Social Psychology - perception and non-verbal communication

Social Cognition - the study of ' the cognitive processes and structures that influence and are influenced by social behaviour.

How do we process social information?

Top-down - using general schemas

Bottom-up - relying on specific instances

Asch's (1946) Configural model

• some traits (central traits) are more influential than others (peripheral traits) in the impression formation process
• central traits influence the meanings of other traits

Kelley 1950 - naturalistic setting

• guest lecturer introduced to students as 'cold' or 'warm' person 
• students rated the lecturer 
• cold trait- more unsocialble, self centered, unpopular, ruthless thus less likely to ask questions and interact
• Central traits influence the percieced relationship between traits; they are responsible for the holistic (intergrated) configuration of the impression

Anderson (1978, 1981) Cognitive algebra

Alternative to Asch's configurl approach. Judgments are combined in an algerbrai model of impression formation. Judgments can be combined in an additive or an averaging model:

• Diana is spontanious (+3), funny (+3) and beautiful (+3)
• Maragaret is attentive (+8) and ugly (-1)
• so you can compare either by adding (9vs7) or by averaging (3.5vs3)
• Weighted avergage model regarded as the better model - central traits are weighted more heavily in impression formation

Biases in impression formation:

Traits which appear first have more impact upon your impressions (primary effect)

Asch (1946)

Participants asked to form impressions of a person who was described as intellegent, industrious, impulsive, critical, stubborn and envious then after participants described the person as competent and ambitious. Same task but trait…