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Contents
Preface xiii New Frontiers in Social Psychological Research 43
About the Authors XIX Culture and Social Psychology 43
Special Tips for Students xxi Social Neuroscience 44
Ethical Issues in Social Psychology 45
1 Introducing Social Psychology 1 Summary 48 • Test Yourself 49

Defining Social Psychology 3

TRY IT! Conflicting Social Influences 4 3 Social Cognition: How We Think
Social Psychology, Philosophy, Science, About the Social World 51
and Common Sense 4 On Automatic Pilot: Low-Effort Thinking 53
Ho\,• Social Psychology Differs From Its People as Everyday Theorists: Automatic
Closest Cousins 5 Thinking With Schemas 53
TRY IT! Social Situations and Shyness 7 Whlch Schen1as Do We Use? Accessibility
The Power of the Situation 9 and Priming 55
Underestin1ating the Po\,•er of the Situation 10 Making Our Schemas Con1e True: The
The Importance of Construal 11 Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 57
#trending What's in a Name? 14 #trending Do You Believe in Astrology? 59
Where Construa ls Come Fron1: Basic Hun1an Motives 15 Types of Automatic Thlnking 61
The Self-Esteem Motive: The Need to Feel Good Auton1atic Goal Pursuit 61
About Ourselves 16 Auton1atic Thinking and Metaphors About the
SUFFERING AND SELF-JUSTIFICATION Body and the Mind 62
The Social Cognition Motive: The Need Mental Strategies and Shortcuts: Judgmental
to Be Accurate 17 Heuristics 63
HOW EASILY DOES IT COME TO MIND? THE AVAILABILITY
Why Study Social Psychology? 19 HEURISTIC • HOW SIMILAR IS A TO B? THE
Summary 20 • Test Yourself 21 REPRESENTATIVENESS HEURISTIC •
PERSONALITY TESTS AND THE REPRESENTATIVENESS HEURISTIC

2 Methodology: How Social TRY IT! Reasoning Quiz 68

Psychologists Do Research 23 Cultural Differences in Social Cognition 69
Cultural Determinants of Schemas 70
Socia l Psychology: An Empirical Science 24 Holistic Versus Analytic Thlnking 70
TRY IT! Social Psychology Quiz: What's Your Prediction? 25
Controlled Social Cognition: High-Effort Thinking 72
Fom1ulating Hypotheses and Theories 26 Controlled Thinking and Free Will 73
INSPIRATION FROM PREVIOUS THEORIES AND RESEARCH •
HYPOTHESES BASED ON PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
TRY IT! Can You Predict Your (or Your Friend's) Future? 74
Mentally Undoing the Past: Counterfactual Reasoning 75
Research Designs 27
Improving Human Thinking 76
The Observational Method: Describing Social Behavior 28
ETHNOGRAPHY • ARCHIVAL ANALYSIS • LIMITS OF TRY IT! How Well Do You Reason? 77
THE OBSERVATIONAL METHOD Watson Revisited 78
The Correlational Method: Predicting Social Behavior 29 Summary 80 • Test Yourself 81
SURVEYS • LIMITS OF THE CORRELATIONAL
METHOD: CORRELATION DOES NOT EOUAL CAUSATION

TRY IT! Correlation and Causation: Knowing the 4 Social Perception: How We Come to
Difference 33 Understand Other People 83
The Experin1ental Method: Ans\,•ering
Nonverbal Conm1unication 85
Causal Questions 34
INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES •
TRY IT! Using Your Voice as a Nonverbal Cue 86
INTERNAL VALIDITY IN EXPERIMENTS • EXTERNAL VALIDITY Facial Expressions of Emotion 86
IN EXPERIMENTS • FIELD EXPERIMENTS • REPLICATIONS EVOLUTION AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS • WHY IS
AND META-ANALYSIS DECODING SOMETIMES DIFFICULT?
#trending Correlation Does Not Equal Causation 41 Culture and the Channels of Nonverbal
BASIC VERSUS APPLIED RESEARCH Con1munication 89
vii
viii Contents

First Impressions: Quick But Long-lasting 91

#trending First Impressions Formed Online 92
6 Cognitive Dissonance and the
Need to Protect Our Self-Esteem 149
The Lingering Influence of lnitial
lmpressions 93 The Theory of Cognitive Dissonance: Protecting
Causal Attribution: Ansv,ering the "Why" Question 96 Our Self-Esteem 150
The Nature of the Attribution Process 97 Decisions, Decisions, Decisions 153
The Covariation Model: Internal Versus External DISTORTING OUR LIKES AND DISLIKES • THE
PERMANENCE OF THE DECISION • CREATING THE
Attributions 98
ILLUSION OF IRREVOCABILITY
The Fundamental Attribution Error: People
as Personality Psychologists 100 The Justification of Effort 155
THE ROLE OF PERCEPTUAL SALIENCE IN THE Counterattitudinal Behavior 157
FUNDAMENTAL ATIRIBUTION ERROR • THE TWO-STEP COUNTERATIITUDINAL BEHAVIOR TOWARD CONSEQUENTIAL
ATTRIBUTION PROCESS ISSUES • THE BEN FRANKLIN EFFECT: JUSTIFYING ACTS
OF KINDNESS • DEHUMANIZING THE ENEMY: JUSTIFYING
Self-Serving Attributions 106
CRUELTY
The "Bias Blind Spot" 107
TRY IT! The Internal Consequences of Doing Good 161
Culture and Social Perception 110 JUSTIFYING OUR OWN IMMORAL ACTS
Holistic Versus Analytic Thinking 110 Avoiding Ten1ptations 163
SOCIAL NEUROSCIENCE EVIDENCE
The Hypocrisy Paradigm 165
Cultural Differences in the Fundamental
Dissonance Across Cultures 166
Attribution Error 112
Culture and Other Attributional Biases 113 Advances and Extensions of Cogrutive Dissonance
Theory 167
Summary 115 • Test Yourself 117
Self-Affim1ation Theory 167
5 The Self: Understanding Ourselves TRY IT! Values Affirmation Writing Exercise 169
in a Social Context 119 Dissonance in Close Relationships: Self-Evaluation
Maintenance Theory 169
The Origins and Nature of the Self-Concept 120 Some Concluding Thoughts on Dissonance and
Cultural Influences on the Self-Concept 122 Self-Esteem 172
TRY IT! A Measure of Independence and #trend ing Politics and Cognitive Dissonance 172
Interdependence 123 Overcoming Dissonance 174
Functions of the Self 124 Narcissism and the Dangers of Too Muell
Self-Knowledge 125 Self-Esteem 174
Knowing Ourselves Through lntrospection 125 TRY IT! Measuring Your Narcissism 175
FOCUSING ON THE SELF: SELF-AWARENESS THEORY
Summary 178 • Test Yourself 179
TRY IT! Measure Your Private
Self-Consciousness 127
JUDGING WHY WE FEEL THE WAY WE 00: TELLING
7 Attitudes and Attitude Change:
MORE THAN WE CAN KNOW Influencing Thoughts and Feelings 181
Knowing Ourselves by Observing Our The Nature and Origin of Attitudes 183
Own Behavior 128 Where Do Attitudes Come Fron1? 183
SELF-PERCEPTION THEORY • UNDERSTANDING OUR
COGNITIVELY BASED ATIITUDES • AFFECTIVELY BASED
EMOTIONS: THE TWO-FACTOR THEORY OF EMOTION •
ATIITUDES
FINDING THE WRONG CAUSE: MISATIRIBUTION OF
AROUSAL • INTRINSIC VERSUS EXTRINSIC TRY IT! Affective and Cognitive Bases of Attitudes 186
MOTIVATION • MIND-SETS AND MOTIVATION BEHAVIORALLY BASED ATTITUDES

#trending Growth Mindset in the Classroom 137 Explicit Versus Implicit Attitudes 187
Using Other People to Kno\,• Ourselves 137 When Do Attitudes Predict Behavior? 188
KNOWING OURSELVES BY COMPARING OURSELVES Predicting Spontaneous Behaviors 189
TO OTHERS • KNOWING OURSELVES BY ADOPTING
OTHER PEOPLE'S VIEWS
Predicting Deliberative Behaviors 189
SPECIFIC ATIITUDES • SUBJECTIVE NORMS •
Self-Control: The Executive Function of the Self 141 PERCEIVED BEHAVIORAL CONTROL
Impression Management: All the World's #trending Predicting Environmentally Friendly Action 191
a Stage 143 How Do Attitudes Change? 192
Ingratiation and Self-Handicapping 144 Changing Attitudes by Changing Behavior:
Culture, ln1pression Management, and Cognitive Dissonance Theory Revisited 193
Self-Enhancement 145 Persuasive Communications and Attitude
Summary 146 • Test Yourself 147 Change 193
 Contents ix

THE CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL ROUTES TO Other Tactics of Social Influence 245
PERSUASION • THE MOTIVATION TO PAY ATTENTION
TO THE ARGUMENTS • THE ABILITY TO PAY ATTENTION
Obedience to Authority 248
TO THE ARGUMENTS • HOW TO ACHIEVE LONG-LASTING The Milgram Study 249
ATTITUDE CHANGE The Role of Nom1ative Social Influence 252
En1otion and Attitude Change 199 The Role of Informational Social Influence 253
FEAR-AROUSING COMMUNICATIONS • EMOTIONS AS Other Reasons Why We Obey 254
A HEURISTIC • EMOTION AND DIFFERENT TYPES
ADHERING TO THE WRONG NORM • SELF·
OF ATTITUDES
JUSTIFICATION • THE LOSS OF PERSONAL
Attitude Change and the Body 201 RESPONSIBILITY

The Power of Advertising 203 The Obedience Studies, Then and No\v 256
Ho\<\' Advertising Works 204 Summary 258 • Test Yourself 260
Subliminal Advertising: A Form of Mind Control? 204
DEBUNKING THE CLAIMS ABOUT SUBLIMINAL
ADVERTISING • LABORATORY EVIDENCE FOR
9 Group Processes: Influence in Social
SUBLIMINAL INFLUENCE Groups 262
TRY IT! Consumer Brand Attitudes 206 What Is a Group? 264
Advertising and Culture 207 Why Do People Join Groups? 264
Resisting Pers uasive Messages 208 The Con1position and Functions of Groups 265
Attitude Inoculation 209 SOCIAL NORMS • SOCIAL ROLES • GROUP
Being Alert to Product Placement 209 COHESIVENESS • GROUP DIVERSITY

Resisting Peer Pressure 210 #trending Diversity Research and the Affirmative
When Persuasion Attempts Backfire: Action Controversy 268
Reactance Theory 211 Ind ividual Behavior in a Group Setting 269
Summary 213 • Test Yourself 214 Social Facilitation: When the Presence of Others
Energizes Us 269
8 Conformity and Obedience: SIMPLE VERSUS DIFFICULT TASKS • AROUSAL AND THE
DOMINANT RESPONSE • WHY THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS
Influencing Behavior 216 CAUSES AROUSAL

Conformity: When and Why 218 Social Loafing: When the Presence of Others
Informa tional Social Influence: The Need to Kno\,v Relaxes Us 272
What's "Right" 221 Gender and Cultural Differences in Social Loafing:
The Importance of Being Accurate 223 Who Slacks Off the Most? 273
Deindividuation: Getting Lost in the Cro\,•d 274
When lnfom1ational Confom1ity Backfires 224
DEINDIVIDUATION MAKES PEOPLE FEEL LESS
When Will People Conform to Infom1ational ACCOUNTABLE • DEINDIVIDUATION INCREASES
Social InfJ uence? 226 OBEDIENCE TO GROUP NORMS • DEINDIVIDUATION
WHEN THE SllUATION IS AMBIGUOUS • WHEN THE ONLINE
SITUATION IS A CRISIS • WHEN OTHER PEOl'I..E ARE EXPERTS
Group Decisions: Are Two (or More) Heads
Normative Socia l Influence: The Need to Be Accepted 228
Better Than One? 277
Conformity and Social Approval: The Asch
Process Loss: When Group Interactions Inhibit
Line-Judgment Studies 230
Good Problem Solving 277
The Importance of Being Accurate, Revisited 233 FAILURE TO SHARE UNIQUE INFORMATION •
The Consequences of Resisting Normative GROUPTHINK: MANY HEADS, ONE MIND
Social InfJ uence 235 Group Polarization: Going to Extremes 281
TRY IT! Unmasking Normative Social Influence Leadership in Groups 282
by Breaking the Rules 236 LEADERSHIP AND PERSONALITY • LEADERSHIP STYLES •

When Will People Conform to Normative THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE RIGHT SITUATION • GENDER
AND LEADERSHIP • CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP
Social Influence? 236
WHEN THE GROUP IS IMPORTANT • WHEN ONE HAS Conflict and Cooperation 286
NO ALLIES IN THE GROUP • WHEN THE GROUP'S Social Dilemmas 287
CULTURE IS COLLECTIVISTIC
TRY IT! The Prisoner's Dilemma 288
#trending Social Norms and Bigotry 239 INCREASING COOPERATION IN THE PRISONER'S
Minority Influence: When the Fe\,' Influence the Many 240 DILEMMA

Conformity Tactics 241 Using Threats to Resolve Conflict 289

The Role of Injunctive and Descriptive Norms 241 EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION

Using Norms to Change Behavior: Beware the Negotiation and Bargaining 291
"Boomerang Effect" 244 Summary 293 • Test Yourself 294
x Contents

Situational Determinants of Prosocial Behavior:

10 A ttraction and Rela tionships: From When Will People Help? 349
Initial Impressions to Long-Term Environment: Rural Versus Urban 349
Intimacy 296 Residential Mobility 350
What Predicts Attraction? 298 The Number of Bystanders: The Bystander Effect 351
The Person Next Door: The Propinquity Effect 298 NOTICING AN EVENT • INTERPRETING THE EVENT

Similarity 300 AS AN EMERGENCY • ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY •

KNOWING HOW TO HELP • DECIDING TO IMPLEMENT
OPINIONS AND PERSONALITY • INTERESTS AND
THE HELP
EXPERIENCES • APPEARANCE • GENETICS • SOME
FINAL COMMENTS ABOUT SIMILARITY Diffusion of Responsibility in Cyberspace 356
#trending "Hook-Up Culture" and Today's Youth 302 Effects of the Media: Video Gan1es and Music Lyrics 357
Reciprocal Liking 302 How Can Hel p ing Be Increased? 358
Physical Attractiveness 303 Increasing the Likelihood That Bystanders
WHAT IS ATIRACTIVE? • CULTURAL STANDARDS Will Intervene 358
OF BEAUTY • THE POWER OF FAMILIARITY • Increasing Volunteerism 360
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ATIRACTIVE PEOPLE
Summary 361 • Test Yourself 363
Evolution and Mate Selection 307
EVOLUTION AND SEX DIFFERENCES • ALTERNATE
PERSPECTIVES ON SEX DIFFERENCES
12 Aggression: Why Do We Hurt Other
Peop le? Can We Prevent It? 365
Making Connections in the D igital World 311
Attraction 2.0: Mate Preference in an Online Era 311 Is Aggression Innate, Learned, or Op tional? 366
The Promise and Pitfalls of Meeting People Online 312 The Evolutionary View 367
AGGRESSION IN OTHER ANIMALS
Love and C lose Relationships 314
Defining Love: Companionship and Passion 315 Culture and Aggression 369
CHANGES IN AGGRESSION ACROSS TIME AND
TRY IT! Passionate Love Scale 316 CULTURES • CULTURES OF HONOR
Culture and Love 317 Gender and Aggression 371
Attachn1ent Styles in Intimate Relationships 318 PHYSICAL AGGRESSION • RELATIONAL AGGRESSION
Your Body and Brain in Love 320 Leaming to Behave Aggressively 373
Assessing Relationships: Satisfaction and Some Physiological Influences 375
Breaking U p 322 THE EFFECTS Cf' ALCOHOL • THE EFFECTS Cf' PAIN AND HEAT
Theories of Relationship Satisfaction 322 Social Situations and Aggression 377
SOCIAL EXCHANGE THEORY • EQUITY THEORY
Frustration and Aggression 377
The Process and Experience of Breaking Up 327 Provocation and Reciprocation 379
Summary 330 • Test Yourself 331 TRY IT! Insults and Aggression 380
Weapons as Aggressive Cues 380
11 Prosocial Behavior: Why Do Putting the Elements Together: The Case of
People H elp? 333 Sexual Assault 381
Basic Motives Underlying Prosocial Behavior: MOTIVATIONS FOR RAPE • SEXUAL SCRIPTS AND
THE PROBLEM OF CONSENT
Why Do Peop le Help? 334
Evolutionary Psychology: Instincts and Genes 335 Violence and the Media 383
KIN SELECTION • THE RECIPROCITY NORM Studying the Effects of Media Violence 384
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES • LONGITUDINAL STUDIES
TRY IT! The Dictator Game 336
GROUP SELECTION The Problen1 of Determining Cause and Effect 386
Social Exchange: The Costs and Re\,•ards of Helping 337 How to Decrease Aggression 389
Empathy and Altruism: The Pure Motive for Helping 338 Does Punishing Aggression Reduce Aggression? 389
USING PUNISHMENT ON VIOLENT ADULTS
Personal Qualities and Prosocial Beh avior: Why
Can We Release Anger by Indulging It? 390
Do Some People Help More Than Others? 342
THE EFFECTS OF AGGRESSIVE ACTS ON SUBSEQUENT
Individual Differences: The Altruistic Personality 342 AGGRESSION • BLAMING THE VICTIM OF OUR
Gender Differences in Prosocial Behavior 343 AGGRESSION
TRY IT! Empathic Concern 344 What Are We Supposed to Do \,•ith Our Anger? 392
Cultural Differences in Prosocial Behavior 345 VENTING VERSUS SELF-AWARENESS

Religion and Prosocial Behavior 346 TRAINING IN COMMUNICATION AND PROBLEM-SOLVING

SKILLS
#trending Helping Across the Political Divide 347
TRY IT! Controlling Your Anger 393
The Effects of Mood on Prosocial Behavior 347
GETIING APOLOGIES RIGHT • COUNTERING
EFFECTS OF POSITIVE MOODS: FEEL GOOD, DO GOOD •
DEHUMANIZATION BY BUILDING EMPATHY
FEEL BAD, DO GOOD
 Contents xi

#trending "Re-accommodation": The United Inducing Hypocrisy 450

Airlines Debacle 395 Removing Small Barriers to Achieve Big Changes 452
Disrupting the Rejection-Rage Cycle 396 Happiness and a Sustainable Lifestyle 454
Summary 398 • Test Yourself 401 What Makes People Happy? 454
SATISFYING RELATIONSHIPS • FLOW: BECOMING
13 Prejudice: Causes, Consequences, ENGAGED IN SOMETHING YOU ENJOY • ACCUMULATE
EXPERIENCES, NOT THINGS • HELPING OTHERS
and Cures 402
TRY IT! Applying the Research to Your Own Life 456
Defining Prejudice 403
Do People Kno\,• What Makes Them Happy? 457
The Cognitive Component: Stereotypes 404
Summary 458 • Test Yourself 459
ARE POSITIVE STEREOTYPES GOOD?

TRY IT! Stereotypes and Aggression 406

The Affective Component: Emotions 408 Social Psychology in Action 2
The Behavioral Component: Discrimination 409 Social Psychology and Health 461
T RY IT! Identifying Your Prejudices 409 Stress and Human Hea lth 462
INSTITUTIONALIZED DISCRIMINATION • EVERYDAY
Resilience 463
DISCRIMINATION • FROM PREJUDICE TO DISCRIMINATION
Effects of Negative Life Events 464
Detecting Hidden Prejudices 414
LIMITS OF STRESS INVENTORIES
Ways of Identifying Suppressed Prejudices 414
TRY IT! The College Life Stress Inventory 465
Ways of Identifying Implicit Prejudices 415
Perceived Stress and Health 466
The Effects of Prejudice on the Victin1 417 Feeling in Charge: The Importance of Perceived
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 417 Control 467
Social Identity Threat 419 INCREASING PERCEIVED CONTROL IN NURSING HOMES •
Causes of Prejudice 421 DISEASE, CONTROL, AND WELL-BEING

Pressures to Conform: Normative Rules 421 Coping v,ith Stress 472

#trending Everyday Discrimination in Gender Differences in Coping \,•ith Stress 472

Professional Sports 423 Social Support: Getting Help from Others 473
Social Identity Theory: Us versus Them 423 TRY IT! Social Support 474
ETHNOCENTRISM • IN-GROUP BIAS • OUT-GROUP Reframing: Finding Meaning in Traumatic Events 475
HOMOGENEITY • BLAMING THE VICTIM • JUSTIFYING
FEELINGS OF ENTITLEMENT AND SUPERIORITY
Prevention: Promoting Healthier Behavior 476
Summary 478 • Test Yourself 479
Realistic Conflict Theory 427
Reducing Prejudice 429
The Contact Hypothesis 430 Social Psychology in Action 3
WHERE CONTACT CAN GO WRONG Social Psychology and the Law 481
Cooperation and Interdependence: The Jigsaw
Eyewitness Testimony 483
Classroon1 433
WHY DOES JIGSAW WORK?
Why Are Eye\,•itnesses Often Wrong? 483
ENCODING • STORAGE • RETRIEVAL
TRY IT! Jigsaw-Type Group Study 435
THE GRADUAL SPREAD OF COOPERATIVE AND
Judging Whether Eye\vitnesses Are Mistaken 488
INTERDEPENDENT LEARNING RESPONDING QUICKLY • POST-IDENTIFICATION FEEDBACK

Summary 437 • Test Yourself 439 TRY IT! The Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony 491
The Recovered Men1ory Debate 491
Social Psychology in Action 1 Juries: Group Processes in Action 494
Using Social Psychology to Achieve a Ho\v Jurors Process Information during the Trial 494
Sustainable and Happy Future 440 Confessions: Are They Ahvays What They Seem? 495
Deliberations in the Jury Room 497
Applied Research in Social Psychology 443
Summary 498 • Test Yourself 499
Capitalizing on the Experimental Method 444
ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERVENTIONS • Glossary 501
POTENTIAL RISKS OF SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS

Social Psychology to the Rescue 446 References 507

Using Social Psychology to Aclueve a Sustainable Future 447 Credits 545
Conveying and Changing Social Norms 447
Name Index 549
TRY IT! Reducing Littering with Descriptive Norms 448
Keeping Track of Consumption 449 Subject Index 568
Introducing a Little Competitiveness 450
This page intentionally left blank
Preface
h en we began writing this book, our overriding
goal was to capture the excitement of social psy-
ch ology. We have been p leased to hear, in man y
kind notes an d messages from professors and s tudents, that
we succeeded. One of ou r favorite responses was from a
studen t who said that the book was so in teresting that she
always saved it for last, to rewa rd herself for finishing h er
o ther work. With that one studen t, a t least, we succeeded in
making our book an enjoyable, fascin ating story, not a dry
report of facts and figures.
Th ere is always room for improvement, however, and
our goal in this, the tenth edition, is to make the field of
social psych ology an even better read. When we teach the
course, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing the
s leepy students in the back row sit up vvith in terest and
say, "Wow, I didn't know that! Now tllnt's in teresting." We
hope that s tudents who read ou r book w ill have tha t same
reaction.
What's New in This Edition?
First a word about wh a t has not ch an ged. As mentioned,
we have don e ou r best to tell the story of social psychol-
ogy in an en gaging way that w ill reson a te w ith stu dents.
We also h ave retained features that h elp studen ts lea rn
and re ta in th e materia l. As before, each chap ter begins
w ith lea rning objectives, whjch a re repea ted in th e sec-
tions of the chapter tha t a re most relevant to th em and in
th e ch apter-endin g su mmary. All major sections of every
chapte r end with review quizzes. Research shows th at
students learn material better when they are tested fre-
q uently; thus, these section q uizzes, as well as the test
q uestions at the end of every chapter, should be helpful
learnin g a ids. In the Revel version of the text, ins tructors
have th e option of assignin g these quizzes and giving
course credit for correct answers. Each chap ter a lso has
our Try It! fea ture that invites s tudents to apply wh at
th ey have learned to their own lives. Several of these Try
It! features h ave been updated.
We are p leased to add severa l new features to the
tenth ed ition th a t we believe w ill appeal to s tudents
and ma ke it even easier for th em to learn the materia l.
The first is called #Surviva lTips which are brief videos
recorded by studen ts who have taken a social psychol-
ogy class. Each one tells a personal story re laying how
th e student applied social psychology to better n aviga te
or "survive" a real s ituation in their lives. For example,
one video in Chap ter 9 tells the s tory of how a studen t
learned to avoid process loss in her s tudy groups. These
videos are in the Revel version of the text, placed along-
s ide th e relevan t concepts.
A secon d new featu re, ca lled #trendin g, is a b rief
ana lysis of a curren t event tha t illustrates a key p rinci-
ple in each ch apter. In Ch apter 11 on Prosocial Behavior,
for example, we describe an incident in which a White
den tist from Texas, in town for Dona ld Trump's inaugu-
ration, left a $450 tip for an African American wa itress.
Students a re asked to thin k abou t how concep ts in the
chap ter migh t help explain why the man acted so gen-
erous ly, such as Ba tson's empathy-altruism hypothesis.
Importan tly, th ese examp les will be updated frequen tly
in the Revel version of the text, such that s tudents w ill al-
ways be able to connect wha t they are reading to cu rrent,
real-world events.
Third, every chapter now begins w ith a feature called,
"What do YOU trunk?" where s tudents answer a survey
question designed to illustra te a concept in that ch apter. In
Chapter 6, for example, students are asked, "Have you ever
joined a group that required you to do something humili-
ating or dangerous in order to gain membership?" In the
Revel version of the text, s tudents get immediate feedback
on h ow o ther s tudents h ave answered (23°/o said yes to this
question ). Then, at the end of the chapter, there is a w riting
exercise tied to the survey question that instructors can as-
sign if they wish. In Chapter 6, for example, the question
is, "How does justification of effort h elp explain wh y haz-
ing and initiation rites are common across so many d ifferent
group types?"
Lastly, we h ave expanded a feature tha t proved to be
very popular with users of the Revel version of the previ-
ous edition, namely v ideos tha t recreate classic experiments
in social psych ology. These videos, recorded exclus ively for
this book, give students a vivid and contemporary look at
h ow an experiment was done and what it found.
And, of cou rse, we have upda ted the tenth edition s ub-
stantially, vv ith numerous references to new research. Here
is a sampling of the new research that is covered:
• Chapter 1: This chapter contains updated examples,
a new Try It!, and a new section on the role of bio-
logical approaches and evolution ary theory in social
psych ology.
• Ch apter 2: A signa ture of our book continues to be a
readable, s tudent-friend ly ch apter on resea rch methods
in social psychology. This chapter has been updated
xiii
xiv Preface
for the ten th edition with new references and examples
and a discussion of the replication debate in social
psychology.
• Chapter 3, "Social Cognition: How We Think Abou t
the Social World ," has been upda ted with more than
40 new references. There is a new section on the p lan-
ning fallacy and d iscussions of recent research find-
ings, such as a study on counterfactual thinking and
people's belief in God.
• Chapter 4, "Social Perception: How We Come to
Und ers tand Other People," now includes several new
features, including a new opening drawing on the Black
Mirror television series, an in teractive photo ga llery on
using first impressions to your ad van tage, a discussion
of cross-cu ltural attitudes regarding karma and beliefs
in a just world , and a reorganized discussion of Kelley's
covariation model.
• Chapter 5, "The Self: Understanding Ourselves in a
Social Con text," has been updated with more than 35
new references. The chapter headings h ave also been
reorganized into three major sections, which should
make the material clearer to stud ents. There is a new
opening example about children raised by animals and
how they might have influenced their sense of self.
Lastly, the section on self-esteem has been upda ted and
moved to Ch apter 6.
• Chapter 6, "Cognitive Disson ance and the Need to
Protect Our Self-Esteem," is one of the most exten-
sively revised chapters in this edition. This chap·
ter has a lways been a signature of the book; we are
the only text to devote an entire chapter to cogni·
tive dissonan ce theory an d self-esteem maintenance.
We p roudly retain this chapter in our ten th ed ition,
continuing to p resen t classic work in cogni tive disso-
nance in a highly readable manner w ith compelling
examples designed to d raw students in. At the same
time we h ave updated the chapter, adding a major
new section on advances and extensions of dissonance
theory that includes discussions of self-affirmation
theory an d self-eva luation mainten ance theory. There
is also a section on n arcissism and self-esteem, wh ich
prev ious ly appeared in Chapter 5. Lastly the chapter
has two new Try It! exercises tha t studen ts will enj oy:
In on e they complete a va lues affirmation writing ex-
ercise, and in an other they can take a sh ort version of
the Narcissistic Personali ty Inventory and get feed -
back on their score.
• Chapter 7, "Attitudes and Attitude Change:
Influencing Thoughts an d Feelings," includes a new
opening story, new examples from Election 2016 in
th e discussion of affectively based attitudes, and new
discussion of how implicit versus exp lici t attitudes
can vary in p redicting outcomes when it comes to
evaluation of job resumes based on applican t name.
A new in teractive feature is also included to explain
the formula for persuasion according to the Ya le
Attitude Change app roach.
• Chapte r 8, "Conformity and Obedience: Influencing
Behavior," n ow opens with a more positive focus on
socia l influence, in the form of Pete Fra tes an d the
ALS ice bucket cha llenge. We have add ed a discus-
s ion of the proliferation of "fake news" in the section
on informationa l social influen ce. The chapte r a lso
features a new interactive video d emonstrating s tu-
dents employing var ious social influence techniques
an d added discussion of contemporary criticism of
Milgram's research.
• Chapter 9, "Group Processes: Influence in Social Groups,"
now opens with an analysis of p roblematic group deci-
sion making and stra tegizing in Hilary Clinton's 2016
campaign team. We have also added coverage of recent
research on combating the p roblematic effects on deindi-
viduation online and group polarization via social media
feeds. The chapter also includes expanded and updated
discussion of the prisoner's dilemma and a new photo
gallery regarding resource dilemmas.
• Chapter 10, "Attraction and Relationships: From
Initial Impressions to Long-Term Intimacy," has
a new title to better reflect the balanced focus be -
tween initia l a ttraction and relationship trajectory I
satisfaction . A new interactive p h oto gallery exp lores
the relationship between mere exposure and liking,
and a new inte ractive v id eo illustra tes th e ma tching
h ypoth esis in attraction. We have added coverage
(includ ing an in teractive figure) of Sternberg's
triangular theory of love and have reorganized and
upda ted the concluding section on relationship
satisfaction and b reaking up.
• In Chapter 11, "Prosocial Behavior: Why Do People
Help?" includes more than 30 new references, expanded
discussions of empathy and altruism and volunteerism,
and a revised discussion of religion and p rosocial
behavior.
• Chapter 12, "Aggression: Why Do We Hurt Other
People? Can We Preven t It?," has significan t conten t
updates in addition to covering new research. Our
discussion of testosterone and aggression is more nu-
an ced, disentangling some aspects of gen der and h or-
mones and in troducing the o ther sex h ormone related
to aggression, estradiol. We also in troduce and evalu-
a te two formal evolution ar y theories of aggression:
the challenge hypothesis and d ual-hormone theory.
We also streamlined the section on sexual assault
to make this importan t section clearer. Overall, the

chapter narrative n ow emphasizes the con vergen t
evidence for th e role of impulsivity in aggression
across b iological and psychological evidence.
• In Chapter 13, "Prejudice: Causes, Consequences,
and Cures," has undergone a major organizational
and conten t u pdate. We generalized th e discussion
of prejudice from the strong focus on Black-White
and male-female relations to relate more generally
to other e thnic, gender, and stigmatized identities.
Nonetheless, we maintain an importan t dialog on
anti-Blackness, including a d iscussion of police shoot-
ings and activ ist groups. We expanded the discussion
of emotions as a core component of prejudice, throu gh
which we included more physiological research on
prejudice in to the ch apter. Und er the ways to reduce
prejudice, we have exten ded th e discussion of inter-
group con tact to teach studen ts about indirect contact,
and we have streamlined the d iscussion of the jigsaw
classroom. The entire chapter was upda ted with new
examples from recent popula r culture an d in teractive
components in Revel.
• Social Psychology in Action chapters- "Using Social
Psychology to Achieve a Sustainable and Happy
Future," "Social Psychology and Hea lth," and "Social
Psychology and the Law"- have been updated w ith
many references to new research, but remain shorter
chapters. When we teach the cou rse, we find tha t stu-
dents are excited to lea rn abou t these applied a reas.
At the same time, we recognize that some instructors
have difficulty fitting the ch apters into their courses.
As with the p revious edition, ou r approach remains to
maintain a shortened length for the applied ch apters to
make it easy to integra te these chapters in to different
parts of the course in whatever fashion an instructor
deems best. SPAl, "Using Social Psychology to Achieve
a Sustainable and Happy Future," includes an u pdated
opening example abou t the effects of climate change
and new examples of ways in which students can both
act in sustainable ways and maximize their well-being.
In SPA2, "Social Psychology and Health," we updated
coverage on perceived con trol interventions among
nursing home residents and included a new interactive
on coping with s tress. SPA3, "Social Psychology an d
Law," has a new v ideo abou t attention al blindness and
an interactive feature on best p ractices in eyewitness
identification p rocedures.
Revel for Social Psychology
RevelTM
When students are engaged deeply, they lea rn more ef-
fectively and perform better in their courses. This simp le
Preface xv
fact inspired the creation of Revel: an interactive learning
environment designed for the way today's students read ,
think, and learn. Built in collaboration with educa tors and
stu dents nationwid e, Revel is the newest, fu lly digital way
to deliver respected Pearson conten t. Revel enlivens cou rse
content with media interactives and assessments- icluding
an in teractive figure) of ntegrated directly within the au-
thors' narrative-that p rovide opportunities for students
to read abou t and p ractice course material in tandem. This
irnmersive educationa l technology boosts student engage-
ment, which leads to better understanding of concepts and
improved performance throughou t the course.
Learn More about Revel
h ttp:/ /www.pearsonhighered.com/revel/
Rather than simp ly offering opportunities to read
about and stud y social psychology, Revel facilitates
deep, engaging interactions w ith the concepts that mat-
ter most. By p roviding opportunities to improve skills
in analyzing and in terp retin g sou rces of psychological
evidence, for example, Revel engages students directly
and immediately, which leads to a better understanding
of course material. A wealth of student and instructor
resources and in teractive materia ls can be found within
Revel. Some of our favorites are mentioned in the infor-
mation that follows.
For more information about all the tools and resou rces
in Revel and access to your own Revel account for Social
Psychology, go to www.pearsonhighered.com/ revel.
Instructor Resources
We know that instructors are "tou r guides" for their stu-
dents, leading them throu gh the exciting world of social
psychology in the classroom. As such, we have invested
tremendous effort in the creation of a world-class collection
of instructor resou rces that will support p rofessors in their
mission to teach the best course possible.
Coauthor Sam Sommers gu ided the creation of this
supplements package, which has been reviewed and up·
dated for the tenth ed ition. Here are the highlights of the
supplements we are pleased to provide:
PRESENTATION TOOLS AND CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
• Social Psychology PowerPoint Collection (0134700732)
The PowerPoints provide an active forma t for pre-
senting concepts from each chapte r and incorpo-
ra ting relevant figures an d tables. Instructors can
choose from three PowerPoint presentations: a lec-
ture p resen tation set tha t h igh lights major topics
from th e chapters, a highly visual lecture p resenta -
tion set with embedded videos, or a PowerPoint
collection of the complete art files from the tex t. The
xvi Preface
PowerPoint files can be downloaded from www
.pearsonhighered.com.
• Ins tructor's Resource Manual (0134700694) The
Instructor's Manua l includes key terms, lecture ideas,
teaching tips, suggested readings, chapter ou tlines,
studen t p rojects an d research assignments, Try It! exer-
cises, critical-thinking topics and discussion questions,
and a media resource guide. It h as been updated for
the tenth edition with hyperlinks to ease facilita tion of
navigation within the Instructor's Resource Manual.
ASSESS MENT RESO URCES
• Tes t Bank (0134700740) Each of the more than 2,000
questions in this test bank is page-referenced to the text
and categorized by topic an d skill level. Each question
in the test bank was reviewed by several instructors
to ensure that we are providing you with the best and
most accu rate content in the industry.
• MyTest Test Bank (0134677897) This Web-based test-
generating software p rovides ins tructors "best in class"
features in an easy-to-use program. Create tests and
easily select questions with drag-and-drop or poin t-
and-click functionality. Add or modify test questions
using the built-in Question Editor, and p rin t tests in a
variety of formats. The program comes w ith full techni-
cal support.
Acknowledgments
Elliot Aronson is delighted to acknowledge the collabora-
tion of Ca rol Tavris. He would also like to acknow ledge the
con tribu tions of his best friend (who also happens to be his
wife of 60 years), Vera Aronson. Vera, as usual, provided in-
spiration for his ideas and acted as the sounding board for
and s upportive critic of many of his semiformed notions,
helping to mold them into more sensible analyses.
Tim Wilson would like to thank his gradua te mentor,
Richard E. Nisbett, who nu rtured his interest in the field
and showed him the continuity between social psychologi-
cal research and everyday life. He also thanks the many stu-
dents who have taken his course in social psychology over
the years, for asking fascin ating questions and p roviding
wonderful examples of social psychological phen omena in
their everyday lives. Lastly, he thanks the many graduate
stud en ts with whom he has h ad the p rivilege of working
for joining him in the ever-fascinating discovery of new so-
cia l psychological p h enomena.
Sam Sommers would like to acknowledge, first and fore-
most, the Sommers ladies, Marilyn, Abigail, and Sophia, for
being patient with round-the-clock revision sessions, for tol-
erating the constantly expanding mass of papers and books
on the floor of the study (he promises to clean them up before
work starts on the eleventh edition), and for frequently pro-
vjding excellent real-life examples that illustrate social psy-
chological concepts. He also gives special thanks to all of his
teachers of social psychology, for introd ucing him to the field,
for continued support, and for serving as role models as in-
structors, mentors, researchers, and writers.
No book can be written and p u blished without the
h elp of many people working with the authors behind the
scenes, and our book is no exception. We need to give a
spooal thanks to Elizabeth Page-Gould for her tremendous
h elp in rev ising two of the chapters. Her d eep knowledge
of social psychology and wond erful writing style contrib-
uted greatly to this edition. We wou ld also like to thank the
many colleagues who read one or more chapte rs of this edi-
tion and of p revious editions of the book.
Reviewers of the Tenth Edition
Jim Allen, State University of New York, College at Geneseo;
Kathryn Anderson, 011r Llldy of the Lake University; Anila
Bhagavatula, California State University- Long Beach; Amy
Bradshaw-Hoppock, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universiti;;
Ngoc Bui, University of La Verne; Bernardo Carducci, Indiana
Universiti; Southeast; Alex Czopp, Western Washington
Universiti;; Keith Davis, University of South Carolina;
Michael Dud ley, So11then1 Illinois Universiti; Edwardsville;
Heid i Eng lish, College of the Siskiyo11s; Joe Ferrari, DePau/
University; Christine Floether, Centenary College; Krista
Forrest, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Allen Gorman,
Radford University; Jerry Green, Tarrant Counti; College;
Dana Greene, University of North Caro/inn; Donnell Griffin,
Davidson County Comm11nity College; Lisa Harrison,
California State University, Sacramento; Gina Hoover, Ohio
State Universiti;; Jeffrey Huntsinger, Loyola Universiti;
Chicago; Alisha Janowsky, Universiti; of Central Florida;
Bethany Johnson, Universiti; of Nebraska- Omaha; Deborah
Jones, Columbia University; Suzanne Kieffer, University of
Hou.ston; Marvin Lee, Tennessee State University; Alexandra
Luong, University of Minnesota Duluth; Robyn Mallett,
Loyola University Chicago; Brian Meier, Getti;sburg College;
Andrea Mercurio, Boston University; Lori Nelson, Universiti;
of Iowa; Darren Petronella, Nassau Communiti; College;
Jennifer Rivers, Elms College; Kari Terzino, Des Moines Area
Community College; T. Joel Wade, Bucknell University; Angela
Walker, Quinnipiac University; Chrysalis Wright, Universiti;
of Central Florida; Garry Zaslow, Nassau Community College;
Jie Zh ang, Universiti; at Buffalo
Reviewers of Past Editions
Jeffrey B. Adams, Saint Michael's College; Bill Ad ler,
Collin County Community College; John R. Aiello, R11tgers
University; Charles A. Alexan der, Rock Va/lei; College;
Sowmya Anan d, Ohio State University; Nathan Arbuckle,

Ohio Stnte University; Art Aron, Stnte Universiti; of Ne1u
York, Stony Brook; Danny Axsom, Virginia Polytechnic
Institute nnd State University; Joan W. Baily, Jersey Citi; State
College; Norma Baker, Belmont University; Austin Baldwin,
Universiti; of Iowa; John Bargh, Ne1u York University;
William A. Ba rnard, University of Northen1 Colorado; Doris
G. Bazziru, Appalnchinn State University; Arthur Beaman,
University of Kentuckt;; Gordon Bear, Ramapo College; Susan
E. Beers, Sweet Brinr College; Ka thy L. Bell, University of
North Carolina at Greensboro; Leon ard Berkowitz, University
of Wisconsin- Madison; Ellen S. Berscheid, University of
Minnesota; John Bickford, University of Massachusetts,
Amherst; Thomas Blass, University of Maryland; C.
George Boeree, Shippensburg Universiti;; Lisa M. Bohon,
California State University, Sncrnmento; Jenrufer Bosson, The
Universiti; of Oklahoma; Chante C. Boyd, Carnegie Mellon
Universiti;; Peter J. Brady, Clark State CommuniflJ College;
Kosha Bramesfeld, Pennsylvania Stnte Universiti;; Kelly
A. Brennan, University of Texns, Austin; Richard W. Brislin,
Enst-West Center of the University of Hawaii; Jeff Bryson,
San Diego State University; Melissa Burkley, Oklahoma State
Universiti;; Amy Bush, University of Houston; Amber Bush
Amspoker, Universiti; of Houston; Brad Bushman, lawa State
Universiti;; Thomas P. Cafferty, Universiti; of South Cnrolinn,
Columbia; Melissa A. Cahoon, Wright State University;
Frank Calabrese, Community College of Philadelphia; Michael
Caruso, University of Toledo; N icholas Christenfeld,
Universiti; of Califoniin, San Diego; Margaret S. Clark,
Carnegie Mellon Universiti;; Russell D. Clark, III, University
of North Texas; Susan D. Clayton, Allegheny College;
Megan Clegg-Kraynok, West Virginia University; Brian M.
Cohen, University of Texns, San Antonio; Florette Cohen,
Rutgers Universiti;; Jack Cohen, Camden Counti; College;
Steven G. Cole, Texas Christian University; Eric J. Cooley,
Western Oregon State University; Diana Cordova, Yale
University; Traci Cra ig, University of Idaho; Jack Croxton,
State University of Ne1u York, Fredonia; Keith E. Davis,
University of South Cnrolinn, Colu111bia; Mary Ellen Dello
Stritto, Ball State Universiti;; Dorothee Dietrich, Ha111line
Universiti;; Kate Dockery, Universiti; of Florida; Susann
Doyle, Gainesville College; Steve Duck, University of [own;
Michael G. Dudley, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville;
Karen G. Duffy, Stnte University of New York, Geneseo; Va lerie
Eastman, Drury College; Tami Eggleston, McKendree College;
Timothy Elliot, Universiti; of Alnbamn- Binningham; Steve L.
Ellyson, Youngstown Stnte University; Cin dy Elrod, Georgia
State University; Kadimah Elson, Universiti; ofCalifoniia, Snn
Diego/Grossmont College; Rebecca S. Fahrlan der, University
of Nebraska nt Omaha; Alan Feingold, Yale University;
Edward Fernandes, East Cnrolinn Universiti;; Phil Finney,
Southeast Missouri State Universiti;; Susan Fiske, University
of Massachusetts; Robin Franck, Southwesten1 College; Denise
Frank, Ramapo College of Ne1u Jersey; Timothy M. Franz,
Preface xvii
St. John Fisher College; William Rick Fry, Youngstown Stnte
University; Russell Geen, Universiti; of Missouri; Glenn
Geher, Stnte Universiti; of Ne1u York nt New Pnltz; David
Gersh, Houston Community College; Frederick X. Gibbons,
[own State University; Cyn thia Gilliland, Louisinnn Stnte
University; Genaro Gonza lez, University of Texas; Jessica
Gonza lez, Ohio State University; Sara Gorchoff, Universiti;
of Cnlifornin, Berkeley; Beverly Gray, Youngsto1un Stnte
University; Gordon Hammerle, Adrian College; H. Anna
Han, Ohio State Universiti;; Judith Harackiewicz, Universiti;
of Wisconsin- Madison; Elaine Hatfield, University of Hawaii,
Mnnon; Vicki S. Helgeson, Carnegie Mellon Universiti;; Joyce
Hemphill, Cnzenovin College; Tracy B. Henley, Mississippi
State University; Ed Hirt, Indiana University; Harold
Hunziker Jr., Coniing CommuniflJ College; David E. Hyatt,
University ofWisconsin- Oshkosh; Mari ta Ingleh art, Un iversiti;
of Michigan; Carl Kallgren, Behrend College, Pennsylvania
State University, Erie; Steph en Kilianski, Rutgers Universiti;;
Bill Klein, Colby College; James D. Johnson, University of
North Carolina, Wilmington; Lee Jussim, Rutgers Universiti;;
Stephen Kilianski, Rutgers University; Fredrick Koenig,
Tulane University; Alan Lambert, Washington UniversiflJ,
St. Louis; Emmett Lampkin, Kirk1uook Community College;
Elizabeth C. Lanthier, Northern Virginia Co111muniflJ
College; Pa tricia Laser, Bucks County Community College; G.
Darnel Lassiter, Ohio University; Dianne Leader, Georgia
Institute of Technology; John Lu, Concordia Universiti;;
Stephanie Madon, [own State Universiti;; John Ma larkey,
Wilmington College; Andrew Mamon, SI. Mary's Universiti;
of Minnesota; Allen R. McConnell, Michigan Stnte Universiti;;
Adam Meade, North Carolina State Universiti;; Joann M.
Montepare, Tufts University; Richard Morelan d, Universiti;
of Pittsburgh; Dave Na lbone, Purdue Universiti;- Calumet;
Carrie Nance, Stetson University; Todd D. Nelson, Michigan
State University; Elaine Nocks, Furman University; Matylda
Osika, Universiti; of Houston; Cheri Pa rks, Colorado Christian
University; W. Gerrod Pa rrott, Georgetawn University; David
Peterson, Mount Senario College; Mary Pritcha rd, Boise Stnte
University; Cynthia K. S. Reed, Tarrant County College; Dan
Richard, Universiti; of North Florida; Neal Roese, Universiti;
of Illinois; Darrin L. Rogers, Ohio State Universiti;; Joan
Rollins, Rhode Island College; Pau l Rose, Southern Illinois
University Edwardsville; Lee D. Ross, Stanford Universiti;;
Alex Rothman, University of Minnesota; M. Susan Row ley,
Champlain College; Delia Saenz, Arizona State Universiti;;
Brad Sagarin, Northern Illinois University; Fred Sanborn,
North Carolina Wesleyan College; Conrue Schick, Bloomsburg
University; Norbert Schwartz, University of Michigan;
Gretch en Sechris t, University at Buffalo; Richard C.
Sherman, Miami University of Ohio; Paul Silv ia, Universiti;
of North Carolina at Greensboro; Randolph A. Smith, Ouachita
Baptist University; Linda Solomon, Mnry111ount Mnnl1nttan
College; Janice Steil, Adelphi University; Ja kob Steinberg,
xviii Preface
Fairleigh Dickinson University; Mark Stewart, American
River College; Lori Stone, University of Texas at Austin;
JoNell Strough, West Virginia University; T. Ga le Thompson,
Bethany College; Scott Tindale, Loyola University of Chicago;
David M. Tom, Columbus State Community College; David
Trafimow, Ne1u Mexico State University; Ruth Wa rner, St.
Louis University; Anne Weiher, Metropolitan State College
of Denver; Gary L. Wells, Iawa State University; Jackie
White, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Paul L.
Wienir, Westen, Michigan University; Kipling D. Williams,
Universiti; of Toledo; Tama ra Williams, Hampton University;
Paul Windschitl, University of Iowa; Mike Witmer, Skagit
Valley College; Gvven Wittenbaum, Michigan State University;
William Douglas Woody, Universiti; of Northern Colorado;
Clare Zaborowski, San Jacinto College; William H . Zachry,
Universiti; of Tennessee- Martin; Leah Zinner, University of
Wisconsin- Madison
We also thank the wonderful editorial staff of Pearson
for their expertise and profession alism, including Dickson
Musslewhite (Ed itorial Director), Cecilia Turner (Con ten t
Producer), Chris topher Brown (Executive Product
Ma rketing Man ager), Louis Fierro (Editoria l Assistant),
an d Angel Chavez (Project Manager). We would especially
like to thank Thomas Finn (Developmen tal Edito r), who
provided expert guidance w ith constan t good ch eer and
insight even throu gh barrages of e-mail exchanges and a t-
tachments, and Amber Chow (Portfolio Manager), whose
smart vision for the book, and commitment to making it as
good as it can be, h ave truly made a difference. Finally, we
thank Mary Falcon, bu t for whom we never would have
begun this p roject.
Thank you for inv iting us into your classroom. We wel-
come you r suggestions, and we would be delighted to hear
you r comments abou t this book.
Elliot Aronson
elliot@cats.ucsc.edu
Tim Wilson
tdw@virginia.edu
Sam Sommers
sam.sommers@tufts.edu
About the Authors
Elliot Aronson
When I was a kid, we were the only Jew ish family in a v ir-
u len tly anti-Semitic neighborhood . I had to go to Hebrew
sch ool every day, la te in the afternoon. Being the only
youngster in my neighborhood going to Hebrew school
made me an easy ta rget for some of the older neighborhood
toughs. On my way h ome from Hebrew sch ool, after da rk,
I was frequently waylaid and roughed up by roving gangs
sh ou ting anti-Semitic epithets.
I have a v ivid memory of sitting on a cu rb after one
of these beatings, nursing a bloody nose or a split lip, feel-
ing very sorry for myself an d won dering how these kids
could hate me so much when they d idn' t even know me. I
thought abou t whether those kids were taugh t to hate Jews
o r whether, somehow, they vvere born that way. I wondered
if their hatred could be changed- if they got to know me
better, would they h ate me less? I specu lated about my own
character. What would I have done if the shoe were on the
o ther foot- that is, if I were bigger an d stronger than they,
would I be capable of beating them up for no good reason?
I didn't realize it at the time, of course, but eventually I
discovered that these were p rofound questions. And some
30 yea rs later, as an experimenta l social psychologist, I had
the great good fortune to be in a position to answer some of
those questions and to in vent techniques to redu ce the kind
of p rejudice that had claimed me as a victim.
Elliot Aronson is Professor Emeritus at the University of
Califoniia nt Santa Cruz and one of the most renowned social psi;-
clwlogists in the 1110rld. In 2002, he tuns chosen as one of the 100
most eminent psychologists of the twentieth century. Dr. Aron.son
is the only person in the 120-year history of the American Psycho-
logical Association to l1ave received all three of its major awards:
for distinguished tvriting, distinguished teaching, nnd distin-
guished research. Mnny other professional societies have honored
his research and teaching ns well. These include the American
Association for the Advance111ent of Science, tvhich gave him its
highest l1onor, the Distinguished Scientific Research award; the
American Council for the Advance111ent and Support of Educa-
tion, 1vl1ich named l1im Professor of the Year of 1989; the Society
for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, which awarded him
the Gordon Allport prize for his contributions to the reduction of
prejudice among racial nnd ethnic groups; and the William fames
Atvard from the Association for Psychological Science. In 1992,
he was named n Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sci-
ences. A collection of papers and tributes by his former students
and colleagues, The Scientist and the Humanist, celebrates his
contributions to social psychological theon; nnd its application to
real-world problems. Dr. Aronson's own recent books for general
audiences include Mista kes Were Made (bu t not by ME), with
Carol Tnvris, nnd a memoir, Not by Chance Alone: My Life as
a Social Psychologist.
Tim Wilson
One day when I was 8, a couple of older kids rode up on
their bikes to share some big news: They had d iscovered an
abandoned h ouse down a country road. "It's really neat,"
they sa id. "We broke a window and nobody cared !" My
friend and I hopped onto ou r bikes to investiga te. We had
n o trou ble finding the h ouse-there it was, sitting off by
itself, with a big, jagged hole in a first-floor window. We
got off of our bikes and looked a round. My friend foun d a
baseball-sized rock lying on the ground and threw a per-
fect strike through another firs t-floor wind ow. There was
some thing exhilarating about the smash-an d-ting le of sh at-
tering glass, especially when we knew there was nothing
wrong with what we were d oing. After a ll, the house was
abandoned, wasn't it? We b roke nearly every wind ow in
the house and then climbed through one of the first-floor
wind ows to look around.
It was then tha t we realized something was te rribly
wrong. Th e house certainly did not look aband oned. There
were pictu res on the wall, nice furniture, books in shelves.
We went home feeling frightened and confused. We soon
learned tha t the house was the h ome of an eld erly cou ple
who were avvay on vacation. Even tually, my pa rents dis-
covered what we h ad d one and paid a subs tan tial sum to
repair the wind ows. For years, I pondered this inciden t:
Why did I d o such a terrible thing? Was I a bad kid? I didn't
think so, an d neither d id my parents. How, then, could a
good kid do such a bad thing? Even though the neighbor-
h ood kids sa id the house was aban doned, wh y cou ldn't my
frien d and I see the clear signs tha t someone lived there?
How crucial was it that my frien d was there and threw
the first rock? Althou gh I didn' t know it at the time, these
reflections touched on several classic social psych ologica l
issues, such as wh ether only bad people do bad things,
whether the social situation can be powerfu l enough to
ma ke good people d o bad things, and the way in which
ou r expectations abou t an event can make it difficu lt to see
it as it really is. Fortunately, my ca reer as a vandal ended
with this one incident. It did , however, mark the beginning
of my fascination with basic questions abou t how people
und erstand themselves and the social world- questions I
contin ue to investigate to this day.
xix
xx About the Authors

Tim Wilson did his 11ndergrndunte tvork at Willin111s College h ad watched was of an actor, and in some versions of the
and Hn111pshire College and received his PhD from the University study h e mentioned having a girlfriend. In other versions,
of Michigan. C11rrently Sherrell f. Aston Professor of Psychology h e mentioned a boyfriend. Wha t the researchers were actu-
at the University of Virginia, he fins published n11111ero11s articles a lly stud ying was h ow this social ca tegory information of
in the nrens of introspection, attitude change, self-knowledge, and sexua l orientation wou ld influence pa rticipan ts' attitudes
affective forecasting, ns tvell as n recent book, Redirect: The Sur- about the interaction.
prising New Science of Psychological Change. His research And then she took ou t a tape measure.
has received the support of the National Science Fo11ndntion and The tape measu re was to gauge h ow close to my pa rt·
the National Institute for Mental Health. He hns been elected n er 's ch air I had p laced my own chair, the hypothesis being
ttvice to the Executive Board of the SociehJ for Experi111ental So- that discomfort with a gay partner might manifest in terms
cial Psychology and is a Fellow in the A111erican Psychological of participants placing their ch airs farther away. Greater
SociehJ and the Society for PersonalihJ and Social Psychologtj. In comfort with or affirtity for the partner was predicted to
2009, he tvas named a Fellow of the A111erican Acnde111y of Arts lead to more desire for proximity.
and Sciences. In 2015 he received the William James Fellows And a t that, I was h ooked. The little voice in my head
Atvard fro111 the Association for Psychological Science. Wilson h ad grovvn from a whisper to a full-throated yell that this
has taught the Introduction to Social PsychologtJ co11rse nt the was a field I could get excited about. Firs t of a ll, the re-
University of Virginia for more thnn 30 years. In 2001 he tvns searchers had tricked me. That, alone, I thought was, for
awarded the University of Virginia All-UniversihJ 011tstnnd· lack of a better word, cool. But more important, they had
ing Teaching Atvnrd, and in 2010 wns awarded the University of done so in the effort to get me an d my fellow participants
Virginia Disting11ished Scientist Atvard. to revea l something about our attitudes, p referen ces, and
tendencies tha t we never would have admitted to (or per-
h aps even would have been aware of) h ad they just asked
Sam Sommers us directly. Here was a fascinating ly crea tive research de-
I went to college to major in Eng lish. I only found myself in sign, being used in the effort to study what struck me as an
an Intro to Psychology course as a second-semester fresh- incredibly important social issue.
man because, well, it just seemed like the kin d of thing you Like I said, I was hooked. And I look forward to help·
d id as a second-semester freshman. It was when we got to ing to introduce you to this field that caught me by surp rise
the social psychology section of the course tha t a little voice back when I was a student and con tinues to intrigue and
in my head s tarting whispering something along the Imes inspire me to this d ay.
of, Hey, yo11've gotta admit this is prethJ good st11ff It's n lot like Sn111 So111111ers earned his BA from Willin111s College nnd his
the conversations you hnve with your friends about daily life, but PhD fro111 the University of Michigan. Since 2003 he hns been a
tvith scientific dnta. faculty 111e111ber in the Depnrtnient of PsychologtJ nt Tufts Uni·
As part of the class, we h ad the opportunity to partici- versity in Medford, Massachusetts. His research examines is-
pa te in research s tudies for cou rse credit. So one day I found sues related to stereotyping, prejudice, and group diversity, with
myself in an interaction s tudy in which I was going to work n partic11/nr interest in hotv these processes play out in the legal
on solving problems with a partner. I walked in and it was do111ain. He has tvon multiple teaching awards at Tufts, includ-
clear tha t the other guy had arrived earlier- his coat and ing the Ler111an-Ne11bauer Prize for 011tstnnding Teaching and
bag were a lready hanging on the back of a cha ir. I was led to Advising and the Gerald R. Gill Professor of the Yenr Award. He
another, sma ller room and sh own a video of my soon-to-be was also ind11cted into the Tufts Hall of Diversity for his efforts
partner. Then I was given a series of written questions abou t to promote nn incl11sive cli111nte on campus for nll students. He
my perceptions of him, my expectations for our upcoming hns testified as an expert tvitness on issues related to racial bins,
session together, and so forth. Finally, I walked back into the j11ry decision 111aking, and eyewitness 111emory in cri111inal trial
main area. The experimenter h anded me a chair and told proceedings in eight states. He /ins tvritten two general audience
me to put it down anywhere next to my partner's cha ir, and books related to social psychologtJ: Situations Matter: Under-
that she wou ld go get him (he, too, was p resumably com- s tanding How Context Transforms Your World (2011) and
p leting written questionnaires in a priva te room). This Is Your Brain on Sports: The Science of Un derdogs,
So I did. I put my chair down, took a seat, and waited. the Value of Riva lry, an d What We Can Learn from the
Then the experimenter returned , bu t sh e was alon e. She T-shirt Cannon (2016). He is nlso co-a11thor of Invitation to
told me the study was over. There was n o other participant; Psychology (7th edition), along with Carole Wnde, Carol Tavris,
there would be no p roblem solving in pairs. The video I nnd Lisn Shin.
Special Tips for Students
/ / Th ere is then creative reading as well as crea-
tive w riting," said Ra lp h Wa ldo Emerson in
1837, and that aptly sums up wha t you need to
know to be a proficien t studen t: Be an active, creative con-
sumer of information. How do you accomp lish tha t feat?
Actually, it's not difficult. Like everything else in life, it jus t
takes some vvork-some clever, well-planned, p u rposeful
work. Here are some suggestions abou t h ow to do it.
Get to Know the Textbook
Believe it or n ot, in writing this book, we thought carefu lly
abou t the organization and s tructure of each chapter. Things
are presented as they are for a reason, and that reason is to
help you learn the materia l in the best way possible. Here
are some tips on what to look for in each chapter.
Key terms are in boldface type in the text s o that you'll
n otice them. We define the terms in the text, and tha t defi-
nition appears again in the margin. These marginal defini-
tions are there to help you ou t if later in the chapter you
forget wh at something means. The marginal definitions are
quick and easy to fin d. You can also look up key te rms in
the alphabetical Glossary at the en d of this textbook.
Make sure you notice the h eadings and s ubheadings. The
headings are the s keleton that holds a chapter together. They
link together like vertebrae. If you ever feel lost, look back to
the p revious heading and the headings before it- this will
give you the "big picture" of where the chapter is going. It
shou ld also help you see the connections between sections.
The summary at the end of each chapter is a succinct short-
hand presentation of the chapter information. You should read
it and make sure there are no surprises when you do so. If any-
thing in the summary doesn't ring a bell, go back to the chap-
ter and reread that section. Most important, remember that the
summary is intentionally brief, whereas your understanding
of the material should be full and complete. Use the summary
as a study aid before your exams. When you read it over, ev-
erything should be familiar. When you have that wonderful
feeling of knowing more than is in the summary, you'll know
that you are ready to take the exam.
Be sure to do the Try It! exercises. They will make concepts
from social psychology concrete and help you see how they
can be applied to your own life. Some of the Try It! exercises
replicate social psych ology experimen ts. Others reproduce
self-report sca les so you can see where you stand in relation
to o ther people. Still others are short quizzes that illustrate
social psychological concepts.
Watch the videos. Our carefully curated collection of in-
terviews, news clips, and research study reenactments is
designed to enhance, and help you better understand, the
concepts you're reading. If you can see the concept in ac-
tion, it's likely to sink in a little deeper.
Just Say No to the Couch
Potato Within
Because social psychology is abou t everyday life, you might
lull you rself into believing that the material is a ll common
sense. Don't be fooled. The ma terial presented in this book
is more complicated than it might seem. Therefore, we want
to emph asize that the best way to lea rn it is to work with it
in an active, n ot passive, fashion. You can't just read a chap-
ter once and expect it to stick with you. You have to go over
the material, wrestle with it, make your ovvn connections to
it, question it, think abou t it, in teract with it. Actively work-
ing with materia l makes it memorable an d makes it you r
own. Because it's a safe bet that someone is going to ask you
about this material later and you're going to have to p ull it
out of memory, do what you can to get it into memory n ow.
Here are some techniques to use:
• Go ahead and highlight lines in the text- you can do
so in Revel by clicking and d ragging the cursor over
a sentence; you can even choose you r own color, and
add a n ote! If you highligh t important points, you will
remember those important points bette r and can scroll
back through them later.
• Read the ch apter before the applicable class lecture, not
afterward. This way, you' ll get more out of the lecture,
which will likely introduce new ma terial in ad dition to
what is in the chapter. The ch apter will give you the big
picture, as well as a lot of detail. The lecture will en-
han ce that information and help you p u t it all together.
If you h aven't read the chapter first, you may not un-
derstand some of the points made in the lecture or real-
ize which points are most important.
• Here's a good way to study material: Write ou t a key
concept or a stud y in your own words, withou t look-
ing at the book or your notes. Or say it out loud to
yourself- again in your own words, with you r eyes
xxi
xxii Special Tips for Students
closed. Can you do it? How good was your version?
Did you omit anything important? Did you get stuck
at some point, unable to remember wha t comes next? If
so, you now know tha t you need to go over that infor-
mation in more detail. You can also study with some-
on e else, describing theories and studies to each o ther
and seeing if you're ma king sense.
• If you have troub le remembering the results of an im-
portant study, try drawing your own version of a graph
of the findings (you can use our da ta graphs for an idea
of h ow to p roceed). You will probably find that you
remember the research results mu ch better in pictorial
form than in words. Draw the information a few times
and it will stay with you.
• Remember, the more you work with the material, the
better you will learn and remember it. Write it in your
own words, talk about it, explain it to o thers, or d raw
visual representations of it.
• Last bu t not least, remember tha t this material is a
lot of fun. You h aven't even started reading the book
yet, bu t we think you're going to like it. In particu-
lar, you'll see how much socia l psychology has to tell
you abou t you r real, everyday life. As this course p ro-
gresses, you mjght want to remin d you rself to observe
the events of your daily life with new eyes- the eyes
of a social psychologist- and try to apply wha t you
a re learning to the behavior of friends, acquaintances,
s trangers, an d, yes, even you rself. In each chapter you
will see how other students h ave done this in brief
v ideos called #Su rv ivalTips. Ma ke sure you use the
Try It! exercises. You w ill fin d ou t how much social
psychology can h elp us un derstand ou r lives. When
you read the news, think about wh at social psychol-
ogy has to say about curren t events and behav iors; we
believe you will find that you r understan ding of daily
life is rich er. If you n otice a news a rticle that you think
is an especially good example of "social psychology
in action," p lease sen d it to us, with a full reference to
where you foun d it an d on wh at page. If we decide to
use it in the next edition of this book, we'll list you r
n ame in the Acknowledgments.
We realize that 10 years from now you may not re-
member a ll the facts, theories, and names you learn n ow.
Although we hope you w ill remember some of them, our
main goal is for you to take with you in to your future a
great man y of the broad social psychological concepts p re-
sented h erein- and, perhaps more important, a critica l and
scien tific way of thinking. If you open you rself to social
psych ology's magic, we believe it will enrich the way you
look at the world and the way you live in it.
Chapter 1
Introducing Social
Psychology

Chapter Outline and Learning Objectives

Defining Social Psychology Where Construals Come From: Basic Human
LO 1.1 Define social psychology and distinguish it from Motives
other disciplines. LO 1 .3 Explain what happens when people's need to feel
Social Psychology, Philosophy, Science, and Common good about themselves conflicts with their need to
Sense be accurate.
How Social Psychology Differs From Its Closest The Self-Esteem Motive: The Need to Feel Good About
Cousins Ourselves
The Social Cognition Motive: The Need to Be Accurate
The Power of the Situation
LO 1 .2 Summarize why it matters ho,v people explain and Why Study Social Psychology?
interpret events, as well as their own and others' LO 1.4 Explain why the study of social psychology is
behavior. important.
Underestimating the Power of the Situation
The Importance of Construal

1
2 Chapter 1

WHAT DO YOU TH INK?

Do you consider yourself good at predicting how people around you will behave and
react under different circumstances?

Yes
No

It is a p leasure to be your tour guides as we ta ke you on a jou rney through the world of
social psychology. As we embark on this journey, ou r h ope is to convey our excitemen t
abou t social psychology- what it is and why it matters. Not only do we, the authors,
enjoy teaching this stuff (which we've been doing, combined, for more than 100 years),
we also love contributing to the growth and development of this field. In addition to
being teachers, each of us is a scien tist who has con tribu ted to the know ledge base that
ma kes up our discipline. Thus, n ot only are we leading this tour, we also helped crea te
some of its attractions. We will travel to fascinating and exotic places like prejudice,
love, p ropaganda, education, conformity, aggression, compassion ... all the rich variety
and su rprise of human social life. Ready? OK, let's go!
Let's begin with a few examples of the heroic, touching, tragic, and puzzling
things that people do:
• Jorge Munoz is a school bus driver during the day but works a differen t "job" at
night Feeding the hungry. When h e gets h ome from his last school bus run, he
an d his family cook meals for dozens of people using donated food and their own
money. They then serve the food to people down on their luck who line up at a
s treet comer in Queens, New York. Over a 4-year period Munoz has fed more than
70,000 people. Why does he do it? "When they smile," Munoz says, "That's the
way I get paid." (http: / /www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id =1606)
• Kristen h as known Martin for 2 months an d feels tha t she is madly in love with
him. "We're soul mates!" she tells h er best friend. "He's the one!" "What are you
thinking?" says the best friend. "He's completely wrong for you! He's as d ifferent
from you as can be-different background, religion, politics; you even like differ-
ent movies." "I'm not worried," says Kristen. "Opposites attract. I know that's
true; I read it on Wikiped ia!"
• Janine and h er bro ther Oscar are arguing about fraternities. Janine's college
didn't have any, but Oscar is at a la rge sta te university in the Midwest, where he
h as joined Alph a Beta. He wen t through a severe and scary hazing ritual to join,
an d Janine cannot understand why he loves these gu ys so much. "They ma ke
the p ledges do such stupid stuff," she says. "They hu miliate you and force you
to get sick drunk and p ractica lly freeze to dea th in the m idd le of the night. How
can you possibly be h appy living there?" "You don' t get it," Oscar replies." Alpha
Beta is the best of all fra ternities. My frat brothers jus t seem more fun than most
o ther guys."
• Abraham Biggs Jr., age 19, had been posting to an online discussion board for
2 years. Unhappy about his future and that a relationship had en ded, Biggs an·
n ounced on camera tha t he was going to commit suicide. He took an overdose
of drugs an d linked to a live video feed from his bedroom. None of his hun·
d reds of observers called the police for more than 10 hours; some egged him on.
Paramedics reached him too late, and Biggs died.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
 XXVIII e SITUATION
Amours empêchées

(1er Amant — 2e Amant — l’Obstacle)

A 1 — Mariage empêché par inégalité de rangs : — Nitétis et

le Héros chinois de Métastase, Le Prince Soleil (M. Vasseur, 1889).
Donnée philosopho-sentimentale d’une quantité d’œuvres du XVIIIe
siècle (Nanine, etc.), dans lesquelles invariablement un seigneur
s’éprend d’une vilaine. Chez George Sand, au contraire, ce ne sont
que dames férues de leurs inférieurs : littérature qui occasionna du
moins beaucoup de galantes aventures aux « larbins » de notre
siècle. L’adjonction d’un petit obstacle de plus, — le lien conjugal, —
fournit prétexte à l’intrigue réelle de Ruy Blas.
2 — Mariage empêché par inégalité de fortunes : — Myrtille
(1885) et un peu l’Ami Fritz d’Erckmann-Chatrian, l’Abbé Constantin
(M. Halévy, 1887), même l’action du Rêve (de Zola, par Bruneau,
1890) et du roman « Le Bonheur des Dames », — pour ne citer que
les ouvrages estimables et pour taire la foule de livrets-Scribe et
d’Histoires de Jeunes Hommes pauvres, Dames Blanches, etc., où
de vertigineuses additions et soustractions bruissent aux oreilles,
jusqu’à la multiplication inattendue, dea ex machina, qui égalise
soudain les deux termes du problème, les deux fortunes en scène,
dans le plus admirable et symétrique alignement de zéros parallèles,
— précédés, ô bonheur ! ô ivresse ! d’un côté comme de l’autre, par
deux chiffres identiques !
Il faut bien reconnaître que ces inégalités sociales et
conventionnelles sont de puérils détails et que, si nos amoureux ont
un peu de cœur et de sincérité, ils en triompheront sans peine : il
leur suffira de laisser là titres et écus et d’aller, dans un pays neuf et
sous d’autres noms, recommencer, d’un courageux et commun
accord, leurs destinées. Si, au lieu de pareilles bagatelles, on nous
avait seulement décrit une fois ces obstacles autrement sérieux de
l’inégalité des âges, des forces, des goûts, dont les exemples sont
en même temps beaucoup plus communs !
Ils le sont même tellement qu’on en pourrait établir une théorie :
le premier amour, le premier tiers de la vie amoureuse (20 ans),
cherchant pour objet l’égalité du rang et la supériorité de l’âge (c’est
un fait reconnu de ceux qui ont étudié le cas des filles-mères) ; le
deuxième amour et, en général, la deuxième période de la vie
amoureuse (30 ans), s’adressant, l’audace étant accrue, à des
supérieurs en rang, mais égaux par l’âge ; et enfin, le troisième
amour, et, d’une façon plus générale, la troisième période de la vie
sentimentale, allant de préférence à des inférieurs sociaux moins
âgés. Rien n’empêche, naturellement, de subdiviser.
B — Mariage empêché par des ennemis et des obstacles
éventuels : — Sieba (M. Manzotti, 1883) ; toutes les féeries, depuis
le Zéim de Gozzi, sans compter le reste, hélas ! En somme, ici
s’adapte, — selon les désirs d’un public en état de viduité supportée
sans constance, — le procédé du steeple-chase : mais ce n’est pas
de plusieurs montures et cavaliers rivaux qu’il se compose ; il n’y a,
dans la course, qu’un seul couple d’engagé, en vue d’aboutir, au lieu
du but éclatant, à… la culbute que l’on sait.
C — Mariage empêché par la destination de la jeune fille à
un autre : — Le Roi Pasteur de Métastase, et je ne sais combien
de pièces encore. Les amants mourront d’être séparés, nous
assurent-ils. On ne les voit même pas commencer, mais le
spectateur est assez bon pour les toujours croire sur parole ; les
feux, les braises (selon le langage plus exact du grand siècle), et
autres phénomènes nerveux, ne laissent pas, dans leurs
descriptions d’hypocondriaques, que d’offrir quelque intérêt,… pas
trop longtemps toutefois.
D — Amours d’un ménage empêchées par des beaux-
parents : — Le Roman d’Élise (M. Richard, 1885).
E — Amours…
Ça voyons ! que faisons-nous, co-spectateurs, en cette salle,
devant une telle prétendue situation ? Voici que ces jeunes gens
s’embrassent comme du pain, et qu’ils dessinent toutes sortes
d’attitudes, de pure convention théâtrale, et, probablement,
symboliques d’autres attitudes, qu’ils désireraient prendre dans le
plus bref délai. Allons-nous-en… Quoi vous retient ici ?… Comment,
Madame, vous vous raidissez dans votre fauteuil, toute excitée par
la gesticulation du jeune premier ? eh bien, mais… et son amie qui
est là, ne vous souvenez-vous plus que c’est elle qu’il désire ? ou
jouent-ils donc tous deux si mal, leur dialogue a-t-il donc si peu de
naturel que vous oubliiez l’histoire et croyiez entendre un
monologue, une déclaration, — à vous s’adressant peut-être ?…
Bon ! et voilà Monsieur à présent, lèvre pendante, les yeux jaillissant
dans sa jumelle, et, avec avidité, suivant les remous intérieurs au
corset de l’actrice ! dites donc, brave homme, m’est avis qu’un autre
est prêt à passer avant vous ? Au moins, soyez logique, que diable !
Sautez sur la scène, cassez-moi les reins de ce bellâtre, et prenez
sa place !…
Lamentable retour à la promiscuité, dans ces salles surchauffées
comme des lupanars et que le prêtre a presque raison de
condamner ! Se réunit-on ici pour approfondir la chorestique de
l’amour ? Ouvrez franchement, en ce cas, de grandes écoles de
courtisanes… Est-ce pour les bénéfices du trottoir, tout à l’heure,
qu’on prépare ici le public ?… De l’air ! de l’air !
O souffle vivifiant et orageux du drame dionysien ! Eschyle, où
es-tu, toi qui aurais rougi de représenter de l’amour autre chose,
dans tes œuvres, que les crimes et les infamies ? Ne voyons-nous
pas encore quelle hauteur ont ces chastes sommets de l’art
moderne : Macbeth et Athalie !
… Mais quoi ? s’indigner ?… Oh ! que non ! Mon attention
revenant de ces cimes sur la scène actuelle, je ne me sens plus
accablé. Et j’éclate d’un bon rire !… Ces personnages-ci ? mais ce
sont des fantoches de comédie, — simplement ! Et les peines de
leurs maladroits auteurs à les vouloir renfrogner en dépit de leur
nature font une excellente charge ! Dans des mains autrement
intelligentes, est-ce que les meilleurs de nos drames où l’amour
avait quelque importance (sans encore avoir la première, comme
dans cette XXVIIIe) ne retournaient pas, d’eux-mêmes, logiquement,
à l’indulgence du sourire ? Le Cid qui en est le type classique est
une tragi-comédie, et dans Roméo et Juliette tous les personnages
ambiants sont franchement comiques.
Cependant, notre dramaturgie aveugle essouffle ses gravités en
ce rythme équivoque, avec obstination : que la pièce traite de
sociologie, de politique, de religion, des procédés de la peinture, du
titre des successions, de l’exploitation des mines, de l’invention d’un
fusil, de la découverte d’un produit chimique, de quoi que ce soit… il
y faut une histoire d’amour ! nous n’y échapperons pas !… En vérité,
c’est à faire rire et à énerver, à la façon d’un chatouillement à la
plante des pieds : comment ! savants, révolutionnaires, poètes,
généraux, prêtres, ne se présentent à nous que pour,
immédiatement, se mettre en devoir de faire la bête à deux dos !
Mais c’est du délire ! Et encore veut-on nous faire prendre cette scie
au sérieux !…
Oui-dà. Et c’est le théâtre actuel.
Seul, à mon avis, M. de Chirac en a été le fils courageusement
logique, — quoique réprouvé, — la société, semblable aux vieilles
coquettes, réservant toujours quelques péchés secrets et ne
craignant rien à l’égal de la nudité, qui mettrait à néant la légende de
ses imaginaires appâts vicieux, voilés, laisse-t-elle volontiers croire,
sous son hypocrisie.
 … Quel grotesque aspect aura notre ithyphallie, une fois figée
dans l’histoire, quand nous serons enfin revenus à l’antique bon
sens !
 XXIX e SITUATION
Aimer ennemi

(L’Ennemi aimé — Celui qui l’aime — Celui qui le hait)

A — L’Aimé est haï par les proches de qui l’aime : — J’y

absorberais volontiers la Situation précédente. — 1, L’Aimé est
poursuivi par les frères de celle qui l’aime : — La Duchesse
d’Amalfi de Webster, le Cœur brisé de Ford.
2 — Il est haï par la famille de celle qui l’aime : — L’histoire
de Yayati de Roudra dêva (c’est la vraie couleur indigène de ces
rivalités indoues où la jalousie n’a presque rien à voir), la Victoire de
Pradyoumna par Samara dikchita, Caton de Métastase, la Grande
Marnière (M. Ohnet, 1888).
3 — L’Aimé est fils d’un homme haï par les parents de celle
qui aime : — La Taverne des Trabans (1881) et Les Rantzau (1882)
d’Erckmann-Chatrian.
4 — L’Aimé est l’ennemi du parti de celle qui aime : —
Madhouranirouddha de Vira le contemporain de Corneille, les
Scythes de Voltaire, Almanzor d’Henri Heine, Lakmé (Delibes,
1888), les Carbonari (M. Nô, 1882), Madame Thérèse (Erckmann-
Chatrian, 1882), Lydie (M. Miral, 1882).
B 1 — L’aimé est le meurtrier du père de celle qui aime : —
Le Cid (et l’opéra qui en est issu), Olympie de Voltaire.
 2 — L’aimée est la meurtrière du père de celui qui aime : —
Mademoiselle de Bressier (M. Delpit, 1887).
3 — L’aimée est la meurtrière du frère de celui qui aime :
— La Reine Fiammette (M. Mendès, 1889).
4 — L’Aimé est le meurtrier du mari de celle qui aime, mais
qui, jadis, jura de venger ce mari : — Irène de Voltaire.
5 — Même cas, mais où, au lieu d’un mari, il s’agit d’un amant :
— Fédora (M. Sardou, 1882).
6 — L’Aimé est le meurtrier d’un parent de celle qui aime :
— Roméo et Juliette (c’est la « Situation » que j’indique ; elle se
modifie en celle de l’« Enlèvement », Xe, puis par un triple effet de la
XXXVIe, « Perdre les siens », la première fois avec une erreur, la
deuxième simplement, et la troisième d’une façon double et
simultanée chez les familles des deux personnages principaux) ;
Bonheur et malheur du nom et le Geôlier de soi-même (Calderon).
7 — L’Aimée est la fille du meurtrier du père de celui qui
aime : — Le Crime de Jean Morel (M. Samson, 1890), la Marchande
de sourires (Mme Judith Gautier, 1888).
L’élément capital des émotions est donc le même que dans la Ve
(Traqué), et l’amour sert, ici, surtout à présenter l’homme traqué
sous divers jours sympathiques ayant une unité. Celle qu’il aime
joue un peu le rôle du chœur grec. Supprimez en effet l’amour,
remplacez-le par un lien aussi faible que vous en pourrez tisser un,
ne mettez même rien à sa place : un drame de l’espèce Ve, avec
toutes ses terreurs, vous restera. Essayez, au contraire, de
retrancher l’autre partie, l’inimitié, la vengeance à assouvir, et de les
remplacer par un différend sans importance, — ou bien négligez de
les remplacer ; que vous restera-t-il comme émotion tragique ? Rien.
J’ai donc raison de le dire, l’amour, — excellent motif de
comédie, meilleur pour la farce, — doux ou poignant (et encore !…)
dans le livre lu, solitairement, et dont on se croit le « héros » ou
l’« héroïne », — l’amour n’est pas, en réalité, tragique, malgré la
virtuosité qui a réussi, parfois, à lui en donner l’apparence, et malgré
l’opinion de l’époque érotomane qui s’achève.
 XXX e SITUATION
L’Ambition

(L’Ambitieux — Ce qu’il convoite — L’Adversaire)

Action très intellectuelle, sans modèle antique, — et à distance

respectueuse de laquelle s’est généralement tenue la médiocrité.
A — Ambition guettée par un proche ou ami patriote ; 1 —
par un frère : — Timoléon d’Alfieri. Ex. historique (comique, c’est-
à-dire feint) : Lucien et Napoléon Bonaparte.
2 — Par un parent ou obligé : — Jules César de
Shakespeare, La Mort de César de Voltaire, Brutus II d’Alfieri. Dans
La Mort de César reparaît la XIXe (Tuer un proche inconnu), tant le
désir de rappeler quelque œuvre ancienne était vif !
3 — Par des partisans : — Wallenstein de Schiller, Cromwell
de Hugo.
B — L’Ambition séditieuse (parenté avec A 1 de la VIIIe) : — Sir
Thomas Wyat de Webster, Perkin Warbeck de Ford, Catilina de
Voltaire. Ex. fragm. : Insurrection de Cade dans la 2e partie d’Henri
IV de Shakespeare. Histoire : le Boulangisme, selon l’opinion
actuelle.
C — L’Ambition, l’avidité entassant les crimes : — Macbeth,
Richard III, partie des Cinq doigts de Birouk (M. Decourcelle, 1883).
Roman : La Fortune des Rougon ; (avec atténuation des crimes en
simples manquements à la dignité) : Son Excellence Eugène ;
(sacrifice de la moralité) : l’histoire de Lucien de Rubempré ; cas
d’avidité : La Terre.
L’Ambition, de nos passions la plus puissante, si même elle n’est
pas la passion par excellence, impressionnera toujours avec force le
spectateur ; car il sent bien que celle-là, une fois née dans un
homme, ne peut plus mourir qu’avec cet homme. Et que d’objets elle
convoite ! La tyrannie, un rang élevé, des honneurs, une fortune (par
héritage, mariage, vol, etc.), la conservation intacte des richesses
(avarice), la gloire (politique, scientifique, littéraire, inventive,
artistique), la célébrité, la vanité (coquetterie, distinction).
On a vu, pour A, les liens qui peuvent unir l’Ambitieux à
l’Adversaire, les Situations qui en résultent (XIXe, XXIIIe, XXIXe).
Entre mille, voici une manière d’exaspérer l’enragement de C :
mêlez-y la sincérité d’une foi, d’une conviction, ce qui advint pour les
Espagnols au Pérou et en Flandre, pour notre race « spirituelle et
douce » sous la Ligue et sous la Terreur, pour Calvin, pour
l’Inquisition, etc.
 XXXI e SITUATION
Lutte contre Dieu

(Mortel — Immortel)

La plus anciennement traitée.

Dans cette Babel des constructions théâtrales, toutes ou presque
toutes les autres peuvent entrer à l’aise. Car elle est par excellence
la Lutte ; elle est aussi la plus grande folie et la plus grande
imprudence, elle offre le but le plus inouï aux ambitions,
audacieuses tentatives, conspirations titanesques, enlèvements
ixioniens, la plus captivante énigme ; l’idéal y subit un rare assaut de
passions ; des rivalités monstrueuses s’engagent. Alentour, les
témoins n’aiment-ils pas souvent celui qu’ils devraient haïr ?
n’apprennent-ils pas son crime et ne doivent-ils pas le punir parfois
eux-mêmes, le sacrifier tout au moins à leur foi, ou s’immoler, âme et
corps, pour lui ? Entre les proches les plus unis, des haines éclatent.
Puis voici le vent des désastres, le vaincu cloué au malheur,
foudroyé devant ceux qu’il aime, à moins que, comble d’horreur !
transporté par un aveugle délire, il n’ait été les déshonorant ou les
massacrant sans les reconnaître. Bientôt, à la recherche du cher
disparu, les suppliants s’acheminent en tristes théories, et tentent de
désarmer la rancune. Mais la divine vengeance est déchaînée !…
Ce groupement admirable, — on l’ignore à peu près de nos
jours : byronisants que nous sommes encore en ces années, nous
devrions pourtant songer à cette superbe attaque du ciel. Mais non !
Traitons-nous même le sujet évangélique de la Passion, nous
passerons, comme hiboux en plein jour, juste à côté de la donnée
véritablement dramatique, et nous contenterons de balancer, avec
un nasillement contrit, les phrases idyllo-didactiques qui précédèrent
la tragédie sacrée, et puis l’escamoterons, celle-ci, sans la voir…
A 1 — Lutte contre un Dieu : — Les Édoniens et les
Bassares, Penthée et les Cardeuses de laine, d’Eschyle ; les
Bacchantes d’Euripide ; Agavé de Stace ; le Christ souffrant de
Saint-Grégoire de Nazianze. Épopée : l’hymne homérique VIe (à
Dionysos) ; le rêve de Jacob.
2 — Lutte contre les fidèles d’un Dieu : — L’Exode des
Hébreux par Ézéchiel, Athalie. Histoire : les persécutions diverses.
Épopée : les Martyrs.
B 1 — Dispute contre un Dieu : — Le livre de Job. Je ne
saurais, il est vrai, dire à quelle date ni devant quelle rampe la
« première » de Job eut jamais lieu ; mais le fait de la représentation
par MM. A. B. C. et Mlles X. Y. Z. n’est pas plus, pour l’existence
absolue d’un drame, une condition nécessaire qu’il n’en est une
suffisante. Mettons que cette « première » aura été donnée sur le
Théâtre dont parle la légende brahmanique, théâtre inauguré assez
longtemps avant ceux des hommes, et grâce auquel les Dieux
occupent les loisirs de leur éternité.
2 — Châtiment du mépris d’un Dieu : — Tchitra Yadjgna de
Vedyanatha Vatchespati, le Festin de Pierre (l’action véritable,
s’entend, celle qui amène le dénouement depuis le début).
3 — Châtiment de l’orgueil vis-à-vis d’un Dieu : — Ajax
Locrien (selon une des hypothèses) d’Eschyle, Thamiras de
Sophocle, Bellérophon d’Euripide. Ex. chrétien : Simon le Magicien.
4 — Rivalité orgueilleuse à l’égard d’un Dieu : — Les
Nourrices d’Eschyle, Niobé de Sophocle.
5 — Rivalité imprudente avec un Dieu : — Eumèle de
Sophocle, en partie Phaéton d’Euripide.
 XXXII e SITUATION
Jalousie erronée

(Le Jaloux — l’Objet pour la possession duquel il est jaloux —

le Complice supposé — l’Occasion ou l’Auteur de l’erreur)

Ce dernier élément n’est pas personnifié (A), ou il l’est dans un

traître (B), qui parfois est le vrai rival du jaloux (C).
A 1 — L’erreur provient de l’esprit soupçonneux du
jaloux : — Le pire n’est pas toujours certain de Calderon, la
Comédie des Méprises de Shakespeare, l’Esclave de Massinger,
Marianne et Tancrède de Voltaire, la Princesse de Bagdad (M.
Dumas), Un Divorce (M. Moreau, 1884). Comment Molière n’a-t-il
pas fait une comédie du Jaloux sur cette donnée symétrique à celle
de l’Avare ?
2 — L’Erreur jalouse est produite par un hasard fatal : —
Zaïre de Voltaire et l’opéra de ce nom par M. de la Nux (1890) ;
partie de Lucrèce Borgia.
3 — Jalousie erronée devant un cas d’amour demeuré
purement platonique : — Le Sacrifice d’amour de Ford (où
l’épouse est injustement soupçonnée) ; l’Esclave du devoir (M.
Valnay, 1881 ; c’est surtout, ici, l’adorateur respectueux qui est
soupçonné à tort).
 4 — Jalousie née à tort de rumeurs malveillantes : — Le
Père prodigue de M. Dumas, le Maître de forges (M. Ohnet, 1883).
B 1 — Jalousie Suggérée par un traître qu’a poussé la
haine : — Othello et Beaucoup de bruit pour rien de Shakespeare ;
la Sémiramis reconnue de Métastase en est le dénouement
développé.
2 — Même cas, où le traître est poussé par l’intérêt : —
Cymbeline de Shakespeare.
3 — Même cas, où le traître est poussé par l’intérêt et la
jalousie : — Intrigue et Amour de Schiller.
C 1 — Jalousie réciproque suggérée à deux époux par une
rivale (devenue rivale par orgueil) : — Le Portrait de Massinger.
2 — Jalousie suggérée au mari par un soupirant éconduit :
— Artémire de Voltaire, le Chevalier Jean (M. Joncières, 1885).
3 — Jalousie suggérée au mari par une femme qui en est
éprise : — Malheur aux pauvres (M. Bouvier, 1881).
4 — Jalousie suggérée à l’épouse par une rivale
dédaignée : — Les Phtiotides de Sophocle.
5 — Jalousie suggérée à un amant heureux par le mari
trompé : — Jalousie (M. Vacquerie, 1888).
Le nombre d’éléments dramatiques mis en jeu fait déjà prévoir
une quantité très grande de combinaisons pour cette situation, —
dont le public est toujours disposé, du reste, à accepter les
invraisemblances, fussent-elles énormes. Sans abuser de cette
indulgence particulière, nous remarquons, du premier coup d’œil,
que presque tous les drames ci-dessus traitent de la jalousie chez
l’homme et non chez la femme ; or l’expérience nous montre les
femmes tout aussi enclines que les hommes à se laisser égarer par
une envieuse, une rivale, ou par quelque soupirant décidé à tirer, de
leur douleur, un plaisir hors de sa portée sans cela. Traduire au
féminin les cas que nous vîmes nous donnera donc une nombreuse
série de données nouvelles. — En dehors de l’orgueil, de l’intérêt, de
l’amour, du dépit et des rivalités, il se présente beaucoup d’autres
mobiles pour le traître ou la traîtresse ; les mobiles énoncés aussi
peuvent se peindre sous des nuances non encore usitées. — Le
dénouement (en général un meurtre rapide et direct ; dans un seul
cas, un suicide, et, dans un autre, un divorce) prête à être varié,
raffiné, et fortifié de personnages secondaires et instrumentaux. J’en
dirai autant pour les divers nœuds de l’intrigue, — pour ces fausses
preuves, ces suggestions diaboliques d’où jaillira la jalousie.
 XXXIII e SITUATION
Erreur judiciaire

(Celui qui se trompe — Celui qui en est victime — Celui ou ce

qui trompe — le vrai Coupable)

Par erreur judiciaire j’entends toute espèce d’erreur de jugement,

ne se commît-elle que dans la pensée d’une seule personne, au
détriment d’une autre.
Je partagerai les exemples que j’en fournis en quatre classes.
Dans la 1re, la prétendue faute est imaginaire, et un simple hasard a
produit l’erreur fatale. Dans la 2e classe, il y a eu faute commise ;
mais, au lieu du vrai coupable, c’est un innocent qui est poursuivi ;
toutefois personne n’a égaré volontairement sur celui-ci les
soupçons. Dans la 3e classe, au contraire, quelqu’un a dirigé par
vengeance ou intérêt cette injuste accusation sur un ennemi
personnel. Enfin, dans la 4e, ce perfide calomniateur est le criminel
lui-même, qui fait ainsi poursuivre un innocent à sa place.
A 1 — Faux soupçons où la foi était nécessaire : — La
Femme serpent de Gozzi, l’Étudiant pauvre (M. Millœcker, 1889).
S’y rattache, de loin, une des faces de l’Henri VI de Shakespeare,
laquelle consiste en l’incompréhension du réel caractère de ce jeune
prince par les témoins de ses désordres. Bizarre résultat de
l’homonymie : l’Henri de Navarre, chez Dumas père, nous est peint
méconnu de la même façon par son entourage.
 2 — Faux soupçons (où la jalousie n’est pour rien) contre sa
maîtresse : — une partie de la Diane d’Augier, Marie Stuart d’Alfieri.
3 — Faux soupçons nés d’une attitude incomprise d’un
être aimé : — Le Corbeau de Gozzi, Hypsipyle de Métastase,
Theodora (M. Sardou, 1884) ; une partie de la Reine Fiammette.
B 1 — Ces faux soupçons sont attirés sur soi pour sauver
un ami : — Aimer sans savoir qui de Lope, Me Ambros (M. Widor,
1886).
2 — Ils retombent sur un innocent : — Siroès de Métastase,
la grande Iza (M. Bouvier, 1882), le Fiacre no 13 et Gavroche (M.
Dornay, 1887 et 1888). — Ils retombent sur l’innocent mari de
la coupable : — La Criminelle (M. Delacour, 1882).
3 — Même cas, où pourtant l’innocent eut une intention
coupable : — Jean Cévenol (M. Fraisse, 1885) ; — où l’innocent se
croit coupable : — Le Roi de l’argent (M. Milliet, 1885).
4 — Un témoin du crime dans l’intérêt d’un être aimé laisse
tomber l’accusation sur un innocent : — Le Secret de la
Terreuse (M. Busnach, 1889). C’est déjà presque :
C 1 — On laisse l’erreur s’abattre sur un ennemi : — La
Pieuvre (M. Morel, 1885).
2 — L’erreur judiciaire est provoquée par un ennemi : —
Les Palamèdes de Sophocle et d’Euripide, le Ventre de Paris (Zola,
1887). Cette sous-nuance eut seule, on le voit, le privilège d’attirer
les tragiques grecs qui étaient comme tourmentés de la conception
du Iago de plus tard, et tentaient d’y aboutir par des déformations
successives, des enlaidissements de l’Odysseus primitif ; ne semble-
t-il pas qu’on assiste, devant ce travail, à l’enfantement du futur
Diable, du Judas évangélique, de même qu’à celui du type de Jésus
dans les Prométhées et les Dionysos ? La donnée C 2 me paraît
singulièrement belle : c’est, par exemple, le cas de la lettre
anonyme ; et l’on m’accordera qu’il est impossible d’imaginer une
gargouille plus admirablement répugnante que l’individu accroupi
plume aux griffes et avec son vil sourire, au bord d’une telle
besogne !
 3 — L’erreur judiciaire est dirigée sur la victime par le
frère de celle-ci. Il y a donc, de plus, « Haine de proches » (XIIIe) :
— Les Brigands de Schiller, don Garzia d’Alfieri.
D 1 — Les faux soupçons sont dirigés par le vrai coupable
sur un de ses ennemis : — Clitandre de Corneille, et Sapho
(Gounod, 1884), Catherine la Bâtarde (M. Bell, 1881).
2 — Ils sont dirigés par le vrai coupable sur la seconde des
victimes qu’il a visées dès le début. C’est du machiavélisme pur :
obtenir la mort de la seconde victime en la faisant punir à tort du
meurtre de la première ; ajoutez à cela la parenté la plus étroite
entre ces deux victimes et le juge trompé, et vous aurez toutes ces
émotions réunies : apprendre la mort d’un proche, — croire à une
haine impie entre deux proches, — croire même à un second cas de
ce crime, aggravé cette fois du dessein de révolte, — enfin être forcé
de frapper un être aimé, cru coupable. Cette intrigue est donc
éminemment savante, puisqu’elle groupe, sous l’impulsion d’une
ambition ou d’une vengeance, quatre autres Situations. Quant au
« machiavélisme » qui a mis tout en branle, il a consisté pour celui
qui l’employa précisément dans la méthode habituelle à l’écrivain,
méthode transportée ici à un personnage ; c’est-à-dire que celui-ci
s’abstrait du drame et, comme l’auteur, inspire aux autres
personnages les sentiments nécessaires, déroule devant leurs pas
les circonstances indispensables, pour les faire mécaniquement
aboutir au dénouement voulu. C’est ce qui arrivera dans Artaxerce
de Métastase. — Supprimez, en effet, le traître, et supposez que
l’auteur ait visé le dénouement désiré par ce traître, à savoir la
conséquence la plus rigoureuse entre un « fratricide supposé » et le
« devoir de frapper un fils ». L’écrivain ne combinera pas autrement
ses moyens. Le type du Traître (qui a pris successivement tous les
costumes, hier celui du jésuite, aujourd’hui celui du déjà banal
banquier juif) n’est donc pas autre chose que l’auteur lui-même
masqué de noir et nouant l’une à l’autre deux ou trois situations
dramatiques… Il est, ce type, de la famille du si poétique Prologue,
du Deus ex machina (plus haut et plus admissible), de l’Orateur des
parabases, du Valet moliéresque et du Théoricien (bon docteur,
curé, journaliste, ami de la famille ou « des femmes »). C’est le vieux
Narrateur du temps des monodrames.
Rien de plus naïf, par conséquent, que cette artificielle créature,
qui mainte fois a ramené la chute du théâtre par l’invraisemblance.
3 — Les faux soupçons sont égarés sur un rival : — Diana
(M. Paladilhe, 1885), l’Ogre (M. Marthold, 1890).
4 — Ils sont égarés sur un innocent parce qu’il refusa sa
complicité : — La Tragédie de Valentinien de Beaumont et Fletcher,
Aétius de Métastase.
5 — Ils sont dirigés par une femme abandonnée sur
l’amant qui la quitta afin de ne pas tromper un mari : — Roger-
la-Honte (M. Mary, 1888).
6 — Lutte pour se réhabiliter et se venger d’une erreur
judiciaire causée à dessein : — La Dégringolade (M. Desnard,
1881), fin du Fiacre no 13, — et à peu près tous les romans-
feuilletons depuis soixante ans.
 XXXIV e SITUATION
Remords

(Le Coupable — la Victime (ou la faute) — l’Interrogateur)

A 1 — Remords d’un crime inconnu : — Manfred et les autres

conceptions de Byron, le dernier des dramaturges anglais ; il fut
aussi le dernier adversaire du Cant, qui après avoir tué l’art en
Espagne sous le nom d’inquisition, en Angleterre une première fois
sous le nom de puritanisme et en Allemagne sous le nom de
piétisme, se présente aujourd’hui chez nous sous les traits de…
Monsieur Bérenger.
2 — Remords d’un parricide : — Les Euménides d’Eschyle,
les Orestes d’Euripide, de Voltaire et d’Alfieri.
3 — Remords d’un assassinat : — Crime et Châtiment
(Dostoïewsky, 1888), le Cœur révélateur (d’après Poe, par M.
Laumann, 1889).
4 — Remords du meurtre d’un époux : — Thérèse Raquin de
Zola, Pierrot assassin de sa femme (M. Paul Margueritte, 1888).
B 1 — Remords d’une faute d’amour : — Madeleine (Zola,
1889).
2 — Remords d’un adultère : — Le Comte Witold (M.
Rzewuski, 1889).