Psychology: Unit III Social Relationships

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

• how do we relate to others?
• attraction
• altruism
• conflict and prejudice

Prejudice

• unjustifiable attitude towards a group of people
• overt: use flags
• subtle: refuse to touch paper from a person

Stereotype

• generalized belief about a group of people 

Social Inequalities

In group

• "us"
• people with whom we share a common identity

Out group

• "them"
• those perceived as different than one's in group

In group bias

• tendency to favor one's own group

Social Relationships

Scapegoat Theory

• prejudice provides an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame

Aggression

• any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy

Biology of Aggression

• genetics
• neural influences (brain)
• biochemical

Psychology of Aggression

• Frustration -  Aggressive Principle: blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal; creates anger which generates aggression

Conflict

• perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas

Social Trap

• situation where people must choose between an act that is beneficial to themselves, but harmful to others and an act that is moderately beneficial to all

Attraction (five factors)

Proximity

• geographic nearness
• mere exposure effect: repeated exposure to something breeds liking

Reciprocal Liking

• you are more likely to like someone who likes you

Similarity

• similarity breeds content
• bird of the same feather do flock together
• opposites do NOT attract

Liking Through Association

• classical conditioning can play a pert in attraction

Physical Attractiveness

• Passionate Love: an aroused state of intense positive absorption of another
• Compassionate Love: deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.

What makes compassionate love work?

• equity: mutual give and take, assets, money, what you put in.
• self - disclosure: open to people, share personal thoughts and feelings

Altruism

• unselfish regard for the welfare of others

Bystander Effect

• bystanders are less willing to help if there are other bystanders around

Social Exchange Theory

• idea that our social behavior is an exchange process, in which we maximize our benefits and minimize costs

Peacemaking

• give people subordinate (shared) goals that can be only achieved through cooperation

GRIT

• Graduated Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension Reduction