U1 Social Cognition Flashcards
(36 cards)
What is social cognition
● “How we think about the social world”
● “The general process we use to make sense out of
social events, which may or may not include other
people.
” (Bordens and Horowitz, 2008, p.5)
● “Our attempts to understand complex issues, and
why we sometimes are less than optimally rational”
What is information overload?
HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THIS?
Happens when the amount of information individuals need to process exceeds their cognitive capacity at a given time
-Demands of the environment > capacity of the cognitive system
- Development of strategies to deal as quickly as possible with as much information as we can.
- Especially when there’s uncertainty.
How do people deal with information overload
-> develop strategies to process info quickly and efficiently, especially in particular or uncertain situations - envolve heuristics
What are heuristics?
-> mental shortcuts or simplified rules that allow for quick decision making.
-> dealing with complicated situations
SERVE AS efficient strategies to manage large amounts of information
* Cope with big amounts of
information
❖ Can lead to / be biased
What are some potential downsides to using heuristics?
While generally beneficial, heuristics can introduce biases into decision making process
What is the representativeness heuristic?
Representativeness heuristic involves making judgements about the probability of something belonging to a category.
-> the more similar to the prototype the more are perceives to belong to that group
Can you give an example of the representativeness heuristic?
Encountering a purple frog.
You might assume its poisonous bcs it fit your prototypes
What is the availability heuristic?
The tendency to judge the frequency or likelihood of an event based on how easily instances of that event can be recalled from memory
-> ease w/ which relevant information is retrieved influences our perception of its frequency
What is an example of the availability heuristic?
Seeing several news reports about car accidents in a a short period of time.
The amount of available information, emotional association, self-reliance can all influence the availability heuristic
What are some factors that can influence the availability heuristic?
Factors such as frequency of events, personal biases in attention to information,
the amount of available information, emotional associations,
and self-relevance can all influence the availability heuristic
What is the anchoring and adjustment heuristic?
Describes the tendency to rely heavily on an initial piece of information (anchor) when making decisions.
Subsequent judgments are often made by adjusting away from that anchor even if it’s not relevant or accurate
Can you give an example of the anchoring and adjustment heuristic?
Negotiating the price of a used car, the seller’s initial asking price can serve as an anchor.
Your counteroffer will likely be influenced by that price.
What is the status quo heuristic?
heuristic reflects a preference for the current state of affairs, assuming that the way things are is better than alternatives, even without evidence to support this belief
What are some examples of the status quo heuristic?
The status quo heuristic is evident in consumer behavior when people stick with familiar products out of habit or inertia. It can also explain resistance to societal change and the preservation of traditions.
How does time influence the status quo heuristic?
The longer something remains the same, the more likely people are to perceive it as the better or preferred option
What are schemas
They are cognitive frameworks or mental structures that organise knowledge and interpreting information about the social world
Translates to:
* What to expect
* Comfort
* Generalization.
What is the purpose of schemas
They help us interpret new experiences, guide our actions, and process relevant information efficiently. They provide sense of predictability and comfort by shaping exceptions about social interactions and situations
Are schemas universal or culture-specific?
While some schemas may be universal, many are shaped by cultural norms, values, and experiences leading to variations in social perceptions and behaviors across cultures
How do schemas impact social cognition?
Schemas influence what we pay attention to, how we encode and store information in memory, and what we remember later.
Do people remember information that is consistent or inconsistent with their schemas better?
Research on the impact of schemas on memory retrieval yields mixed findings. Some studies suggest that inconsistent information stands out and is therefore more memorable, while others indicate that people tend to report information consistent with their schemas more readily.
How can multiple schemas be managed during social interactions?
The activation and influence of schemas during social interactions are not constant. Factors such as the strength of a schema and the concept of priming help explain which schemas are activated and when
What determines the strength of a schema?
The strength of a schema is determined by its ease of activation, frequency of use, and resistance to deactivation.
-> Schemas that are more ingrained, well-developed, and frequently used are generally stronger and more likely to be activated in relevant situations.
What is priming?
Priming refers to the temporary increase in the accessibility of a particular schema due to recent experiences or exposures.
How can a schema be “unprimed”?
Once a primed schema has been sufficiently activated or “satisfied,” it becomes deactivated or unprimed. This unpriming process allows other schemas to become more accessible and influential in subsequent situations
