CHAPTER 11 Social Psychology

What Is Social Psychology’s Focus?

11-1 What are three main focuses of social psychology?

Social Thinking

11-2 How does the fundamental attribution error describe how we tend to explain others’ behavior compared with our own?

11-3 What is an attitude, and how do attitudes and actions affect each other?

Social Influence

11-4 What do experiments on conformity and obedience reveal about the power of social influence?

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11-5 What do the social influence studies teach us about ourselves? How much power do we have as individuals?

11-6 How does the presence of others influence our actions, via social facilitation, social loafing, or deindividuation?

11-7 How can group interaction enable group polarization?

11-8 What role does the Internet play in group polarization?

11-9 How can group interaction enable groupthink?

Social Relations

11-10 What are the three parts of prejudice, and how has prejudice changed over time?

11-11 What factors contribute to the social roots of prejudice, and how does scapegoating illustrate the emotional roots of prejudice?

11-12 What are the cognitive roots of prejudice?

11-13 What biological factors predispose us to be aggressive?

11-14 What psychological and social-cultural factors may trigger aggressive behavior?

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11-15 Why do we befriend or fall in love with some people but not others?

11-16 How does romantic love typically change as time passes?

11-17 What is altruism? When are we most—and least—likely to help?

11-18 How do social norms explain helping behavior?

11-19 What social processes fuel conflict? How can we transform feelings of prejudice and conflict into behaviors that promote peace?