Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
120 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
What is social psychology?
|
The systematic study of people’s thought’s feelings and behaviors in social contexts
|
|
|
What are the two major paradigms of social psychology? What are their focuses?
|
Sociological social psychology focuses on society and groups, psychological social psychology focuses on individuals
|
|
|
What is social psychology?
|
The systematic study of people’s thought’s feelings and behaviors in social contexts
|
|
|
What do social psychologists study?
|
People’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in social contexts
|
|
|
What are the two major paradigms of social psychology? What are their focuses?
|
Sociological social psychology focuses on society and groups, psychological social psychology focuses on individuals
|
|
|
When examining a specific social phenomenon (e.g., Britney Spears Shaving her Head, why it is rare to see Asians smoke, etc.), what would psychologists and sociologists be concerned about?
|
Asians smoking: sociologists would be concerned about the societal factors that affect an individual’s desire to smoke or not such as race, culture, religion, family life, social circles, education etc. Psychologists would be concerned with the individual’s cognition when it comes to the desire to smoke.
|
|
|
What do social psychologists study?
|
People’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in social contexts
|
|
|
What are the major differences between psychologists and sociologists when they study social behavior?
|
Sociologists focus on social groups whereas psychologists focus on the individual. Research method is another big difference; sociologists use surveys / observation, whereas psychologists use experiments. Goals are also another difference; sociologists’ goals are to analyze the variables of society in regards to a behavior whereas psychologists’ goals are to study an individual’s cognition in response to social stimuli.
|
|
|
When examining a specific social phenomenon (e.g., Britney Spears Shaving her Head, why it is rare to see Asians smoke, etc.), what would psychologists and sociologists be concerned about?
|
Asians smoking: sociologists would be concerned about the societal factors that affect an individual’s desire to smoke or not such as race, culture, religion, family life, social circles, education etc. Psychologists would be concerned with the individual’s cognition when it comes to the desire to smoke.
|
|
|
What are the three theoretical perspectives in sociological social psychology? What are their basic ideas and major foci?
|
What are the three theoretical perspectives in sociological social psychology? What are their basic ideas and major foci?
|
|
|
What are the major differences between psychologists and sociologists when they study social behavior?
|
Sociologists focus on social groups whereas psychologists focus on the individual. Research method is another big difference; sociologists use surveys / observation, whereas psychologists use experiments. Goals are also another difference; sociologists’ goals are to analyze the variables of society in regards to a behavior whereas psychologists’ goals are to study an individual’s cognition in response to social stimuli.
|
|
|
How is meaning created in social interaction?
|
We define the situation, we take actions based on the situation, and meaning is then created. It is important to understand that every individual creates his or her own meaning within an interaction.
|
|
|
What are the three theoretical perspectives in sociological social psychology? What are their basic ideas and major foci?
|
SI - symbolic interactionism - we create our own meanings through social interaction
SSP - Social structure + personality - the structures of society shape our interactions and personality GP - status, power, legitimacy and justice affect how we interact in small groups |
|
|
What are the three steps of the process in which meaning is created in social interaction?
|
Three steps: First we define the situation: is it a date, a hang out session, a casual lunch, study group? Next, we take actions based on our definition. Meaning then emerges in the interaction.
|
|
|
How is meaning created in social interaction?
|
We define the situation, we take actions based on the situation, and meaning is then created. It is important to understand that every individual creates his or her own meaning within an interaction.
|
|
|
Why is culture important in symbolic interactionism?
|
Culture is important to understand meaning; different cultures have different meanings for interactions. For example, “Fried Rice” means one thing to Asian culture and another thing to American culture.
|
|
|
What are the three steps of the process in which meaning is created in social interaction?
|
Three steps: First we define the situation: is it a date, a hang out session, a casual lunch, study group? Next, we take actions based on our definition. Meaning then emerges in the interaction.
|
|
|
Why is culture important in symbolic interactionism?
|
Culture is important to understand meaning; different cultures have different meanings for interactions. For example, “Fried Rice” means one thing to Asian culture and another thing to American culture.
|
|
|
What are the two schools of symbolic interactionism? Compare their core values and research methods.
|
Chicago school and Indiana / Iowa schools are both SI schools. The Chicago school believes social reality is fluid, constantly changing, and cannot be predicted. Research methods include participant observation. Important scholars are Blumer and Mead. Iowa / Indiana schools believe that social meanings tend to remain the same, are stable in nature and can be quantified and studied. Research methods include surveys and formulas. Important scholars are Stryker and Kuhn.
|
|
|
What are the two schools of symbolic interactionism? Compare their core values and research methods.
|
Chicago school and Indiana / Iowa schools are both SI schools. The Chicago school believes social reality is fluid, constantly changing, and cannot be predicted. Research methods include participant observation. Important scholars are Blumer and Mead. Iowa / Indiana schools believe that social meanings tend to remain the same, are stable in nature and can be quantified and studied. Research methods include surveys and formulas. Important scholars are Stryker and Kuhn.
|
|
|
What is social structure and what are the three main components?
|
SSP focuses on how social structure affects personality. The three main components are: Components principle (structural factors), Proximity principle (relational factors) and psychological principal (individual factors)
|
|
|
What is James House’s theory?
|
He determined three principles for studying the effects of larger structural forces on individuals; Components principle, proximity principle, and psychological principle.
|
|
|
What is group processes perspective? When did it become a formal area in the field?
|
A set of theories (based on small group research) regarding how basic social processes operate in group contexts, it became a formal field in 2000.
|
|
|
How does group structure affect the social processes within a group? Give an example.
|
Changing the group size changes the quality and dynamics of relationships within the group. For an example, if a man was trying to propose to his girlfriend, the addition of a third person would completely change the social processes the man had in mind.
|
|
|
What are the five major domains of sociological studies on small groups? Give examples
|
Groups and social control (example: frat house, cult, family)
Groups as agents of social change (NPOs, social movements) Groups and network organization (example: social ties based on friendship vs. instrumental e.g., coworkers) Groups and cultural representations (example: little Italy vs. Chinatown), Groups and structural allocation (example: personal experience of race, class, gender, sexuality in a small group) |
|
|
What is Mead’s theoretical stance?
|
Important SI scholar, helped form the Chicago school, studied how social conditions affect our sense of self
|
|
|
What is Cooley’s theoretical stance?
|
Argued that primary and secondary groups produce different types of interactions
|
|
|
What is Blumer’s theoretical stance?
|
Coined the term “symbolic interactionism”, was a scholar of Chicago school, believed social reality is fluid and constantly changing
|
|
|
What is Stryker’s theoretical stance?
|
Believed social reality is stable in nature and can be quantified, was a scholar of the Indiana / Iowa schools
|
|
|
What is House’s theoretical stance?
|
Believes individuals carry influences of society, but they can also resist or modify these influences, created the three principles for studying the effects of larger structural forces on individuals (Components, Proximity and Psychology principles)
|
|
|
Define symbol
|
Anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share the same culture
|
|
|
Define agency
|
The ability to act and think independent of the constraints imposed by social conditions
|
|
|
Define social norms
|
Rules and expectations for people’s behavior within a society
|
|
|
What is the difference between dyad and triad?
|
A dyad is a two-person group and a triad is a three-person group
|
|
|
What is the difference between primary groups and secondary groups?
|
A primary group consists of people we are close to and interact with regularly such as family and close friends. A secondary group consists of people we affiliate with to achieve common goals or meet common needs such as co-workers, teammates, classmates.
|
|
|
What are reference groups?
|
People we look to as a source of standards and identity; examples: political parties, student associations, work associations
|
|
|
What are small groups?
|
Two or more people engaged in or capable of face-to-face interaction
|
|
|
What are social networks?
|
A series of relationships among individuals and groups
|
|
|
What characteristics distinguish social psychological knowledge from common sense or personal opinions?
|
Scientific procedure
Empirical evidence Revisions Systematic Observations |
|
|
What is ecological fallacy? Give an example
|
An error that is made when the conclusions that are drawn from the collective level is applied on the individual level. For example, in long distance relationships, men are more likely than women to think “out of sight, out of mind”, however, it would be an ecological fallacy to apply this to an individual as a rule.
|
|
|
What are the major research methods in social psych?
|
Field Research
Experiments Content analysis Survey research |
|
|
According to Mead, individuals need an exchange of _______ in order for a situation to have meaning
|
symbols
|
|
|
According to the ___________ Theorem, when people define situations as real, those situations become real in their consequences
|
Thomas
|
|
|
According to the Thomas Theorum, when people define situations as real, what happens?
|
The situations become real in their consequences
|
|
|
Give an example of the Thomas Theorem.
|
If you are bumped by someone walking down the hall and assume it was done on purpose, you will likely react more aggressively than if you assume it was an accident
|
|
|
True or False: Frame Analysis is the process by which individuals transform the meaning of a situation using basic cognitive structures provided by society.
|
True
|
|
|
Give an example of Frame Analysis
|
If you see a group of people standing around a person lying on the ground, you are likely to conjure an "injured person frame", this frame may invoke fear and cause you to prepare to help the injured person or look for a doctor.
|
|
|
True or False: Frame Analysis is formally taught in schools.
|
False, frame analyses can be difficult to understand how we develop and use them.
|
|
|
True or False: The "structural symbolic interactionism" school of thought is typically associated with researchers at Chicago schools.
|
False, this school of thought is associated with researchers at University of Iowa and Indiana University schools.
|
|
|
The Thomas Theorem started at which school, Chicago or Indiana / Iowa?
|
The Chicago School
|
|
|
True or False: Stryker, a student of Mead, was important in keeping the focus of symbolic interaction on the individual level and away from macro-level definitions of society.
|
False, Herbert Blumer
|
|
|
According to the textbook, the symbolic interaction paradigm is based on three basic principles. What are these principles?
|
1. Meanings arise through social interaction among individuals
2. Individuals use the meanings they derive from interaction to guide their own behavior 3. People act toward objects on the basis of the meanings that those objects have for them |
|
|
The social structure and personality perspective focuses on what?
|
The connections between larger societal conditions and the individual
|
|
|
What sociological perspective does James House's theory apply to?
|
SSP - Social Structure and Personality
|
|
|
According to the Components principle, what are the components of social structure most likely to affect individuals in a given context?
|
Status, Roles and Networks
|
|
|
______ _______ include all the ways in which other people or society in general compel individuals to act in accordance with external norms, rules, or demands.
|
Social Forces
|
|
|
Give an example of social forces.
|
A graduate student was invited to a "barbeque" so she dressed in t-shirt, shorts and sandals. When she arrived, she realized it was really a formal dinner. She went home and changed her clothes. "social forces" created the feeling of embarrassment and created the decision to go home and change her clothes into something more formal.
|
|
|
What is the psychology principle?
|
The idea that people have the ability to internalize social norms in a variety of ways and people have cognitive processes that lead people to follow or not follow the rules
|
|
|
What are the four main processes studied in the group processes perspective?
|
1. Power
2. Status 3. Justice 4. Legitimacy |
|
|
What is Ethnography?
|
A form of field research that includes a descriptive analysis of a group or organization.
|
|
|
What is the most commonly used QUANTITATIVE research method in sociology?
|
Survey Research
|
|
|
What are the strengths of experiments?
|
They can isolate the experimental variable's impact over time
They can be replicated several times using different subject groups |
|
|
What are the weaknesses of experiments?
|
They can cause generalizations
The artificiality of lab settings |
|
|
What are the strengths of survey?
|
You can study a lot of people at a time
You can examine the relationships among many variables in a study You can make very good predictions about a large population |
|
|
What are the weaknesses of survey?
|
We have no control over who lies and who tells the truth
No sample is truly representation Weak on observing social processes Weak on discovering the dynamic contexts in which a social behavior is situated |
|
|
What are the strengths of field research?
|
produces in-depth understanding of a social phenomenon
High flexibility, you can modify research design and questions at any time during research Inexpensive |
|
|
What are the weaknesses of field research?
|
Data collection is very time consuming
cannot generate findings to a large population |
|
|
What are the strengths of content analysis?
|
Easier to collect data
save a lot of money Reliable Easy to repeat a portion of the study if necessary can study changes over time The researchers stay objective and unobtrusive |
|
|
What are the weaknesses of content analysis?
|
Limited to examination of recorded communications
Problems of validity are likely, especially on latent content |
|
|
True or False: Field research is often used by SSP scholars
|
False, SI scholars
|
|
|
Do researchers have an obtrusive or unobtrusive role in experimentation?
|
Obtrusive
|
|
|
What are the four primary research methods?
|
Experimentation
Survey Field Research Content analysis |
|
|
What is the main purpose of experiments?
|
To determine cause an effect
|
|
|
What are the three typical components of social theories?
|
1. General statements about social relationships
2. Statements about the causes of those relationships 3. General predictions based on these reasons about how people will react to certain events or experiences |
|
|
__________ are specific statements about how variables will relate to each other in a research study
|
Hypotheses
|
|
|
__________ are theoretical concepts put into measurable form
|
Variables
|
|
|
Taking a concept and translating it into something that can be measured is called ______________
|
Operationalizing
|
|
|
True or false: Theories are more specific than hypotheses
|
False, hypotheses are more specific than theories: they are limited to the variables being studied in a given project
|
|
|
The __________ variable is the variable predicted to lead to a change in another variable
|
Independent
|
|
|
The __________ variable is the variable predicted to change
|
Dependent
|
|
|
What type of sampling is the surest way to obtain a representative sample of the larger population?
|
Random sampling
|
|
|
What is a sampling frame? Give an example
|
A sampling frame is a list of all possible elements in the population.
For example, you wanted to study volunteering among all Catholics, you would want to limit your sampling frame to members listed on churches congregations' mail lists |
|
|
_________ Samples are the ones in which the population is first divided into meaningful groups such as metropolitan areas or schools, and then a representative sample of respondents from within each is surveyed
|
Cluster
|
|
|
What is a convenience sample? Give an example.
|
A sample in which any available person is included in the study.
For example, selecting Walmart shoppers to fill out a survey as they walk by |
|
|
What is a snowball sample?
|
Informants provide contact info about other people who share some of the characteristics necessary for a study
|
|
|
When trying to apply research findings to an entire group or population, which kind of sampling is preferred?
|
Probability sampling
|
|
|
What are IRBs? What do they do?
|
Internal Review Boards are university groups made up of academics from various fields, they review research projects to make sure that the expected benefits of the research outweigh any potential harm to research participants.
|
|
|
What is the major advantage to using qualitative research methods?
|
Because qualitative researchers allow subjects to describe their experiences in their own words / behave naturally, the major advantage is that this approach does not constrain people's actions or the conditions to which they respond
|
|
|
What is a major disadvantage to using qualitative research?
|
It is difficult to apply qualitative research findings to new people or groups because phenomena are not usually measured in a consistent way across research studies
|
|
|
What are the two most popular forms of qualitative research?
|
Field Research and In-Depth Interviews
|
|
|
If a researcher entered an Alcoholics Anonymous organization and observed how people behaved, the researcher would be using what research method?
|
Ethnography, a descriptive analysis of a group or organization
|
|
|
If a researcher was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous and gathered "insider" information, the researcher would be using what research approach?
|
Participant observation
|
|
|
What are the disadvantages of participant observation?
|
Participant observers may develop a bias or change their perspective due to the affiliation with group
Participant observers may not know how their participation influences the behaviors of group members It can be very time consuming |
|
|
Many researchers rely on ________ __________ which use an unstructured series of questions and probing respondents for more details as appropriate to the goals of research. These are flexible and do not limit the types of responses available to respondents.
|
In-Depth Interviews
|
|
|
__________ _________ is a qualitative research method that includes any systematic review of written documents or other media
|
Content Review
|
|
|
________ ________ include semi-structured interviews with small groups (6-15 people)
|
Focus Groups
|
|
|
___________ Methods include any attempt to quantify, or measure people's thoughts, feelings, or behavior using numbers
|
Quantitative Methods
|
|
|
What is statistical significance?
|
Statistical significance means to examine the probability that the results found in a sample reflect the true relationships within the population of interest.
|
|
|
What is the most commonly used quantitative research method in sociology?
|
Survey Research
|
|
|
What is secondary data analysis?
|
It is the analysis of previously collected survey data
|
|
|
___________ _________ include questions for which the possible responses have no particular order
|
Categorical Variables
|
|
|
What are ordinal variables?
|
Variables for which response categories are ordered but the distances between adjacent categories are not equal
|
|
|
What are interval variables?
|
Variables for which the distance between any two adjacent points is the same
|
|
|
What is the major advantage of experiments?
|
Their ability to determine causal relationships between the independent and dependent variables
|
|
|
Which group is exposed to the independent variable: the experimental group or the control group?
|
The experimental group
|
|
|
True or false: The Control group is exposed to the independent variable.
|
False, the experimental group is exposed to the independent variable
|
|
|
What is the most common way to reduce the likelihood that variables other than the independent variable are responsible for changes in the dependent variable?
|
Use a random assignment
|
|
|
What are two limitations of experiments?
|
1. Many phenomena that is of interest to researchers cannot be manipulated in a lab setting (for example, the health consequences of a death of a loved one)
2. Experiments are usually only appropriate when the researcher is interested in testing a developed theory of some social process. |
|
|
Which of the following is NOT a form of quantitative research: survey research, field research, experiments
|
Field Research
|
|
|
Name four Qualitative Methods of Research
|
Field Research (ethnography, participant observation)
In-Depth Interviews Focus Groups Content Analysis |
|
|
Name four Quantitative Methods of Research
|
Survey Research
Secondary Data Analysis Experiments Content Analysis |
|
|
Which method of research can include both qualitative and quantitative components?
|
Content Analysis
|
|
|
What are the three common errors in common sense, personal experience, personal opinions?
|
Confirmation Bias
Availability Heuristic Mood Effects |
|
|
What is confirmation bias?
|
The temptation to verify our own views, we always want to be right
|
|
|
What is availability heuristic?
|
The idea that we tend to see what comes to mind first. Example: you give a promotion to a friend right away without thinking objectively about who would be best for the position
|
|
|
What is mood effects?
|
The idea that our emotions often affect how we think and how we interact with people and how we explain things. for example, if you just got a promotion and someone asked you how the economy is doing, you will say it is doing well
|
|
|
What are four core values a field must adopt to be considered scientific in nature?
|
Accuracy
Objectivity Skepticism Open-mindedness |
|
|
What are the four things that distinguish social psychological knowledge from common sense / personal opinions?
|
Scientific Procedures
Systematic Observations Solid Empirical Evidence Revisions |
|
|
What is the process of conducting social research?
|
Theory -->
Predictions --> Observation --> Empirical Generalizations |
|
|
What is ecological fallacy?
|
an error that is made when applying conclusions drawn from the collective level to the individual level
|
