1.3 Key Theories and Perspectives in Social Psychology

Social psychology explores how we think, feel, and act in social situations. Key theories like cognitive dissonance and attribution help explain our mental processes, while social learning and identity theories shed light on how we interact and define ourselves in groups.

Biological perspectives, including evolutionary psychology and social neuroscience, offer insights into the biological basis of social behavior. These theories and approaches work together to provide a comprehensive understanding of human social dynamics.

Cognitive Theories

Theories of Mental Processes and Behavior

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• Cognitive dissonance theory explains how people strive for internal consistency between their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors
  • Occurs when individuals hold conflicting beliefs or engage in behaviors that contradict their attitudes
  • Leads to psychological discomfort, motivating individuals to reduce the dissonance
  • People may change their attitudes, behaviors, or rationalize their actions to achieve consistency
  • Can result in attitude change, self-justification, or selective exposure to information (avoiding contradictory information)
• Attribution theory focuses on how individuals explain the causes of events and behaviors
  • Distinguishes between internal (dispositional) and external (situational) attributions
  • Fundamental attribution error describes the tendency to overemphasize internal factors when explaining others' behaviors
  • Self-serving bias involves attributing positive outcomes to internal factors and negative outcomes to external factors
  • Includes concepts like actor-observer bias and cultural differences in attribution styles
• Self-perception theory proposes that individuals infer their own attitudes and emotions by observing their behaviors and the contexts in which they occur
  • Suggests that people may not always have direct access to their internal states
  • Particularly relevant when internal cues are weak or ambiguous
  • Can lead to attitude formation or change based on observed behavior
  • Explains phenomena like the foot-in-the-door technique and overjustification effect

Social Interaction Theories

Learning and Identity in Social Contexts

• Social learning theory emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others
  • Proposes that people learn through direct experience and by observing others (vicarious learning)
  • Involves processes of attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation
  • Explains how social norms and behaviors are transmitted within cultures
  • Highlights the role of self-efficacy in determining whether observed behaviors are performed
• Social identity theory examines how individuals' self-concept is influenced by their membership in social groups
  • Proposes that people categorize themselves and others into social groups
  • Involves processes of social categorization, social identification, and social comparison
  • Explains phenomena like in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination
  • Influences self-esteem, group behavior, and intergroup relations
• Social exchange theory views social interactions as transactions involving costs and rewards
  • Assumes that people seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs in their relationships
  • Includes concepts like comparison level and comparison level for alternatives
  • Explains how people make decisions about initiating, maintaining, or terminating relationships
  • Applies to various types of social interactions (romantic relationships, friendships, work relationships)

Biological Perspectives

Evolutionary and Neurological Approaches to Social Behavior

• Evolutionary psychology applies principles of natural selection to understand human behavior and cognition
  • Examines how evolutionary adaptations influence social behaviors and psychological processes
  • Focuses on universal patterns of behavior that solved adaptive problems in our ancestral environment
  • Explores topics like mate selection, parental investment, and social cooperation
  • Provides insights into phenomena such as gender differences and altruism
• Social neuroscience integrates biological and social perspectives to understand social behavior and cognition
  • Investigates the neural mechanisms underlying social processes
  • Utilizes neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, EEG) to study brain activity during social interactions
  • Examines topics like empathy, social decision-making, and emotional regulation
  • Provides insights into social disorders (autism spectrum disorders, social anxiety)
  • Explores how social experiences shape brain structure and function throughout the lifespan