Course Structure
◼ Social Perception (the self, prejudice)
◼ Social Influence (persuasion, conformity)
◼ Social Relations (aggression, helping)
Get a buddy!
◼ This is your chance to get the e-mail/phone
number/WhatsApp/Signal/whatever kids connect with
from your neighbor!
◼ That way, if you or they are not able to make class, you
can share notes with them.
◼ You have two minutes…
The Self
Self: Subtopics
◼ Self-esteem (affect)
◼ Self-concept (cognition)
◼ Self-behaviors (behavior)
Self-Concept
The sum total of an individual’s beliefs about
their own personal attributes.
◼ Develops 18-24 months in humans
◼ Only humans and great apes have
a self-concept for sure.
◼ Measure: red dye test/Rouge test
Self-Concept made up of Self-Schemas
Self-schemas: Beliefs people hold that
guide processing of self-relevant
information.
I am…
I am…
Measuring self-concept I am…
Twenty Statements Test I am…
I am…
(Hartley, 1970)
Wide variation in self-concept
Cultural
Sources of Self-concept
◼ Introspection
◼ Self-perception
◼ Social Comparison
Introspection
◼ Looking inward and examining
our thoughts feelings and
behaviors.
August Rodin: The Thinker (1902)
Introspection: Problems
◼ Not much time spent thinking about the
self (8% of time).
16
14
Percentage of thoughts
12
10
0
Food Media General Talking People Self Leisure Home Time Nothing Work
Introspection: Problems
◼ Unwilling to introspect (when?)
◼ Unable to introspect (Nisbett & Wilson, 1977)
◼ Independent Variable: manipulated loud or quiet noise while
watching a movie
◼ Dependent Variable: participants in loud condition report the
environment led to negative evaluation of the movie, but it
did not.
Self-Perception
Self-perception Theory (Bem, 1965)
People gain self-insight by observing their own behavior.
I never miss I must like
Psychology that class
class
Boundary Conditions: Self-perception does not occur when:
1. People are already sure about their thoughts or feelings.
2. The situation is so strong that it caused the behavior.
Strong Situation Weak Situation
A situation A situation with few norms for behavior,
with strong so everyone does what they like.
norms for
behavior, so
everyone does
the
same thing.
I didn’t say I played Jump rope is
I am a shy
anything in ? jump rope ?
my favorite
person
the elevator
Self-Perception of Motivation
People look to the situation where the behavior occurs to
determine their motivation.
1. Intrinsic motivation: motivation comes from within the
self.
2. Extrinsic motivation: motivation comes from outside the
self (environment).
Lepper, Greene, & Nisbett (1973)
1. Baseline playtime with markers (week 1-2)
2. Manipulation (week 3)
Condition 1: no reward
2: expected reward
3: unexpected reward
3. Play time measured (week 4)
Independent Variable? Dependent Variable? Control condition?
Baseline vs. Week 4 Playtimes
Baseline vs. Week 4 Playtimes
(Manipulation From Week 3)
Overjustification Effect: intrinsic motivation decreases
when an activity is associated with extrinsic factors.
Self-Perception of Motivation
Boundary Conditions: Overjustification Effect
1. No effect if no initial intrinsic motivation.
2. Overjustification effect occurs only when the reward is
expected.
Social Comparison
Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954)
People evaluate their own abilities and opinions
by comparing themselves to others.
Boundary Conditions, when do we compare?
1. If uncertain about yourself
2. If no objective criterion
What performance domains lack objective criteria?
Social Comparison
Who do we compare
ourselves to?
Similar others, sibling, equals
We use cues to determine
our emotions. Read about
2-factor theory of emotion
(textbook page 62-64).
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem: the affective component of the
self, positive and negative self-evaluations.
Self-Esteem: Rosenberg Scale
Rate the following on the scale below (usually 10 items):
1 2 3 4
Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly
Likert Scale
Disagree Agree
__1. On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.
__2. I take a positive attitude toward myself.
__3. I certainly feel useless at times. (R)
Sociometer Hypothesis
Sociometer hypothesis: (Leary & Baumeister, 2000):
How we perceive we are doing in the eyes of others.
What type of events
impact this perception?
Sociometer Hypothesis
Sociometer hypothesis: (Leary & Baumeister, 2000):
How we perceive we are doing in the eyes of others.
Surprise Party
New Friends
What type of events Some +/-
impact this perception? Rejection
Mother forgot
birthday
Self-esteem for Different
Racial/Ethnic Groups in US?
0.3
Self-esteem Relative to
0.2
0.1
0
White
-0.1
-0.2
-0.3
-0.4
Black Hispanic Asian Native
American
Self-esteem for Different
Racial/Ethnic Groups in US?
0.3
Self-esteem Relative to
0.2
0.1 Self-esteem has
0 risen among African
White
-0.1 Americans from pre-
-0.2 civil rights through
-0.3 the 1950’s to today.
-0.4
Black Hispanic Asian Native
American
Self-Behaviors
◼ Behaviors often driven by the motivation to maintain or
enhance SE.
Self-biases
Self-serving biases: tendency to blame failures
on external events but take credit for successes.
◼ Any examples from school?
Memory biases: SAT score recalled +17pts
Memory for grades?
Memory Bias
100%
Recall Accuracy (%)
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
A B C D
Bahrick and others (1996)
Self-handicapping
◼ Creating obstacles to successful performance to have an
excuse if failure occurs. (may not be aware)
◼ Advantage: protects self-esteem
◼ Disadvantage: poor performance
◼ Examples?
Joel Zumaya: Missed 2006 AL Champ Series
start due to Guitar Hero injury to wrist.
Social Comparison
◼ Social comparisons serve to maintain SE.
◼ Downward comparison: Comparing the self to others who
are less fortunate or less successful. Examples?
◼ But, are upward comparisons always bad?
Social Comparison
◼ Basking in Reflected Glory (BIRGing): Associating
with successful or famous others (we won, they lost).
The American People Series #16:
Woman Looking in a Mirror--Faith Ringgold, 1966.
…The End
◼ How many of you are below average
drivers? Leaders?
◼ Unrealistic optimism: overestimating the
likelihood of good events and
underestimating the likelihood of bad
events happening to us.