughts, feelings and actions of individuals are influenced by the perceived, imagined or implied thoughts, feelings and actions of others

Question 2

The nature of humankind: Rousseau

Answer 2

Man is by nature good and only institutions make him bad

Question 3

The nature of humankind: Hobbes

Answer 3

Man is by nature solitary, poore, nasty and brutish

Question 4

If not for the civilising constraints of society

Answer 4

there would be “a war of all against all”

Question 5

Approaches to social psychology

Answer 5

Cognitive
Learning
Motivational 
Biological 
Cultural

Question 6

Cognitive perspective

Answer 6

Emphasis on how perception affect behaviour

Question 7

Learning perspective

Answer 7

Emphasis on principles of reinforcement and imitation with a tendency to focus on observable behaviour and ignore cognition

Question 8

Motivational perspective

Answer 8

Emphasis on basic human needs e.g. the need to belong

Question 9

Biological perspective

Answer 9

Emphasis on evolutionary past and genetic disposition

Question 10

Cultural perspective

Answer 10

Emphasis on how culture affects social behaviour

Question 11

Levels of explanation in social psychology

Answer 11

Intra-personal level – within the person
Inter-personal level - between individuals
Inter-group level – within and between groups
Societal level – within and between societies