Social comparisons are the process of evaluating oneself in relation to others

Posted: May 5th, 2020

Chadee: 1st edition – Ch. 1 (Reactance), Ch. 2 (Cognitive Dissonance), Ch. 4 (ELM), Ch. 12 (Impression Mgmt)

Chadee: 2nd edition – Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 5, Ch. 14

Chadee, D. (2022). Theories in social psychology (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 9781119627883.

Kassin, S., Fein, S., & Markus, H. R. (2021). Social psychology (11th ed). Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9780357122846

5 short responses. Some questions will require a few sentences. You will have (2) two hours.

In an effort to save time, you do not have to provide references for any material provided in the course (texts, articles, etc.) but you do have to provide in-text citations. You *DO* need to provide citations AND references if you use an outside source.

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directions.docx

Question 130 pts

The research on how social comparisons influence the self have been mixed. Some research argues that upward comparisons inspire assimilation, whereas other research argues that upward comparisons lead to feelings of inferiority and a low self-concept. Based on your understanding of how people make social comparisons, what might influence how comparison standards affect a person’s view of themselves? ( 30 pts ( Make a summary statement about social comparisons (10 pts) / Review research on upward comparisons (list 2-3 reasons) (10 pts) / Review research on downward comparisons (list 2-3 reasons) (10 pts))

Question 230 pts

If you were asked to persuade a liberal audience on the negative effects of abortion, how would you do this using the Elaboration Likelihood Model? In your response make sure to reference: Kassin Text, Chadee Theory Book and One Empirical Article at least once each for a minimum of 3 references. ( 30 pts ( Define ELM Model (15 pts) / Explain why & how you will apply ELM using each source above. Each source is worth 5 points for a total of 15 points)).

Question 330 pts

(A) Apply the theory of cognitive dissonance to this situation: A republican voting for the democratic candidate. How would you explain this phenomenon based on dissonance theory? (Hint: use the three factors). ( 30 pts) ( 10 pts (Explain dissonance theory and why it applies here (4 pts) / Explain each factor of dissonance in relation to this event (2 pts each)). (B) Show how this theory has been supported by the research. (Hint: summarize 2 articles defending this theory). ( 20 pts (10 pts for each summarized article)).

Question 430 pts

The article “The Ironic Impact of Activists” claims that the negative stereotypes associated with these activists actually reduces their social change influence. Based on what you know about reducing negative stereotypes, what would you suggest based on the research, for a group to remove its negative stereotype? ( 30 pts ( Explain the claim of negative stereotypes reduce social change influence (10 pts) / Include 4 strategies a group could apply to reduce their negative stereotype/s (5 pts each for 20 pts)).

Question 530 pts

“Under certain conditions, people who behave in attitude-discrepant ways go on to change their attitudes. Whether this phenomenon reflects a human need to reduce dissonance, however, is a matter of some controversy.” Compare/contrast 3 explanations that have been proposed to address this issue. ( 30 pts ( Come up with an example that creates dissonance (6 pts) / Address this example with each of the 3 explanations to change attitudes (3 explanations each worth 8 pts for a total of 24 pts)).

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Question 1

Social comparisons are the process of evaluating oneself in relation to others. Upward comparisons are when people compare themselves to those who are better off than them, while downward comparisons are when people compare themselves to those who are worse off than them.

Research on social comparisons has shown that both upward and downward comparisons can have positive and negative effects on self-esteem. Upward comparisons can lead to feelings of inferiority and low self-concept, but they can also motivate people to improve themselves. Downward comparisons can lead to feelings of superiority and high self-concept, but they can also lead to complacency and a lack of motivation.

The factors that influence how comparison standards affect a person’s view of themselves include:

The importance of the comparison dimension: People are more likely to be affected by social comparisons on dimensions that are important to them. For example, a person who is very concerned about their weight is more likely to be affected by upward comparisons on that dimension.
The perceived similarity of the comparison target: People are more likely to be affected by social comparisons with people who they perceive to be similar to them. For example, a person who is a student is more likely to be affected by upward comparisons with other students.
The perceived competence of the comparison target: People are more likely to be affected by social comparisons with people who they perceive to be competent. For example, a person who is trying to improve their grades is more likely to be affected by upward comparisons with students who are getting good grades.
Question 2

The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) is a theory of persuasion that explains how people process persuasive messages. The ELM posits that there are two routes to persuasion: the central route and the peripheral route.

The central route to persuasion occurs when people are motivated and able to think carefully about a message. When people take the central route, they are more likely to be persuaded by messages that are strong in arguments and evidence.

The peripheral route to persuasion occurs when people are not motivated or able to think carefully about a message. When people take the peripheral route, they are more likely to be persuaded by messages that are attractive, likeable, or credible.

To persuade a liberal audience on the negative effects of abortion using the ELM, I would use a message that is strong in arguments and evidence. I would also make sure to frame the issue in a way that is relevant to the audience’s values and beliefs. For example, I might emphasize the negative physical and emotional consequences of abortion, or I might argue that abortion is morally wrong.

I would also use a variety of persuasive techniques, such as humor, vivid imagery, and emotional appeals. I would make sure to tailor my message to the specific audience, and I would use a variety of sources to support my claims.

Here are some sources that I would use:

Kassin, S., Fein, S., & Markus, H. R. (2021). Social psychology (11th ed). Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9780357122846
Chadee, D. (2022). Theories in social psychology (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 9781119627883
“The Effects of Abortion on Women’s Mental and Physical Health” by David Reardon
“The Morality of Abortion” by John Finnis
Question 3

(A) Cognitive dissonance theory is a theory in social psychology that states that people experience discomfort when their attitudes and behaviors are inconsistent. In the case of a Republican voting for the Democratic candidate, this would create cognitive dissonance because the Republican’s attitude (that they are a Republican) is inconsistent with their behavior (voting for a Democratic candidate).

The three factors that contribute to cognitive dissonance are:

Dissonance: The feeling of discomfort that results from holding two inconsistent beliefs or attitudes.
Justification: The process of reducing dissonance by changing one’s beliefs or attitudes to make them more consistent.
Rationalization: The process of making excuses for one’s behavior in order to make it seem more consistent with one’s beliefs or attitudes.
In the case of a Republican voting for the Democratic candidate, they might reduce dissonance by justifying their vote by saying that they believe in the Democratic candidate’s policies, or they might rationalize their vote by saying that they didn’t really like either candidate.

(B) There is a lot of research that supports cognitive dissonance theory. One study found that people who were forced to write an essay against their own beliefs were more likely to change their beliefs after the essay was written. Another study found that people who were asked to perform an embarrassing task were more