Dont Judge a Book by Its CoverIntroductionThe old adage Dont judge a book by its cover is often used to caution against snap judgments based on appearance. However, as marketers often demonstrate, there is actually a lot that can be gleaned from someones outward appearance. For example, marketing research has shown that people who are considered to be attractive are also perceived as being more intelligent, successful, and trustworthy (Peng et al., 2020). While one should not make assumptions about someones character based solely on their looks, it is important to recognize the role that appearance plays in social interactions. This finding has important ramifications for social psychology. After all, first impressions do matter, and outward appearance is often the first thing that others notice about others. In social psychology, there is a term for thisthe halo effectand it refers to how one positive trait can lead a person to…...
mlaReferences
Carnegie, D., & Cole, B. (2011). How to win friends and influence people in the digital age. Simon and Schuster.
Forgas, J. P., & Laham, S. M. (2016). Halo effects. In Cognitive illusions (pp. 286-300). Psychology Press.
Hogg, M., & Vaughan, G. (2009). Essentials of social psychology. Pearson Education.
Social Cognition
Influences on Social Cognition in Children and Adolescents
Academic Institution
Influences on Social Cognition in Children and Adolescents
Child development is influenced by many factors. Some of the most important factors that affect the development of a child include heredity, nutrition, parental affection, and culture. Cognition refers to a general processes regarding the principles of thinking in humans, whereas social cognition refers to the study of how people process and use social information, particularly how social information is encoded, stored, retrieved, and then applied by the person in social situations (Striano & eid, 2006). Social cognition and social cognitive development are often studied by cognitive psychologist and social psychologists. The parallel between cognitive development and the development of social cognition certainly cannot be ignored. Cognition in children develops within the social context, but also most likely conforms to certain developmental patterns (Piaget, 1954). The primary influences of the development of social…...
mlaReferences
Baumrind, D. (1967). Child-care practices anteceding three patterns of preschool behavior.
Genetic Psychology Monographs, 75, 43-88.
Baumrind, D. (1991). The influence of parenting style on adolescent competence and substance use. Journal of Early Adolescence, 11(1), 56-95.
Blakemore, S.J. (2011). Social-Cognitive Development during Adolescence. Child Psychology
Since we observe the responses of our peers and friends, we are very much attuned to how we interact with others, and how their succeed or fail. The theory of self-efficacy is fundamental to understanding social cognitive learning, because it implies that the process of using this theory creates greater confidence. Since individuals learn from their cultural environment, it is imperative to construct a positive enforcing messages through the educational process to ensure that individuals feel that they can accomplish any and all given tasks.
A contextual example of the social cognitive learning model can be seen in the case of student as in the provided example. As is a student who feels no self-efficacy when it comes to mathematics, despite numerous opportunities to learn from math, he has taken no opportunities to improve himself. When questioned he clearly asserts that he cannot learn math, something that appears counterintuitive from…...
Children Development
Differentiating between phenomena of Theory-Theory and Theory of Mind
The 'Theory of Mind' is a cognitive-based science that examines how humans develop and ascribe mental states to people around us and how such mental states are used to foretell one's behavior and actions. It delves into the process of mental abilities and mind reading (Marraffa). 'Theory -- Theory', on the other hand, focuses on the structure of concepts, how they are acquired and applied in real life. Theory-theory points out that concepts are woven around theories and that one must first learn the theories in order to acquire the concepts (eiskopf)
Theory of mind grows over time. The intuitive social skills appear during the infancy stage while the reflective social cognition manifests during the preschool and the preceding toddler stages. Children aged three years understand that different people want and feel different things. Such mental stance is formidable by the time…...
mlaWorks Cited
Astington, Janet Wilde, and Margaret J. Edward. "The development of theory of mind in early childhood." Social Cognition in Infancy* 5 (2010): 16.
BOND, ALLISON. "How Moving Effects Mental Health in Kids." Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 17 Apr. 2014. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.
Hartup, Willard W. "Peer relations in early and middle childhood." Handbook of social development. Springer U.S., 1992. 257-281.
Hay, Dale F. "Early peer relations and their impact on children's development." Encyclopedia on early childhood development 1.1 (2005): 1-6.
Social Cognitive, Behavioral Drinking
Social Cognitive/behavioralist Drinking
Drinking behavior provides informative demonstration of how social cognitive and behavioralist theories provide complementary rather than competing explanations of human agency. Bandura (1999) casts social cognitive theory against various determinist and materialist theories on the assertion humans are "sentient agents of experiences rather than simply undergoers of experiences" because people explore, manipulate and influence the environment they discover (p. 4). This contrasts against "automaticity," habit, "tendencies to repeat responses given a stable supporting context" (Oullette and Wood, 1998, p. 55). Oullette & Wood (1998) compare habit learning to skill development, where practice can lead to "nonvolitional, frequent, and consistent experiences in a given context" but new situations require deliberation (p. 55). Wood and Neal (2007) largely reiterate this summary as repeated learned behavior (843). The present inquiry is particularly interested in how and why particular behaviors become repeated after negative consequences have been demonstrated possible,…...
mlaReferences
Bandura, A. (1999). A social cognitive theory of personality. In L. Pervin & O. John (Ed.),
Handbook of personality (2nd ed., pp. 154-196). New York: Guilford Publications. (Reprinted in D. Cervone & Y. Shoda [Eds.], The coherence of personality. New York: Guilford Press.)
Ouellette, J. & Wood, W. (1998). Habit and intention in everyday life: The multiple processes by which past behavior predicts future behavior. Psychological Bulletin 124(1), 54-74.
Wood, w. & Neal, D.T. (2007). A new look at habits and the habit -- goal interface. Psychological Review 114(4), 843 -- 863. Retrieved from DOI: 10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.843
The GEMS effort was to create a social environment that encouraged healthy eating and exercise, and expanded health literacy in a fun manner, and was accessible to young girls.
It is easier to change health-related behaviors in the young, and the program tried to address the unique and often more acute problem of obesity in African-American young girls. The entire community and family units were incorporated into the program effort. Positive aspects of the African-American community, such as strong social support, were used by the study designers, also in line with social cognition theory. Existing support structures and social learning were combined: for example, the families in question were often not educated in how to properly read food labels, but once they were, the desire to help their daughters become healthier would hopefully reinforce the need to engage in proactive steps to improve dietary health. During Family Nights, families of…...
mlaReferences
Marvella E. Ford, Barbara C. Tilley, & Patricia E. McDonald. (1998). Social support among
African- American adults with diabetes. Journal of American Medicine. 90 (6) 361-365.
Retrieved July 9, 2010 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2568240/pdf/jnma00165-0047.pdf
Story, Mary, et al. (2003, Winter). "An after-school obesity prevention program for African-
Social psychology is the study of human behavior in social situations, showing how social pressures and sociological variables can impact psychological phenomenon such as identity, motivation, personality, or behavior. A quintessential topic in the field of social psychology is bullying. Bullying can be studied from a public health perspective, showing how the external variables such as how a school is designed and the leadership and organizational culture of the school affects risk factors implicated in bullying behaviors or victimization patterns. Alternatively, bullying can be examined from a purely psychological perspective to reveal the factors implicated in aggressive physical or verbal behaviors or alternatively, to study victim characteristics or why some bystanders refuse to step in when they observe bullying behaviors. This latter issue links in with the social psychology approach. The social psychology of bullying examines factors like why some people perpetrate bullying behaviors due to their upbringing, their sense…...
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY AND WHAT DOES IT AIM TO STUDY?
Inspired by Kurt Lewin (1951), social psychology adopted the experimental method to study human behavior (Wood & Kroger, 1998). In this regard, Wood and Kroger (1998) report that, "Lewin's experiments in leadership style (autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire) became classics in the new experimental social psychology" (p. 267). Lewins' early work was carried on by Festinger and others who explored cognitive dissonance for the next 20 years at MIT and subsequently at the Universities of Michigan and Minnesota, making this one of the foundations of social psychology (Wood & Kroger, 1998).
Simply stated, social psychology uses the scientific method to study human social behavior (ogers, 2003). According to ogers, psychological social psychology "studies how social events and phenomena influence the ways in which individual people feel, think and act. It is concerned with the psychological processes (such as social perception and cognition) that go…...
mlaReferences
Hayes, D. (2004). RoutledgeFalmer guide to key debates in education. New York:
RoutledgeFalmer.
Karakashian, L.M., Walter, M.I., Christopher, A.N. & Lucas, T. (2006). Fear of negative evaluation affects helping behavior: The bystander effect revisited. North American
Journal of Psychology, 8(1), 13.
Increasing of skills and knowledge and even knowledge of the society cannot be possible without social interactions. That is the basis of the social cognitive theory as it brings together attitudinal and cognitive effects. The major forms of continuous learning are via the environment, the web, media houses and social communications. The intensity of the effect this new knowledge would have on people is dependent on their individual mindsets. Social communication (as earlier stated) is a major way of increasing knowledge and deriving meaning from these. In this handbook, we have given a thorough breakdown of social cognition and the workings of social communication in its various forms. This topic is very useful for schools, service establishments, research institutes, the government, professional training schools, industries and firms among others. Even the military could benefit from this as it has employees who daily apply their cognitive abilities for various uses such…...
Essay Topic Examples
1. The ower of Social Influence: Conformity and Obedience in Groups:
This essay would explore the dynamics of social influence, particularly focusing on how individuals conform to group norms and obey authority. It would examine classic studies, like those by Asch on conformity and Milgram on obedience, as well as contemporary examples to understand the psychological processes underpinning these behaviors.
2. The Role of Social Media in Shaping Identity and Self-Esteem:
This topic investigates how platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter influence users' perceptions of self and social comparison. The essay would cover the concepts of virtual identity, the impact of 'likes' and comments on self-esteem, and the psychological consequences of a highly connected digital life.
3. rejudice and Discrimination: Understanding the Social Roots:
Delve into the social psychological theories that explain the origins of prejudice and discrimination, looking at how in-group favoritism and out-group hostility form. This essay could…...
mlaPrimary Sources
Allport, Gordon W. The Nature of Prejudice. Addison-Wesley Pub. Co., 1954.
Festinger, Leon. \"A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance.\" Evanston, IL: Row, Peterson, 1957.Milgram, Stanley. \"Behavioral Study of Obedience.\" Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, vol. 67, no. 4, 1963, pp. 371–378.Asch, Solomon E. \"Effects of Group Pressure upon the Modification and Distortion of Judgments.\" Documents of Gestalt Psychology, edited by Mary Henle, University of California Press, 1961, pp. 222–236.Heider, Fritz. \"Social Perception and Phenomenal Causality.\" Psychological Review, vol. 51, no. 6, 1944, pp. 358–374.
ationality
Humans are lousy at thinking.
Except, of course, that we're not. But it is true that humans are relatively bad at purely rational thinking. This should not perhaps be surprising to us: We are not, after all, computers, which are far better than are humans at making rational decisions and providing rational calculations about situations. This is not entirely a bad thing: Humans have apparently (though the process of evolution) sacrificed the ability to make perfectly rational calculations for the ability to excel at what those who are trying to teach computers to think like humans call fuzzy thinking. We are good, for example, at being able to read another person's internal emotional state by the tilt of their eyebrows but we are relatively bad at calculating the odds of whether to take another card in blackjack - to the unending enrichment of the Las Vegas casinos.
However, while there do seem…...
mlaReferences
http://www.math.byu.edu/~jarvis/gambling/gambling-fallacies.htmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/sci_tech/features/figure_it_out/lottery.shtml
http://www.truthpizza.org/logic/sample.htm
Paulos, J.A. (2001). Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences. London: Hill and Wang.
Social Cognitivism: Viewpoint Synthesis
Literature eview on Social Cognitivism
Social Cognitivism
Theoretical Paper: Social Cognitive Theory of Personality by Albert Bandura
The core of the social cognitive theory is that through observation, learning occurs. This theory has several premises forming its foundation. Human beings are seen to learn when they participate in the observation process. A person who is a model, demonstrates a behaviour while the observer picks up this behaviour or learns it by seeing the model doing it. Albert Bandura, in his Social Cognitive Theory on personality, which is now known as the Social Learning Theory, states that there are many interactions of various elements such as people, the environment and behaviours when learning is taking place. Thus it takes place within a social setting (Bandura, 1999).
Purpose of the study
Bandura pursued various aims in this study. He looked at the behaviour of groups and individuals and he sought to gain an underlying…...
mlaReferences
Bandura A. (1989) Social Cognitive Theory. IN: Annals of Child Development (Vol 6, p1
60. (Vasta R, ed). Greenwich, CT: Jai Press LTD.
Bandura, A. (1986) Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
(2004) Intent and Ordinary Bias: Unintended Thought and Social Motivation Create Casual Prejudice. Social Justice esearch, Vol. 17 Issue 2, p117-127, 11p. etrieved July 7, 2009 from EBSCO online database http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s8h&AN=13079636&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Henry, P.J. And Hardin, C. (2006). The Contact Hypothesis evisited. Status Bias in the eduction of Implicit Prejudice in the United States and Lebanon. Association of Psychological Science. Vol.1-7 -- Number 10. etrieved July 7, 2009 from EBSCO online database http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rst&AN=23000285&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Mandel, I. (2009). Cultural Prejudice & Discrimination. esearch Starters Sociology, 2009, p1-6, 6p. etrieved July 7, 2009 from EBSCO online database http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rst&AN=36267911&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Pearson, A., Dovidio, J., & Pratto, F. (2007).acial Prejudice, Intergroup Hate, and Blatant and Subtle Bias of Whites toward Blacks in Legal Decision Making in the United States. International Journal of Psychology & Psychological Therapy, 2007, Vol. 7 Issue 2, p145-158, 14p. etrieved July 8, 2009 from EBSCO online database Full Text http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s8h&AN=27747337&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site
amasubramanian, S. & Oliver, M. (2007).…...
mlaReferences:
Faxed material
Fiske, S. (2004) Intent and Ordinary Bias: Unintended Thought and Social Motivation Create Casual Prejudice. Social Justice Research, Vol. 17 Issue 2, p117-127, 11p. Retrieved July 7, 2009 from EBSCO online database http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s8h&AN=13079636&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Henry, P.J. And Hardin, C. (2006). The Contact Hypothesis Revisited. Status Bias in the Reduction of Implicit Prejudice in the United States and Lebanon. Association of Psychological Science. Vol.1-7 -- Number 10. Retrieved July 7, 2009 from EBSCO online database http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rst&AN=23000285&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Mandel, I. (2009). Cultural Prejudice & Discrimination. Research Starters Sociology, 2009, p1-6, 6p. Retrieved July 7, 2009 from EBSCO online database http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rst&AN=36267911&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Social Web and Technology: Moving Humans Into Uncharted Territory
The internet has changed the way humans interact with each other in every way. It has helped shape an entire generation of social interactions as well as helped people learn in ways that were not possible before. Within these interactions, the very roots of society are created. S these interactions have changed media and shape, the preferences and habits of socialization have changed as well. As a technology, social web has given people the ability to connect with other people and places that were at one time inaccessible. It also gives people unfettered access to information through first hand reports and stories. This access to information on a global scale is also changing the way socialization occurs.
Human beings have always had a certain access to information, whether within a small group or over technologies like TV, radio, or printed media. The capacity…...
mlaReferences
Blossom, J. (2009). Content nation: surviving and thriving as social media technology changes our lives and our future. Social Media: New York.
Dorfman, L., Martindale, C., Gassimova, V., & Vartanian, O. (2008). Creativity and speed of information processing: A double dissociation involving elementary vs. inhibitory cognitive tasks. Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 44, No. 6, April 2008, 1382-1390.
Postman, N. (2001). Deus Machina. Technos: Quarterly for Education and Technology, Vol.
10, No. 27. Retrieved February 22, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002395759 .
Social Psychology: Examining the Principles of Persuasion Influencing Group Behavior
Introduction & Outline of the
esearch Evaluation
Concepts of Social Psychology
Attitudes and Persuasion
Social Identity Theory
Social Influences
Cultural and Gender Influences
Social Psychology: Examining the Principles of Persuasion Influencing Group Behavior
Introduction & Outline of the Essay
Social psychology deals with different aspects of social life and social behavior. People not only have feelings and opinions about nearly everything they come into contact with, but the argument has been made that we need to have these feelings and opinions. The current essay is aimed at exploring the principles of persuasion influencing group behavior. The foundation for this essay is text book "Social Psychology" by Myers (2010) which discusses the attitude theory and persuasion, reviewing how attitudes are structured and how this structure influences their susceptibility to change
The essay is divided into four sections. In the first section the researcher will evaluate latest research and pertinent literature allied to…...
mlaReferences
Baker, David P. And Deborah Perkins Jones. 1993. "Creating Gender Equality: Cross-national Gender Stratification and Mathematical Performance." Sociology of Education 66:91-103.
Bassili, J.N. (2008). Attitude strength. In W.D. Crano & R. Prislin, (Eds.), Attitudes and attitude change, Frontiers of social psychology. New York, NY; Psychology Press, pp. 261-286.
Cialdini, R.B. 2001. Influence: Science and Practice. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Eagly, A.H. & Chaiken, S. (1993) The Psychology of Attitudes. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Topic Idea 1: Primate Social Structure and Hierarchies
- Discuss the diverse social structures observed in primate species, ranging from egalitarian to strictly hierarchical systems.
- Analyze the factors contributing to the formation and maintenance of social hierarchies in primates, such as dominance, kinship, and alliances.
- Explore the mechanisms used by primates to communicate social status, such as vocalizations, body language, and facial expressions.
- Investigate the implications of social hierarchies on the behavior, mating strategies, and reproductive success of individual primates.
Topic Idea 2: Primate Communication and Language
- Discuss the various modes of communication employed by primates, including vocalizations, gestures, facial expressions, and....
1. The Neurobiological Basis of Schizophrenia: Exploring the Complexities of Brain Abnormalities
- Investigate the structural and functional brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia, including alterations in neurotransmitter systems, connectivity, and neural circuitry.
- Discuss the role of genetic and environmental factors in shaping these brain abnormalities and their contribution to the development of schizophrenia.
- Explore the potential links between neuroinflammation, immune dysfunction, and the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
2. Hallucinations and Delusions: Unraveling the Subjective Experiences in Schizophrenia
- Analyze the phenomenology of hallucinations and delusions, examining their characteristic features, content, and impact on the individual's subjective reality.
- Explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these psychotic....
New research on horse communication reveals that these animals possess complex social structures and a sophisticated ability to convey information through body language, vocalizations, and facial expressions, challenging traditional beliefs about their cognitive abilities. Recent studies have shown that horses are capable of understanding human emotions and intentions, as well as communicating with each other in nuanced ways. For example, horses have been observed using specific behaviors to signal dominance, submission, or aggression within their herds, indicating a level of social awareness and emotional intelligence. Additionally, horses are known to form strong social bonds with both conspecifics and humans, demonstrating their....
Horses' Conversational Abilities
Recent research delving into horses' communicative abilities unveils a remarkable level of sophistication, providing compelling evidence that they possess advanced social cognition. The ability to engage in complex communication transcends mere instinctive responses, requiring cognitive capabilities that enable the comprehension and production of meaningful signals. In the case of horses, their diverse vocalizations, body language, and facial expressions paint a vivid picture of their intricate communicative abilities.
Vocalizations: Nuances and Contexts
Horses possess an extensive repertoire of vocalizations, each conveying specific meanings in varying contexts. Researchers have identified distinct calls associated with different emotions and social situations. For instance, "snorts"....
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