HP2400 Social Psychology Chapter 4 Social Perception SV (3).pptx

HP2400: Social
Psychology
Social Perception

Scope of class
•
What is social perception?
•
Nonverbal behaviors
•
Distance
•
Eye contact
•
Gestures
•
Causal attributions
•
Different approaches to causal attributions
•
Heider’s theory of attribution
•
Kelley’s covariation model
•
The two-step process of attributions
•
Self-serving attributions
•
Defensive attributions
•
Beliefs in a just world
2

•
So far we’ve linked construal to social cognition. Now we
bring it to the domains of social perception.
•
Much of social perception is about forming impressions and
explaining the world – how we perceive things.
From social cognition to social
perception
3

•
Traditionally, the study of social perception revolves around one
question:
•
What are the ________ behind a behavior?
•
We want to know why people are the way they are.
•
Apparently, this tendency runs so deep in our nature that it is
almost like a “ ________________ .”
•
The need to explain people and their behaviors is important
because doing so helps us understand and predict our social world.
•
Tagging a behavior with a cause – any cause – and the world is less
random or chaotic in our eyes.
Social perception
4

•
Social perception focuses a great deal on nonverbal behaviors.
•
Nonverbal communication: The process by which people
communicate, intentionally or unintentionally, without the use of
words.
•
Nonverbal cues serve many functions in communication.
1. Express ________________ or feelings.
•
“I’m angry” narrowing your eyes, lowering your eyebrows, and setting
your mouth in a thin, straight line.
2. Convey an ____________ or a thought.
•
“I like you” with smiles and extended eye contact.
3. Communicate your ____________ .
•
As an extrovert, you may present yourself with broad gestures and engage
in a lot of colorful body motions.
5
Social perception: Non-verbal
behaviors

Communicating without a
word: Nonverbal behaviors
•
Nonverbal behaviors have various aspects, such as:
•
Eye contact
•
Gestures
Nonverbal
Behaviors
Distance Eye contact
Gestures
Facial
Expressions
Body
Movement
Possession
Decorations
6

Nonverbal behaviors: Eye
contact
•
Eye contact is more than the bonding between two pairs of eyes.
•
It conveys a great deal of social information.
•
Lack of interest
•
Sadness
•
Anger
•
In fact, people are so ____________ to eyes, to the point that the
feeling of being watched is enough to affect behaviors.
7

Watchful eyes & honesty
(Bateson,
Nettle, & Roberts, 2006)
8
IV
Eye gaze
DV
honesty

Nonverbal behaviors:
Gestures
•
Gestures are body language; many bodily movements are
generally accepted and convey specific information or
directions.
•
Gestures are highly subject to interpretations.
•
Generational differences
•
Cultural differences
9

•
The psychology of causal attribution is another key part of
social perception.
•
Why do we care about the causes of behaviors?