PSY 3490 M Tutorial PSY 3490 M Tutorial April 1/10 April 1/10
Jan 03, 2016
Social Judgment ProcessesSocial Judgment Processes
Impression formation: The way people form and Impression formation: The way people form and revise first impressionsrevise first impressions
Main findings from Hess et al: older adults are more willing Main findings from Hess et al: older adults are more willing to change their first impressions from positive to negative to change their first impressions from positive to negative
They are also less willing to change a negative initial They are also less willing to change a negative initial impression to a more positive viewimpression to a more positive view
Why? Why? Negativity biasNegativity bias: older adults let their initial : older adults let their initial impression stand because negative info was more impression stand because negative info was more striking to them and thus affected them more striking to them and thus affected them more stronglystrongly
Older adults rely more on life experiences, social Older adults rely more on life experiences, social rules and emotions vs situational consistencyrules and emotions vs situational consistency
StereotypesStereotypes– Social belief about characteristics and Social belief about characteristics and
behaviors of a particular social groupbehaviors of a particular social group– help us process information and they affect help us process information and they affect
how we interpret new informationhow we interpret new information– Stereotype threat: Stereotype threat: an evoked fear of being an evoked fear of being
judged in accordance with a negative judged in accordance with a negative stereotype about a group to which you belongstereotype about a group to which you belong
– Stereotype lift: Stereotype lift: when a privileged group is when a privileged group is motivated to perform after exposure to an motivated to perform after exposure to an unflattering stereotype of a less advantaged unflattering stereotype of a less advantaged groupgroup
Causal AttributionsCausal Attributions
Are explanations people construct to Are explanations people construct to explain their behaviour. explain their behaviour.
Dispositional attributionsDispositional attributions– Behavioural explanations that reside within the person
Situational attributionsSituational attributions– Are behavioural explanations that reside outside of Are behavioural explanations that reside outside of
the person the person
Personal ControlPersonal Control
The degree to which one believes that performance in a situation depends on something one personally does
– High sense of personal control = the belief that performance is up to you (i.e. people who take personal responsibility for their behaviour)
– Low = your performance is under the influence of forces other than your own (i.e. people who believe that others/chance are responsible for their behaviour)
Differences in control Differences in control perceptions across the lifespan?perceptions across the lifespan?
Multidimensionality of personal controlMultidimensionality of personal control– Age differences in the degree of personal Age differences in the degree of personal
control depend on the domain studied (i.e. control depend on the domain studied (i.e. intelligence, marriage, health etc), and on the intelligence, marriage, health etc), and on the personal importance of that domainpersonal importance of that domain
– Control strategiesControl strategies: preservation and : preservation and stabilization of a positive view of self and stabilization of a positive view of self and personal development personal development
Assimilative activities: Assimilative activities: prevent or alleviate prevent or alleviate loses in domains that are personally loses in domains that are personally relevant for self-esteem/identityrelevant for self-esteem/identity
AccommodationsAccommodations: readjusting one’s : readjusting one’s goals/aspirations as a way to lessen the goals/aspirations as a way to lessen the effects of negative self-evaluationeffects of negative self-evaluation
Immunizing mechanismsImmunizing mechanisms: alter the effects : alter the effects of self-discrepant evidence of self-discrepant evidence
Dispositional traitsDispositional traits– Aspects of personality that are consistent across Aspects of personality that are consistent across
different contextsdifferent contexts
Personal concerns– Things that are important to people, their goals, and Things that are important to people, their goals, and
their major concerns in lifetheir major concerns in life
Life narrative Life narrative – Aspects of personality that pull everything together, Aspects of personality that pull everything together,
those integrative aspects that give a person an those integrative aspects that give a person an identity or sense of selfidentity or sense of self
Dispositional TraitsDispositional Traits
The Five-Factor ModelThe Five-Factor Model– Costa and McCrae developed a model of Costa and McCrae developed a model of
personality with five independent dimensionspersonality with five independent dimensionsNeuroticism, extroversion, openness to experience, Neuroticism, extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousnessagreeableness, and conscientiousness
Costa and McCrae believe that personality traits Costa and McCrae believe that personality traits stop changing by age 30 stop changing by age 30 Research evidence shows a high stability in Research evidence shows a high stability in personality traits across long time periods (up to personality traits across long time periods (up to 30 years) and across a wide range of ages (20 to 30 years) and across a wide range of ages (20 to 90 years)90 years)
Critiques?Critiques?
Personal ConcernsPersonal Concerns
Reflect what people want during particular times Reflect what people want during particular times of their lives and within specific domainsof their lives and within specific domains
Take into account a person’s developmental Take into account a person’s developmental context and distinguish between ‘having’ traits context and distinguish between ‘having’ traits and ‘doing’ everyday behaviours and ‘doing’ everyday behaviours
Personality constructs are viewed as conscious Personality constructs are viewed as conscious descriptions of what a person is trying to descriptions of what a person is trying to accomplish during a given period of developmentaccomplish during a given period of development
Expect to find considerable changeExpect to find considerable change
Research on Personal Research on Personal ConcernsConcerns
Jung, Erikson, LoevingerJung, Erikson, Loevinger
Erikson: first to develop a lifespan theory Erikson: first to develop a lifespan theory of personality development and the of personality development and the interaction between person and their interaction between person and their environment environment
Theory and research both provide support Theory and research both provide support for much change in personal concerns for much change in personal concerns people report at various times in adulthood people report at various times in adulthood
Life Narratives, Identity Life Narratives, Identity and the Selfand the Self
McAdam’s Life-Story ModelMcAdam’s Life-Story Model– People create a life story that’s based on People create a life story that’s based on
where they’ve been, where they are going, where they’ve been, where they are going, and who they will becomeand who they will become
– It is created and revised throughout adulthood It is created and revised throughout adulthood as people change and their environments as people change and their environments place varying demands upon themplace varying demands upon them
– Most importantMost important: changing personal identity : changing personal identity reflect in the emotions conveyed in the storyreflect in the emotions conveyed in the story
Possible SelvesPossible SelvesAre created by projecting yourself into the Are created by projecting yourself into the future and thinking about what you would future and thinking about what you would like to become (e.g self as leaders, rich, in like to become (e.g self as leaders, rich, in shape) shape)
and what you’re afraid of becoming e.g. and what you’re afraid of becoming e.g. fear of being undervalued, overweight, fear of being undervalued, overweight, lonely)lonely)
Research Research young adults young adults report family issues (i.e. marrying the right report family issues (i.e. marrying the right person) to be most importantperson) to be most important
middle adults middle adults (25-39, main issues concerned personal things (25-39, main issues concerned personal things (i.e. being a more loving and caring person)(i.e. being a more loving and caring person)
By age 40-59, By age 40-59, family issues again become most common family issues again become most common (i.e. being a parent who can let go of kids)(i.e. being a parent who can let go of kids)
For all age groups, For all age groups, physical issues listed as most common physical issues listed as most common fear regarding a possible self (e.g. being overweight, fear regarding a possible self (e.g. being overweight, developing wrinkles) developing wrinkles)
Adolescent and young adults believe more strongly that they Adolescent and young adults believe more strongly that they can actually become the hoped for self and successfully can actually become the hoped for self and successfully avoid the feared self (high personal control)avoid the feared self (high personal control)
FriendshipsFriendships– Grounded in reciprocity and choiceGrounded in reciprocity and choice
– Young adults tend to have more friends than any another Young adults tend to have more friends than any another age groupage group
– The quality and quantity of friendships in old age are The quality and quantity of friendships in old age are related to life satisfaction. Why? Friends foster related to life satisfaction. Why? Friends foster independence and reduce reliance on family, they are independence and reduce reliance on family, they are maintained by a sense of mutuality called global maintained by a sense of mutuality called global reciprocityreciprocity
– Information seeking Information seeking is he primary goal for younger adults is he primary goal for younger adults (i.e. meeting new people and having many friends)(i.e. meeting new people and having many friends)
– Emotional regulation Emotional regulation is the primary goal for older adults is the primary goal for older adults (i.e. choosing people who are familiar and having few (i.e. choosing people who are familiar and having few friends) friends)
Relationship Types and IssuesRelationship Types and Issues
Sibling RelationshipsSibling RelationshipsGold et al identified five types of sibling Gold et al identified five types of sibling relationshipsrelationships– Sibling relationships are strongest in adolescents & later in lifeSibling relationships are strongest in adolescents & later in life– Sibling ties among sisters tend to be the strongest and Sibling ties among sisters tend to be the strongest and
intimate, while brothers tend to have less contact intimate, while brothers tend to have less contact
Level of closeness
Level of Involvement
Degree of Contact
Degree of Envy/resentment
Congenial High High Average Low
Loyal Average Average Average Low
Intimate High High High Low
Apathetic Low Low Low Low
Hostile Low High Low High
Lifestyles & Love RelationshipsLifestyles & Love Relationships
Approx. 75% of men and 60% of women are Approx. 75% of men and 60% of women are single between ages 20 and 25 in industrial single between ages 20 and 25 in industrial nationsnations– Men tend to stay single longer, but are less likely to Men tend to stay single longer, but are less likely to
stay single throughout adulthoodstay single throughout adulthood– Men more likely to marry someone younger and less Men more likely to marry someone younger and less
well educated (mating gradient), while women with well educated (mating gradient), while women with higher levels of education overrepresented among higher levels of education overrepresented among unmarried adultsunmarried adults
Divorce and RemarriageDivorce and Remarriage
Rates of divorce have slowly been decreasing from a high of 30% of all marriages in 1987
Gender differences in adjustment: men have more short-term problems but women have more long-term, especially financial difficulties– Many older men who are divorced/widowed tend to
remarry; many older women do not
The older the individuals at the time of the divorce, the more difficult the adjustment process will be
The Meaning of WorkThe Meaning of WorkAlthough most people work for money, other Although most people work for money, other reasons are highly variablereasons are highly variable
Regardless of occupational priorities people Regardless of occupational priorities people have, the view their occupation as a key element have, the view their occupation as a key element in their sense of identityin their sense of identity
Alienation: Alienation: feeling that what one is doing is feeling that what one is doing is meaningless and efforts are devaluedmeaningless and efforts are devalued
– Providing more opportunities or involvement and flexibilityProviding more opportunities or involvement and flexibility
BurnoutBurnout: a depletion of a person’s energy and : a depletion of a person’s energy and motivation, feeling that one is being exploited motivation, feeling that one is being exploited
– Stress reduction techniques, more appropriate expectations Stress reduction techniques, more appropriate expectations of self, better communication with organizationsof self, better communication with organizations
Bias and DiscriminationBias and Discrimination
Gender bias and the glass ceilingGender bias and the glass ceiling– Evidence found in government, nonprofit and private Evidence found in government, nonprofit and private
companies for companies for glass ceiling effect glass ceiling effect (i.e. the level to which (i.e. the level to which women may rise in a company but beyond which they may women may rise in a company but beyond which they may not gonot go
– One barrier is a workplace’s failure to accommodate to the One barrier is a workplace’s failure to accommodate to the needs of new mothers needs of new mothers
– E.g. women in academia who delay motherhood, E.g. women in academia who delay motherhood, presumably until skills and seniority are acquired, achieve presumably until skills and seniority are acquired, achieve higher rates of payhigher rates of pay
– Glass elevator: men in traditionally female occupations rise at a quicker rate than female counterparts
RetirementRetirement
Retirement can be crisp (making a clean break from employment by stopping work entirely) or blurred (repeatedly leaving and returning to work, with some periods of unemployment)
Research: Research: – Less than half of older men who retire fit the crisp patternLess than half of older men who retire fit the crisp pattern– Most individuals in their postretirement years are working in Most individuals in their postretirement years are working in
part-time jobs (primarily to supplement their incomes but also part-time jobs (primarily to supplement their incomes but also to maintain adequate levels of activity)to maintain adequate levels of activity)
Adjustment to RetirementAdjustment to Retirement
Adjustment evolves over time and is influenced by:
– Physical health, financial status, voluntary Physical health, financial status, voluntary retirement status, feelings of personal controlretirement status, feelings of personal control
– For both men and women, high personal For both men and women, high personal competence is associated with higher retirement competence is associated with higher retirement satisfactionsatisfaction
– Social relationships help buffer the stress of Social relationships help buffer the stress of retirementretirement
– Community ties and participation in community Community ties and participation in community organizations also helps raise satisfactionorganizations also helps raise satisfaction