Psy/201 final
Social Psychology Paper
The main factor that contributed to Sarah’s attitude toward her curfew was social cognition. Partying with friends was yet a new thing to her and she had been hearing of it from her friends but had never experienced it due to the restrictions by her parents. It was her curiosity to better know and understand her society and to see the things that she had heard of which actually made her break the curfew and go to the party. Moreover, there is also an underlying optimistic bias that influenced her decision to do so where she believes that things will turn out to be well overall. So, it is her social cognition that she still does not know very well of her society and that there is more to see and know for which she takes the decision. The fear to miss the things also made her go to the party and disregard the curfew.
Sarah has dissonant cognitions in her mind at the time she was going to the party. On one side she had obeyed her parent’s instructions to follow the curfew and be back home after leaving her school. On the other side she has heard of a party from her friends and wishes to be there. These two contradictory cognitions drive her to a psychological state of tension. Here she adjusts the psychological weight of the two cognitions by paying less importance to the first and breaking the curfew her parents gave her. On the other side she pays higher importance to the cognition received from her friends and goes to the party. While evaluating both the cognitions she is in a state of cognitive dissonance.
Sarah confirmed to her peers beliefs of being a smart, sociable girl. She agreed to their proposal of going to the party and enjoying the night. The most important reasons behind this could be her curiosity to meet and see everyone and how people of her age in her society act and behave in a social setting like this party. Moreover, there could also be a fear of being considered unsociable
The main factor that contributed to Sarah’s attitude toward her curfew was social cognition. Partying with friends was yet a new thing to her and she had been hearing of it from her friends but had never experienced it due to the restrictions by her parents. It was her curiosity to better know and understand her society and to see the things that she had heard of which actually made her break the curfew and go to the party. Moreover, there is also an underlying optimistic bias that influenced her decision to do so where she believes that things will turn out to be well overall. So, it is her social cognition that she still does not know very well of her society and that there is more to see and know for which she takes the decision. The fear to miss the things also made her go to the party and disregard the curfew.
Sarah has dissonant cognitions in her mind at the time she was going to the party. On one side she had obeyed her parent’s instructions to follow the curfew and be back home after leaving her school. On the other side she has heard of a party from her friends and wishes to be there. These two contradictory cognitions drive her to a psychological state of tension. Here she adjusts the psychological weight of the two cognitions by paying less importance to the first and breaking the curfew her parents gave her. On the other side she pays higher importance to the cognition received from her friends and goes to the party. While evaluating both the cognitions she is in a state of cognitive dissonance.
Sarah confirmed to her peers beliefs of being a smart, sociable girl. She agreed to their proposal of going to the party and enjoying the night. The most important reasons behind this could be her curiosity to meet and see everyone and how people of her age in her society act and behave in a social setting like this party. Moreover, there could also be a fear of being considered unsociable