Module 43 – Social Thinking
We influence and are influenced by
others through our constant
interactions with them.
Understanding behavior
Why do you think Deniz failed the psyc 100
test?
 He/she did not study for the exam
 He/she did not attend the classes
Why did you fail the psych 100 test?
 The test was difficult
 The teacher was not fair
How do we think about and try to
understand one another?
Attributions: The process by which people use
information to make inferences about the
causes of behavior or events.
Heider (1958) : People are “naive scientists”rationally and logically testing their hypotheses
about the behaviors of others.
 Dispositional attributions: Attributes behavior to
internal factors (personality traits, moods, attitudes,
beliefs...etc
 Situational attributions: Attributes behavior to external
factors (actions of others, nature of the situation, or luck).
The Effects of Attribution
Attributions influence the way we relate to each
other, our political opinions, and our decisions
about each other
Implication for interventions: If we attribute the
difficulties of unfortunate others to personal
deficits rather than circumstances, treatment
programs are more likely to focus on changing
individuals instead of the circumstances.
 Low levels of literacy among women in Turkey
* Low intelligence?
* Lack of access to education?
Errors we make
FUNDAMENTAL ATTRIBUTION ERROR:
We overestimate the influence of personality
and underestimate the influence of situations
 Situations and roles we are playing determine
our actions
 Should observe the same person across many
situations to make attributions about that
person’s personality characteristics.
Self- serving bias – our readiness to perceive
ourselves favorably
Attitudes*
• Feelings (based on our beliefs) that predispose
our reactions to our environment (objects,
people, and events
 Cigarette smoking does not really kill.
 “White” lies don’t count as lies
Attitudes come from:
 Properties of an attitude object
 Direct experience/mere exposure
 Classical conditioning
 Mass Media
 Socialization/ social roles
Behaviors
*tutum
Attitudes and Actions
External
Influences
Internal
attitudes
Behavior
•Attitudes and environment influence behavior.
•Behavior influences attitudes.
How does behavior influence
attitudes?
“Foot-in-the-door” phenomenon
 Agree to a request for a small action  comply with a
larger demand
 Charitable contributions, blood donations etc.
 When induces to speak or write against one’s own beliefpeople begin to believe their own words.
 Example: A: May I have a few minutes of your time?
B: Yes sure…
A: Will you please edit my paper?
B: Ummm, I guess..
What if behaviors and attitudes don’t
coincide
Murat and his friends have been at a party. Although
Murat agreed to be the designated driver, he has
drunk too much, and is drunk. Still, he gets
behind the wheel with three other friends along, and
starts the car. Murat knows that drunk driving kills,
yet he drives off anyway.
What if behaviors and attitudes don’t
coincide
 Murat can change one or the other conceptions
 “I am a person who does not agree with drunk driving”
becomes…

“Drunk driving is OK. A lot of drunk drivers arrive at their
destinations safely. More drunk drivers make it home than are
killed in accidents.”
 Or...
 “I am a person who is driving drunk” becomes

“I am not driving drunk. Sure, I had a few drinks, but I feel fine. I’m
not really drunk.”
What if behaviors and attitudes don’t
coincide
 Cognitive Dissonance:We
try to reduce the discomfort
(dissonance) we feel when we
have inconsistent cognitions. For
example, when our awareness
of our attitudes and of our
actions clash, we can reduce the
resulting dissonance by
changing our attitudes.
 Provides self-concept
maintenance