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GLOBAL
EDITION

Social Psychology
TENTH EDITION

Elliot Aronson • Timothy D. Wilson • Samuel R. Sommers


Contents
Preface13 New Frontiers in Social Psychological Research 65
About the Authors 19 Culture and Social Psychology 65
Special Tips for Students 21 Social Neuroscience 66
Ethical Issues in Social Psychology 67
1 Introducing Social Psychology 23 Summary 70 • Test Yourself 71

Defining Social Psychology  25


TRY IT! Conflicting Social Influences 26 3 Social Cognition: How We Think
Social Psychology, Philosophy, Science, About the Social World 73
and Common Sense 26 On Automatic Pilot: Low-Effort Thinking 75
How Social Psychology Differs From Its People as Everyday Theorists: Automatic
Closest Cousins 27 Thinking With Schemas 75
TRY IT! Social Situations and Shyness 29 Which Schemas Do We Use? Accessibility
The Power of the Situation 31 and Priming 77
Underestimating the Power of the Situation 32 Making Our Schemas Come True: The
The Importance of Construal 33 Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 79
#trending Medals for Sustainability! 36 #trending Do You Believe in Astrology? 81
Where Construals Come From: Basic Human Motives 37 Types of Automatic Thinking 83
The Self-Esteem Motive: The Need to Feel Good Automatic Goal Pursuit 83
About Ourselves 38 Automatic Thinking and Metaphors About the
SUFFERING AND SELF-JUSTIFICATION Body and the Mind 84
The Social Cognition Motive: The Need Mental Strategies and Shortcuts: Judgmental
to Be Accurate 39 Heuristics85
HOW EASILY DOES IT COME TO MIND? THE AVAILABILITY
Why Study Social Psychology? 41
HEURISTIC • HOW SIMILAR IS A TO B? THE
Summary 42 • Test Yourself 43 REPRESENTATIVENESS HEURISTIC • 
PERSONALITY TESTS AND THE REPRESENTATIVENESS HEURISTIC

2 Methodology: How Social TRY IT! Reasoning Quiz 90


Psychologists Do Research 45 Cultural Differences in Social Cognition 91
Cultural Determinants of Schemas 92
Social Psychology: An Empirical Science 46 Holistic Versus Analytic Thinking 92
TRY IT! Social Psychology Quiz: What’s Your Prediction? 47 Controlled Social Cognition: High-Effort Thinking 94
Formulating Hypotheses and Theories 48 Controlled Thinking and Free Will 95
INSPIRATION FROM PREVIOUS THEORIES AND RESEARCH •
HYPOTHESES BASED ON PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
TRY IT! Can You Predict Your (or Your Friend’s) Future? 96
Mentally Undoing the Past: Counterfactual Reasoning 97
Research Designs 49
Improving Human Thinking 98
The Observational Method: Describing Social Behavior 50
ETHNOGRAPHY • ARCHIVAL ANALYSIS • LIMITS OF TRY IT! How Well Do You Reason? 99
THE OBSERVATIONAL METHOD Watson Revisited 100
The Correlational Method: Predicting Social Behavior 51 Summary 102 • Test Yourself 103
SURVEYS • LIMITS OF THE CORRELATIONAL
METHOD: CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION
TRY IT! Correlation and Causation: Knowing the 4 Social Perception: How We Come to
Difference55 ­Understand Other People 105
The Experimental Method: Answering
Nonverbal Communication 107
Causal Questions 56
INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES •
TRY IT! Using Your Voice as a Nonverbal Cue 108
INTERNAL VALIDITY IN EXPERIMENTS • EXTERNAL VALIDITY Facial Expressions of Emotion 108
IN EXPERIMENTS • FIELD EXPERIMENTS • REPLICATIONS EVOLUTION AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS • WHY IS
AND META-ANALYSIS DECODING SOMETIMES DIFFICULT?
#trending Correlation Does Not Equal Causation 63 Culture and the Channels of Nonverbal
BASIC VERSUS APPLIED RESEARCH Communication111
7
8 Contents

First Impressions: Quick But Long-Lasting 113


6 Cognitive Dissonance and the
#trending First Impressions Formed Online 114
Need to Protect Our Self-Esteem 171
The Lingering Influence of Initial
Impressions115 The Theory of Cognitive Dissonance: Protecting
Causal Attribution: Answering the “Why” Question 118 Our Self-Esteem 172
The Nature of the Attribution Process 119 Decisions, Decisions, Decisions 175
The Covariation Model: Internal Versus External DISTORTING OUR LIKES AND DISLIKES • THE
Attributions120 PERMANENCE OF THE DECISION • CREATING THE
ILLUSION OF IRREVOCABILITY
The Fundamental Attribution Error: People
as Personality Psychologists 122 The Justification of Effort 177
THE ROLE OF PERCEPTUAL SALIENCE IN THE Counterattitudinal Behavior 179
FUNDAMENTAL ­ATTRIBUTION ERROR • THE TWO-STEP COUNTERATTITUDINAL BEHAVIOR TOWARD CONSEQUENTIAL
ATTRIBUTION PROCESS ­ISSUES • THE BEN FRANKLIN EFFECT: JUSTIFYING ACTS
OF KINDNESS • DEHUMANIZING THE ENEMY: JUSTIFYING
Self-Serving Attributions 128
­CRUELTY
The “Bias Blind Spot” 129
TRY IT! The Internal Consequences of Doing Good 183
Culture and Social Perception 132 JUSTIFYING OUR OWN IMMORAL ACTS
Holistic Versus Analytic Thinking 132
Avoiding Temptations 185
SOCIAL NEUROSCIENCE EVIDENCE
The Hypocrisy Paradigm 187
Cultural Differences in the Fundamental
Dissonance Across Cultures 188
Attribution Error 134
Culture and Other Attributional Biases 135 Advances and Extensions of Cognitive Dissonance
Theory189
Summary 137 • Test Yourself 139
Self-Affirmation Theory 189
5 The Self: Understanding Ourselves TRY IT! Values Affirmation Writing Exercise 191
in a Social Context 141 Dissonance in Close Relationships: Self-Evaluation
Maintenance Theory 191
The Origins and Nature of the Self-Concept 142 Some Concluding Thoughts on Dissonance and
Cultural Influences on the Self-Concept 144 Self-Esteem194
TRY IT! A Measure of Independence and #trending Law and Cognitive Dissonance 194
Interdependence145 Overcoming Dissonance 196
Functions of the Self 146 Narcissism and the Dangers of Too Much
Self-Knowledge147 Self-Esteem196
Knowing Ourselves Through Introspection 147 TRY IT! Measuring Your Narcissism 197
FOCUSING ON THE SELF: SELF-AWARENESS THEORY
Summary 200 • Test Yourself 201
TRY IT! Measure Your Private
Self-Consciousness149
JUDGING WHY WE FEEL THE WAY WE DO: TELLING
7 Attitudes and Attitude Change:
MORE THAN WE CAN KNOW Influencing Thoughts and Feelings 203
Knowing Ourselves by Observing Our The Nature and Origin of Attitudes 205
Own Behavior 150
Where Do Attitudes Come From? 205
SELF-PERCEPTION THEORY • UNDERSTANDING OUR
COGNITIVELY BASED ATTITUDES • AFFECTIVELY BASED ­
EMOTIONS: THE TWO-FACTOR THEORY OF EMOTION •
ATTITUDES
FINDING THE WRONG CAUSE: MISATTRIBUTION OF
AROUSAL • INTRINSIC VERSUS EXTRINSIC TRY IT! Affective and Cognitive Bases of Attitudes 208
MOTIVATION • MIND-SETS AND MOTIVATION BEHAVIORALLY BASED ATTITUDES
#trending Growth Mindset in the Classroom 159 Explicit Versus Implicit Attitudes 209
Using Other People to Know Ourselves 159 When Do Attitudes Predict Behavior? 210
KNOWING OURSELVES BY COMPARING OURSELVES Predicting Spontaneous Behaviors 211
TO OTHERS • KNOWING OURSELVES BY ADOPTING
Predicting Deliberative Behaviors 211
OTHER PEOPLE’S VIEWS
SPECIFIC ATTITUDES • SUBJECTIVE NORMS •
Self-Control: The Executive Function of the Self 163 PERCEIVED BEHAVIORAL CONTROL
Impression Management: All the World’s #trending Predicting Environmentally Friendly Action 213
a Stage 165
How Do Attitudes Change? 214
Ingratiation and Self-Handicapping 166
Changing Attitudes by Changing Behavior:
Culture, Impression Management, and Cognitive Dissonance Theory Revisited 215
Self-Enhancement167
Persuasive Communications and Attitude
Summary 168 • Test Yourself 169 Change215
Contents 9

THE CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL ROUTES TO Other Tactics of Social Influence 267
PERSUASION • THE MOTIVATION TO PAY ATTENTION
TO THE ARGUMENTS • THE ABILITY TO PAY ATTENTION
Obedience to Authority 270
TO THE ARGUMENTS • HOW TO ACHIEVE LONG-LASTING The Milgram Study 271
­ATTITUDE CHANGE The Role of Normative Social Influence 274
Emotion and Attitude Change 221 The Role of Informational Social Influence 275
FEAR-AROUSING COMMUNICATIONS • EMOTIONS AS Other Reasons Why We Obey 276
A HEURISTIC • EMOTION AND DIFFERENT TYPES
ADHERING TO THE WRONG NORM • SELF-
OF ATTITUDES
JUSTIFICATION • THE LOSS OF PERSONAL
Attitude Change and the Body 223 RESPONSIBILITY
The Power of Advertising 225 The Obedience Studies, Then and Now 278
How Advertising Works 226 Summary 280 • Test Yourself 282
Subliminal Advertising: A Form of Mind Control? 226
DEBUNKING THE CLAIMS ABOUT SUBLIMINAL
­ADVERTISING • LABORATORY EVIDENCE FOR
9 Group Processes: Influence in Social
SUBLIMINAL I­ NFLUENCE Groups284
TRY IT! Consumer Brand Attitudes 228 What Is a Group? 286
Advertising and Culture 229 Why Do People Join Groups? 286
Resisting Persuasive Messages 230 The Composition and Functions of Groups 287
Attitude Inoculation 231 SOCIAL NORMS • SOCIAL ROLES • GROUP
Being Alert to Product Placement 231 ­COHESIVENESS • GROUP DIVERSITY

Resisting Peer Pressure 232 #trending Cooperative and Corruptive Tendencies 290
When Persuasion Attempts Backfire: Individual Behavior in a Group Setting 291
Reactance Theory 233
Social Facilitation: When the Presence of Others
Summary 235 • Test Yourself 236 Energizes Us 291
SIMPLE VERSUS DIFFICULT TASKS • AROUSAL AND THE
8 Conformity and Obedience: ­DOMINANT RESPONSE • WHY THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS
CAUSES AROUSAL
Influencing Behavior 238
Social Loafing: When the Presence of Others
Conformity: When and Why 240 Relaxes Us 294
Informational Social Influence: The Need to Know Gender and Cultural Differences in Social Loafing:
What’s “Right” 243 Who Slacks Off the Most? 295
The Importance of Being Accurate 245 Deindividuation: Getting Lost in the Crowd 296
DEINDIVIDUATION MAKES PEOPLE FEEL LESS
When Informational Conformity Backfires 246
ACCOUNTABLE • DEINDIVIDUATION INCREASES
When Will People Conform to Informational OBEDIENCE TO GROUP NORMS • DEINDIVIDUATION
Social Influence? 248 ONLINE
WHEN THE SITUATION IS AMBIGUOUS • WHEN THE
SITUATION IS A CRISIS • WHEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE EXPERTS
Group Decisions: Are Two (or More) Heads
Better Than One? 299
Normative Social Influence: The Need to Be Accepted 250
Process Loss: When Group Interactions Inhibit
Conformity and Social Approval: The Asch
Good Problem Solving 299
Line-Judgment Studies 252
FAILURE TO SHARE UNIQUE INFORMATION •
The Importance of Being Accurate, Revisited 255 GROUPTHINK: MANY HEADS, ONE MIND
The Consequences of Resisting Normative Group Polarization: Going to Extremes 303
Social Influence 257
Leadership in Groups 304
TRY IT! Unveiling Normative Social Influence LEADERSHIP AND PERSONALITY • LEADERSHIP STYLES •
by Breaking the Rules 258 THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE RIGHT SITUATION • GENDER
AND LEADERSHIP • CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP
When Will People Conform to Normative
Social Influence? 258 Conflict and Cooperation 308
WHEN THE GROUP IS IMPORTANT • WHEN ONE HAS Social Dilemmas 309
NO ALLIES IN THE GROUP • WHEN THE GROUP’S TRY IT! Beyond the two-person Prisoner’s
CULTURE IS COLLECTIVISTIC
Dilemma: The Public Goods Game310
#trending Social Norms and Bigotry 261 INCREASING COOPERATION IN THE PRISONER’S
Minority Influence: When the Few Influence the Many 262 DILEMMA

Conformity Tactics 263 Using Threats to Resolve Conflict 311


The Role of Injunctive and Descriptive Norms 263 EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION

Using Norms to Change Behavior: Beware the Negotiation and Bargaining 313
“Boomerang Effect” 266 Summary 315 • Test Yourself 316
10 Contents

10 Attraction and Relationships: From Situational Determinants of Prosocial Behavior:


When Will People Help? 371
Initial Impressions to Long-Term Environment: Rural Versus Urban 371
Intimacy318 Residential Mobility 372
What Predicts Attraction? 320 The Number of Bystanders: The Bystander Effect 373
The Person Next Door: The Propinquity Effect 320 NOTICING AN EVENT • INTERPRETING THE EVENT
Similarity322 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 378
#trending “Hook-Up Culture” and Today’s Youth 324 Effects of the Media: Video Games and Music Lyrics 379
Reciprocal Liking 324 How Can Helping Be Increased? 380
Physical Attractiveness 325 Increasing the Likelihood That Bystanders
WHAT IS ATTRACTIVE? • CULTURAL STANDARDS Will Intervene 380
OF BEAUTY • THE POWER OF FAMILIARITY • Increasing Volunteerism 382
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ATTRACTIVE PEOPLE
Summary 383 • Test Yourself 385
Evolution and Mate Selection 329
EVOLUTION AND SEX DIFFERENCES • ALTERNATE
PERSPECTIVES ON SEX DIFFERENCES
12 Aggression: Why Do We Hurt Other
People? Can We Prevent It? 387
Making Connections in the Digital World 333
Attraction 2.0: Mate Preference in an Online Era 333 Is Aggression Innate, Learned, or Optional? 388
The Promise and Pitfalls of Meeting People Online 334 The Evolutionary View 389
AGGRESSION IN OTHER ANIMALS
Love and Close Relationships 336
Defining Love: Companionship and Passion 337 Culture and Aggression 391
CHANGES IN AGGRESSION ACROSS TIME AND
TRY IT! Passionate Love Scale 338 CULTURES • CULTURES OF HONOR
Culture and Love 339 Gender and Aggression 393
Attachment Styles in Intimate Relationships 340 PHYSICAL AGGRESSION • RELATIONAL AGGRESSION
Your Body and Brain in Love 342 Learning to Behave Aggressively 395
Assessing Relationships: Satisfaction and Some Physiological Influences 397
Breaking Up 344 THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL • THE EFFECTS OF PAIN AND HEAT
Theories of Relationship Satisfaction 344 Social Situations and Aggression 399
SOCIAL EXCHANGE THEORY • EQUITY THEORY
Frustration and Aggression 399
The Process and Experience of Breaking Up 349 Provocation and Reciprocation 401
Summary 352 • Test Yourself 353
TRY IT! Video Games and Aggression 402

11 Prosocial Behavior: Why Do


Weapons as Aggressive Cues
Putting the Elements Together: The Case of
402

People Help? 355 Sexual Assault 403


Basic Motives Underlying Prosocial Behavior: MOTIVATIONS FOR RAPE • SEXUAL SCRIPTS AND
THE PROBLEM OF CONSENT
Why Do People Help? 356
Evolutionary Psychology: Instincts and Genes 357 Violence and the Media 405
KIN SELECTION • THE RECIPROCITY NORM Studying the Effects of Media Violence 406
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES • LONGITUDINAL STUDIES
TRY IT! The Dictator Game 358
GROUP SELECTION
The Problem of Determining Cause and Effect 408
Social Exchange: The Costs and Rewards of Helping 359 How to Decrease Aggression 411
Empathy and Altruism: The Pure Motive for Helping 360 Does Punishing Aggression Reduce Aggression? 411
USING PUNISHMENT ON VIOLENT ADULTS
Personal Qualities and Prosocial Behavior: Why
Can We Release Anger by Indulging It? 412
Do Some People Help More Than Others? 364
THE EFFECTS OF AGGRESSIVE ACTS ON SUBSEQUENT
Individual Differences: The Altruistic Personality 364 ­AGGRESSION • BLAMING THE VICTIM OF OUR
Gender Differences in Prosocial Behavior 365 AGGRESSION
TRY IT! Empathic Concern 366 What Are We Supposed to Do with Our Anger? 414
Cultural Differences in Prosocial Behavior 367 VENTING VERSUS SELF-AWARENESS
Religion and Prosocial Behavior 368 TRAINING IN COMMUNICATION AND PROBLEM-SOLVING
SKILLS
#trending When Altruistic Behavior Becomes Risky 369
TRY IT! Controlling Your Anger 415
The Effects of Mood on Prosocial Behavior 369
GETTING APOLOGIES RIGHT • COUNTERING ­
EFFECTS OF POSITIVE MOODS: FEEL GOOD, DO GOOD •
DEHUMANIZATION BY BUILDING EMPATHY
FEEL BAD, DO GOOD
Contents 11

#trending “Re-accommodation”: The United Inducing Hypocrisy 472


Airlines Debacle 417 Removing Small Barriers to Achieve Big Changes 474
Disrupting the Rejection-Rage Cycle 418 Happiness and a Sustainable Lifestyle 476
Summary 420 • Test Yourself 423 What Makes People Happy? 476
SATISFYING RELATIONSHIPS • FLOW: BECOMING
13 Prejudice: Causes, Consequences, ENGAGED IN SOMETHING YOU ENJOY • ACCUMULATE
EXPERIENCES, NOT THINGS • HELPING OTHERS
and Cures 424
TRY IT! Applying the Research to Your Own Life 478
Defining Prejudice 425
Do People Know What Makes Them Happy? 479
The Cognitive Component: Stereotypes 426
Summary 480 • Test Yourself 481
ARE POSITIVE STEREOTYPES GOOD?

TRY IT! Stereotypes and Aggression 428


The Affective Component: Emotions 430
Social Psychology in Action 2
The Behavioral Component: Discrimination 431 Social Psychology and Health 483
TRY IT! Identifying and Changing Your Prejudices 431 Stress and Human Health 484
INSTITUTIONALIZED DISCRIMINATION • EVERYDAY
Resilience485
DISCRIMINATION • FROM PREJUDICE TO DISCRIMINATION
Effects of Negative Life Events 486
Detecting Hidden Prejudices 436
LIMITS OF STRESS INVENTORIES
Ways of Identifying Suppressed Prejudices 436
TRY IT! The College Life Stress Inventory 487
Ways of Identifying Implicit Prejudices 437
Perceived Stress and Health 488
The Effects of Prejudice on the Victim 439
Feeling in Charge: The Importance of Perceived
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 439 Control489
Social Identity Threat 441 INCREASING PERCEIVED CONTROL IN NURSING HOMES •
Causes of Prejudice 443 DISEASE, CONTROL, AND WELL-BEING

Pressures to Conform: Normative Rules 443 Coping with Stress 494


#trending Everyday Discrimination in Professional Gender Differences in Coping with Stress 494
Sports445 Social Support: Getting Help from Others 495
Social Identity Theory: Us versus Them 445 TRY IT! Social Support 496
ETHNOCENTRISM • IN-GROUP BIAS • OUT-GROUP Reframing: Finding Meaning in Traumatic Events 497
­HOMOGENEITY • BLAMING THE VICTIM • JUSTIFYING
Prevention: Promoting Healthier Behavior 498
FEELINGS OF ENTITLEMENT AND SUPERIORITY
Realistic Conflict Theory 449 Summary 500 • Test Yourself 501

Reducing Prejudice 451


The Contact Hypothesis 452 Social Psychology in Action 3
WHERE CONTACT CAN GO WRONG Social Psychology and the Law 503
Cooperation and Interdependence: The Jigsaw
Eyewitness Testimony 505
Classroom455
Why Are Eyewitnesses Often Wrong? 505
WHY DOES JIGSAW WORK?
ENCODING • STORAGE • RETRIEVAL
TRY IT! Jigsaw-Type Group Study 457
Judging Whether Eyewitnesses Are Mistaken 510
THE GRADUAL SPREAD OF COOPERATIVE AND
RESPONDING QUICKLY • POST-IDENTIFICATION FEEDBACK
INTERDEPENDENT LEARNING
Summary 459 • Test Yourself 461 TRY IT! The Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony 513
The Recovered Memory Debate 513
Social Psychology in Action 1 Juries: Group Processes in Action 516
How Jurors Process Information during the Trial 516
Using Social Psychology to Achieve a
Confessions: Are They Always What They Seem? 517
Sustainable and Happy Future 462
Deliberations in the Jury Room 519
Applied Research in Social Psychology 465 Summary 520 • Test Yourself 521
Capitalizing on the Experimental Method 466
ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERVENTIONS • Glossary523
POTENTIAL RISKS OF SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS
Social Psychology to the Rescue 468
References529
Using Social Psychology to Achieve a Sustainable Future 469 Credits567
Conveying and Changing Social Norms 469 Name Index 571
TRY IT! Reducing Littering with Descriptive Norms 470
Keeping Track of Consumption 471 Subject Index 590
Introducing a Little Competitiveness 472
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Preface

W
hen we began writing this book, our overriding one video in Chapter 9 tells the story of how a student
goal was to capture the excitement of social psy- learned to avoid process loss in her study groups. These
chology. We have been pleased to hear, in many videos are in the Revel version of the text, placed along-
kind notes and messages from professors and students, that side the ­relevant concepts.
we succeeded. One of our favorite responses was from a A second new feature, called #trending, is a brief
student who said that the book was so interesting that she ­analysis of a current event that illustrates a key principle
always saved it for last, to reward herself for finishing her in each chapter. In Chapter 11 on Prosocial Behavior, for
other work. With that one student, at least, we succeeded in ­example, we describe two incidents where a woman and
making our book an enjoyable, fascinating story, not a dry a child, respectively, were left bleeding on the road and
report of facts and figures. passers-by walk by them as if nothing had happened.
There is always room for improvement, however, and Students are asked to think about how concepts in the
our goal in this, the tenth edition, is to make the field of chapter might help explain why the passers-by were
social psychology an even better read. When we teach the unmotivated to help a wounded stranger, such as Latané
course, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing the and Darley’s (1970) hypothesis about the bystander ­effect
sleepy students in the back row sit up with interest and and decision model of helping. Importantly, these exam-
say, “Wow, I didn’t know that! Now that’s interesting.” We ples will be updated frequently in the Revel version of
hope that students who read our book will have that same the text, such that students will always be able to connect
reaction. what they are reading to current, real-world events.
Third, every chapter now begins with a feature called,
“What Do You Think?” where students answer a survey

What’s New in This Edition? question designed to illustrate a concept in that chapter. In
Chapter 6, for example, students are asked, “Have you ever
First a word about what has not changed. As mentioned, joined a group that required you to do something humili-
we have done our best to tell the story of social psychol- ating or dangerous in order to gain membership?” In the
ogy in an engaging way that will resonate with students. Revel version of the text, students get immediate feedback
We also have retained features that help students learn on how other students have answered (23% said yes to this
and retain the material. As before, each chapter begins question). Then, at the end of the chapter, there is a writing
with learning objectives, which are repeated in the sec- exercise tied to the survey question that instructors can as-
tions of the chapter that are most relevant to them and in sign if they wish. In Chapter 6, for example, the question
the chapter-ending summary. All major sections of every is, “How does justification of effort help explain why haz-
chapter end with review quizzes. Research shows that ing and initiation rites are common across so many different
students learn material better when they are tested fre- group types?”
quently; thus, these section quizzes, as well as the test Lastly, we have added videos that recreate classic ex-
questions at the end of every chapter, should be helpful periments in social psychology. These videos, recorded
learning aids. In the Revel version of the text, instructors exclusively for this book’s Revel product, give students a
have the option of assigning these quizzes and giving vivid and contemporary look at how an experiment was
course credit for correct answers. Each chapter also has done and what it found.
our Try It! feature that invites students to apply what And, of course, we have updated the tenth edition sub-
they have learned to their own lives. Several of these Try stantially, with numerous references to new research. Here
It! features have been updated. is a sampling of the new research that is covered:
We are pleased to add several new features to the
tenth edition that we believe will appeal to students • Chapter 1: This chapter contains updated examples,
and make it even easier for them to learn the material. a new Try It!, and a new section on the role of bio-
The first is called #SurvivalTips which are brief videos logical approaches and evolutionary theory in social
recorded by students who have taken a social psychol- psychology.
ogy class. Each one tells a personal story relaying how • Chapter 2: A signature of our book continues to be a
the student applied social ­psychology to better navigate readable, student-friendly chapter on research methods
or “survive” a real situation in their lives. For example, in social psychology. This chapter has been updated

13
14 Preface

for the tenth edition with new references and examples can vary in predicting outcomes when it comes to
and a discussion of the replication debate in social evaluation of job résumés based on applicant name.
psychology. A new interactive feature is also included to explain
• Chapter 3, “Social Cognition: How We Think About the formula for persuasion according to the Yale
the Social World,” has been updated with more than Attitude Change approach.
40 new references. There is a new section on the plan- • Chapter 8, “Conformity and Obedience: Influencing
ning fallacy and discussions of recent research find- Behavior,” now opens with a more positive focus on
ings, such as a study on counterfactual thinking and social influence, in the form of Pete Frates and the
people’s belief in God. ALS ice bucket challenge. We have added a discus-
• Chapter 4, “Social Perception: How We Come to sion of the proliferation of “fake news” in the section
Understand Other People,” now includes several new on informational social influence. The chapter also
features, including a new opening drawing on the Black features a new interactive video demonstrating stu-
Mirror television series, an interactive photo gallery on dents employing various social influence techniques
using first impressions to your advantage, a discussion and added discussion of contemporary criticism of
of cross-cultural attitudes regarding karma and beliefs Milgram’s research.
in a just world, and a reorganized discussion of Kelley’s • Chapter 9, “Group Processes: Influence in Social Groups,”
covariation model. now opens with an analysis of problematic group deci-
• Chapter 5, “The Self: Understanding Ourselves in a sion making and strategizing in Hilary Clinton’s 2016
Social Context,” has been updated with more than 35 campaign team. We have also added coverage of recent
new references. The chapter headings have also been research on combating the problematic effects on deindi-
reorganized into three major sections, which should viduation online and group polarization via social media
make the material clearer to students. There is a new feeds. The chapter also includes expanded and updated
opening example about children raised by animals and discussion of the prisoner’s dilemma and a new photo
how they might have influenced their sense of self. gallery regarding resource dilemmas.
Lastly, the section on self-esteem has been updated and • Chapter 10, “Attraction and Relationships: From
moved to Chapter 6. Initial Impressions to Long-Term Intimacy,” has
• Chapter 6, “Cognitive Dissonance and the Need to a new title to better reflect the balanced focus be-
Protect Our Self-Esteem,” is one of the most exten- tween initial attraction and relationship trajectory/
sively revised chapters in this edition. This chap- satisfaction. A new interactive photo gallery explores
ter has always been a signature of the book; we are the relationship between mere exposure and liking,
the only text to devote an entire chapter to cogni- and a new interactive video illustrates the matching
tive dissonance theory and self-esteem maintenance. hypothesis in attraction. We have added ­coverage
We proudly retain this chapter in our tenth edition, (including an interactive figure) of Sternberg’s
­
continuing to present classic work in cognitive disso- ­triangular theory of love and have reorganized and
nance in a highly readable manner with compelling updated the concluding section on relationship
­
examples designed to draw students in. At the same ­satisfaction and breaking up.
time we have updated the chapter, adding a major • In Chapter 11, “Prosocial Behavior: Why Do People
new section on advances and extensions of dissonance Help?” includes more than 30 new references, expanded
theory that includes discussions of self-affirmation discussions of empathy and altruism and volunteerism,
theory and self-evaluation maintenance theory. There and a revised discussion of religion and prosocial
is also a section on narcissism and self-esteem, which behavior.
previously appeared in Chapter 5. Lastly the chapter • Chapter 12, “Aggression: Why Do We Hurt Other
has two new Try It! exercises that students will enjoy: People? Can We Prevent It?,” has significant content
In one they complete a values affirmation writing ex- updates in addition to covering new research. Our
ercise, and in another they can take a short version of discussion of testosterone and aggression is more nu-
the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and get feed- anced, disentangling some aspects of gender and hor-
back on their score. mones and introducing the other sex hormone related
• Chapter 7, “Attitudes and Attitude Change: to aggression, estradiol. We also introduce and evalu-
Influencing Thoughts and Feelings,” includes a new ate two formal evolutionary theories of aggression:
opening story, new examples from Election 2016 in the challenge hypothesis and dual-hormone theory.
the discussion of affectively based attitudes, and new We also streamlined the section on sexual assault
discussion of how implicit versus explicit attitudes to make this important section clearer. Overall, the
Preface 15

chapter narrative now emphasizes the convergent fact inspired the creation of Revel: an interactive learning
evidence for the role of impulsivity in aggression environment designed for the way today’s students read,
across biological and psychological evidence. think, and learn. Built in collaboration with educators and
• In Chapter 13, “Prejudice: Causes, Consequences, students nationwide, Revel is the newest, fully digital way
and Cures,” has undergone a major organizational to deliver respected Pearson content. Revel enlivens course
and content update. We generalized the discussion content with media interactives and assessments—i­cluding
of prejudice from the strong focus on Black-White an interactive figure) of ntegrated directly within the au-
and male-female relations to relate more generally thors’ narrative—that provide opportunities for students
to other ­ethnic, gender, and stigmatized identities. to read about and practice course material in tandem. This
Nonetheless, we maintain an important dialog on immersive educational technology boosts student engage-
anti-Blackness, including a discussion of police shoot- ment, which leads to better understanding of concepts and
ings and activist groups. We expanded the discussion improved performance throughout the course.
of emotions as a core component of prejudice, through
which we included more physiological ­research on Learn More about Revel
prejudice into the chapter. Under the ways to reduce http://www.pearsonhighered.com/revel/
prejudice, we have extended the discussion of inter- Rather than simply offering opportunities to read
group contact to teach students about indirect contact, about and study social psychology, Revel facilitates
and we have streamlined the discussion of the jigsaw deep, engaging interactions with the concepts that mat-
classroom. The entire chapter was updated with new ter most. By providing opportunities to improve skills
­examples from recent popular culture and interactive in analyzing and interpreting sources of psychological
components in Revel. evidence, for ­example, Revel engages students directly
• Social Psychology in Action chapters—“Using Social and immediately, which leads to a better understanding
Psychology to Achieve a Sustainable and Happy of course material. A wealth of student and instructor
Future,” “Social Psychology and Health,” and “Social resources and interactive materials can be found within
Psychology and the Law”—have been updated with Revel. Some of our favorites are mentioned in the infor-
many references to new research, but remain shorter mation that follows.
chapters. When we teach the course, we find that stu- For more information about all the tools and resources
dents are excited to learn about these applied areas. in Revel and access to your own Revel account for Social
At the same time, we recognize that some instructors Psychology, go to www.pearsonhighered.com/revel.
have difficulty fitting the chapters into their courses.
As with the previous edition, our approach remains to Instructor Resources
maintain a shortened length for the applied chapters to We know that instructors are “tour guides” for their stu-
make it easy to integrate these chapters into different dents, leading them through the exciting world of social
parts of the course in whatever fashion an instructor psychology in the classroom. As such, we have invested
deems best. SPA1, “Using Social Psychology to Achieve tremendous effort in the creation of a world-class collection
a Sustainable and Happy Future,” includes an updated of instructor resources that will support professors in their
opening example about the effects of climate change mission to teach the best course possible.
and new examples of ways in which students can both Coauthor Sam Sommers guided the creation of this
act in sustainable ways and maximize their well-being. supplements package, which has been reviewed and up-
In SPA2, “Social Psychology and Health,” we updated dated for the tenth edition. Here are the highlights of the
coverage on perceived control interventions among supplements we are pleased to provide:
nursing home residents and included a new interactive
on coping with stress. SPA3, “Social Psychology and PRESENTATION TOOLS AND CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Law,” has a new video about attentional blindness and • Social Psychology PowerPoint Collection (0134700732)
an interactive feature on best practices in eyewitness The PowerPoints provide an active format for pre-
identification procedures. senting concepts from each chapter and incorpo-
rating relevant figures and tables. Instructors can
Revel for Social Psychology choose from three PowerPoint presentations: a lec-
ture presentation set that highlights major topics
Revel™ from the chapters, a highly visual lecture presenta-
When students are engaged deeply, they learn more ef- tion set with embedded videos, or a PowerPoint
fectively and perform better in their courses. This simple collection of the complete art files from the text. The
16 Preface

PowerPoint files can be downloaded from www scenes, and our book is no exception. We need to give a
.pearsonglobaleditions.com. special thanks to Elizabeth Page-Gould for her tremendous
• Instructor’s Resource Manual (0134700694) The help in revising two of the chapters. Her deep knowledge
Instructor’s ­Manual includes key terms, lecture ideas, of social psychology and wonderful writing style contrib-
teaching tips, suggested readings, chapter outlines, uted greatly to this edition. We would also like to thank the
student projects and research assignments, Try It! exer- many colleagues who read one or more chapters of this edi-
cises, critical-thinking topics and discussion questions, tion and of previous editions of the book.
and a media resource guide. It has been updated for
the tenth edition with hyperlinks to ease facilitation of Reviewers of the Tenth Edition
navigation within the Instructor’s Resource Manual. Jim Allen, State University of New York, College at Geneseo;
Kathryn Anderson, Our Lady of the Lake University; Anila
ASSESSMENT RESOURCES Bhagavatula, California State University–Long Beach; Amy
• Test Bank (0134700740) Each of the more than 2,000 Bradshaw-Hoppock, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University;
questions in this test bank is page-referenced to the text Ngoc Bui, University of La Verne; Bernardo Carducci, Indiana
and categorized by topic and skill level. Each question University Southeast; Alex Czopp, Western Washington
in the test bank was reviewed by several instructors University; Keith Davis, University of South Carolina;
to ensure that we are providing you with the best and Michael Dudley, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville;
most accurate content in the industry. Heidi English, College of the Siskiyous; Joe Ferrari, DePaul
University; Christine Floether, Centenary College; Krista
Forrest, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Allen Gorman,
Acknowledgments Radford University; Jerry Green, Tarrant County College;
Elliot Aronson is delighted to acknowledge the collabora- Dana Greene, University of North Carolina; Donnell Griffin,
tion of Carol Tavris. He would also like to acknowledge the Davidson County Community College; Lisa Harrison,
contributions of his best friend (who also happens to be his California State University, Sacramento; Gina Hoover, Ohio
wife of 60 years), Vera Aronson. Vera, as usual, provided in- State University; Jeffrey Huntsinger, Loyola University
spiration for his ideas and acted as the sounding board for Chicago; Alisha Janowsky, University of Central Florida;
and supportive critic of many of his semiformed notions, Bethany Johnson, University of Nebraska–Omaha; Deborah
helping to mold them into more sensible analyses. Jones, Columbia University; Suzanne Kieffer, University of
Tim Wilson would like to thank his graduate mentor, Houston; Marvin Lee, Tennessee State University; Alexandra
Richard E. Nisbett, who nurtured his interest in the field Luong, University of Minnesota Duluth; Robyn Mallett,
and showed him the continuity between social psychologi- Loyola University Chicago; Brian Meier, Gettysburg College;
cal research and everyday life. He also thanks the many stu- Andrea Mercurio, Boston University; Lori Nelson, University
dents who have taken his course in social psychology over of Iowa; Darren Petronella, Nassau Community College;
the years, for asking fascinating questions and providing Jennifer Rivers, Elms College; Kari Terzino, Des Moines Area
wonderful examples of social psychological phenomena in Community College; T. Joel Wade, Bucknell University; Angela
their everyday lives. Lastly, he thanks the many graduate Walker, Quinnipiac University; Chrysalis Wright, University
students with whom he has had the privilege of working of Central Florida; Garry Zaslow, Nassau Community College;
for joining him in the ever-fascinating discovery of new so- Jie Zhang, University at Buffalo
cial psychological phenomena.
Sam Sommers would like to acknowledge, first and fore- Reviewers of Past Editions
most, the Sommers ladies, Marilyn, Abigail, and Sophia, for Jeffrey B. Adams, Saint Michael’s College; Bill Adler,
being patient with round-the-clock revision sessions, for tol- Collin County Community College; John R. Aiello, Rutgers
erating the constantly expanding mass of papers and books University; Charles A. Alexander, Rock Valley College;
on the floor of the study (he promises to clean them up be- Sowmya Anand, Ohio State University; Nathan Arbuckle,
fore work starts on the eleventh edition), and for frequently Ohio State University; Art Aron, State University of New
providing excellent real-life examples that illustrate social York, Stony Brook; Danny Axsom, Virginia Polytechnic
psychological concepts. He also gives special thanks to all of Institute and State University; Joan W. Baily, Jersey City State
his teachers of social psychology, for introducing him to the College; Norma Baker, Belmont University; Austin Baldwin,
field, for continued support, and for serving as role models as University of Iowa; John Bargh, New York University;
instructors, mentors, researchers, and writers. William A. Barnard, University of Northern Colorado; Doris
No book can be written and published without the G. Bazzini, Appalachian State University; Arthur Beaman,
help of many people working with the authors behind the University of Kentucky; Gordon Bear, Ramapo College; Susan
Preface 17

E. Beers, Sweet Briar College; Kathy L. Bell, University of University; Gordon Hammerle, Adrian College; H. Anna
North Carolina at Greensboro; Leonard Berkowitz, University Han, Ohio State University; Judith Harackiewicz, University
of Wisconsin–Madison; Ellen S. Berscheid, University of of Wisconsin–Madison; Elaine Hatfield, University of Hawaii,
Minnesota; John Bickford, University of Massachusetts, Manoa; Vicki S. Helgeson, Carnegie Mellon University; Joyce
Amherst; Thomas Blass, University of Maryland; C. Hemphill, Cazenovia College; Tracy B. Henley, Mississippi
George Boeree, Shippensburg University; Lisa M. Bohon, State University; Ed Hirt, Indiana University; Harold
California State University, Sacramento; Jennifer Bosson, The Hunziker Jr., Corning Community College; David E. Hyatt,
University of Oklahoma; Chante C. Boyd, Carnegie Mellon University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh; Marita Inglehart, University
University; Peter J. Brady, Clark State Community College; of Michigan; Carl Kallgren, Behrend College, Pennsylvania
Kosha Bramesfeld, Pennsylvania State University; Kelly State University, Erie; Stephen Kilianski, Rutgers University;
A. Brennan, University of Texas, Austin; Richard W. Brislin, Bill Klein, Colby College; James D. Johnson, University of
East-West Center of the University of Hawaii; Jeff Bryson, North Carolina, Wilmington; Lee Jussim, Rutgers University;
San Diego State University; Melissa ­Burkley, Oklahoma State Stephen Kilianski, Rutgers University; Fredrick Koenig,
University; Amy Bush, University of Houston; Amber Bush Tulane University; Alan Lambert, Washington University,
Amspoker, University of Houston; Brad Bushman, Iowa State St. Louis; Emmett Lampkin, Kirkwook Community College;
University; Thomas P. Cafferty, University of South Carolina, Elizabeth C. Lanthier, Northern Virginia Community
Columbia; Melissa A. Cahoon, Wright State University; College; Patricia Laser, Bucks County Community College; G.
Frank Calabrese, Community College of Philadelphia; Michael Daniel Lassiter, Ohio University; Dianne Leader, Georgia
Caruso, University of Toledo; Nicholas Christenfeld, Institute of Technology; John Lu, Concordia University;
University of California, San Diego; Margaret S. Clark, Stephanie Madon, Iowa State University; John Malarkey,
Carnegie Mellon University; Russell D. Clark, III, University Wilmington College; Andrew Manion, St. Mary’s University
of North Texas; Susan D. Clayton, Allegheny College; of Minnesota; Allen R. McConnell, Michigan State University;
Megan Clegg-Kraynok, West Virginia University; Brian M. Adam Meade, North Carolina State University; Joann M.
Cohen, University of Texas, San Antonio; Florette Cohen, Montepare, Tufts University; Richard Moreland, University
Rutgers University; Jack Cohen, Camden County College; of Pittsburgh; Dave Nalbone, Purdue University–Calumet;
Steven G. Cole, Texas Christian University; Eric J. Cooley, Carrie Nance, Stetson University; Todd D. Nelson, Michigan
Western Oregon State University; Diana Cordova, Yale State University; Elaine Nocks, Furman University; Matylda
University; Traci Craig, University of Idaho; Jack Croxton, Osika, University of Houston; Cheri Parks, Colorado Christian
State University of New York, Fredonia; Keith E. Davis, University; W. Gerrod Parrott, Georgetown University; David
University of South Carolina, Columbia; Mary Ellen Dello Peterson, Mount Senario College; Mary Pritchard, Boise State
Stritto, Ball State University; Dorothee Dietrich, Hamline University; Cynthia K. S. Reed, Tarrant County College; Dan
University; Kate Dockery, University of Florida; Susann Richard, University of North Florida; Neal Roese, University
Doyle, Gainesville College; Steve Duck, University of Iowa; of Illinois; Darrin L. Rogers, Ohio State University; Joan
Michael G. Dudley, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Rollins, Rhode Island College; Paul Rose, Southern Illinois
Karen G. Duffy, State University of New York, Geneseo; Valerie University Edwardsville; Lee D. Ross, Stanford University;
Eastman, Drury College; Tami Eggleston, McKendree College; Alex Rothman, University of Minnesota; M. Susan Rowley,
Timothy Elliot, University of Alabama–Birmingham; Steve L. Champlain College; Delia Saenz, Arizona State University;
Ellyson, Youngstown State University; Cindy Elrod, Georgia Brad Sagarin, Northern Illinois University; Fred Sanborn,
State University; Kadimah Elson, University of California, San North Carolina Wesleyan College; Connie Schick, Bloomsburg
Diego/Grossmont College; Rebecca S. Fahrlander, University University; Norbert Schwartz, University of Michigan;
of Nebraska at Omaha; Alan Feingold, Yale University; Gretchen Sechrist, University at Buffalo; Richard C.
Edward Fernandes, East Carolina University; Phil Finney, Sherman, Miami University of Ohio; Paul Silvia, University
Southeast Missouri State University; Susan Fiske, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Randolph A. Smith, Ouachita
of Massachusetts; Robin Franck, Southwestern College; Denise Baptist University; Linda Solomon, Marymount Manhattan
Frank, Ramapo College of New Jersey; Timothy M. Franz, College; Janice Steil, Adelphi University; Jakob Steinberg,
St. John Fisher College; William Rick Fry, Youngstown State Fairleigh Dickinson University; Mark Stewart, American
University; Russell Geen, University of Missouri; Glenn River College; Lori Stone, University of Texas at Austin;
Geher, State University of New York at New Paltz; David JoNell Strough, West Virginia University; T. Gale Thompson,
Gersh, Houston Community College; Frederick X. Gibbons, Bethany College; Scott Tindale, Loyola University of Chicago;
Iowa State University; Cynthia Gilliland, Louisiana State David M. Tom, Columbus State Community College; David
University; Genaro Gonzalez, University of Texas; Jessica Trafimow, New Mexico State University; Ruth Warner, St.
Gonzalez, Ohio State University; Sara Gorchoff, University Louis University; Anne Weiher, Metropolitan State College
of California, Berkeley; Beverly Gray, Youngstown State of Denver; Gary L. Wells, Iowa State University; Jackie
18 Preface

White, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Paul L. Marketing Manager), Louis Fierro (Editorial Assistant),
Wienir, Western Michigan University; Kipling D. Williams, and Angel Chavez (Project Manager). We would especially
University of Toledo; Tamara Williams, Hampton University; like to thank Thomas Finn (Developmental Editor), who
Paul Windschitl, University of Iowa; Mike Witmer, Skagit provided expert guidance with constant good cheer and
Valley College; Gwen Wittenbaum, Michigan State University; insight even through barrages of e-mail exchanges and at-
William Douglas Woody, University of Northern Colorado; tachments, and Amber Chow (Portfolio Manager), whose
Clare Zaborowski, San Jacinto College; William H. Zachry, smart vision for the book, and commitment to making it as
University of Tennessee–Martin; Leah Zinner, University of good as it can be, have truly made a difference. Finally, we
Wisconsin–Madison thank Mary Falcon, but for whom we never would have
We also thank the wonderful editorial staff of Pearson begun this project.
for their expertise and professionalism, including Dickson Thank you for inviting us into your classroom. We wel-
Musslewhite (Editorial Director), Cecilia Turner (Content come your suggestions, and we would be delighted to hear
Producer), Christopher Brown (Executive Product your comments about this book.

Elliot Aronson
elliot@cats.ucsc.edu

Tim Wilson
tdw@virginia.edu

Sam Sommers
sam.sommers@tufts.edu

Global Edition Acknowledgments


This Global Edition is the result of an integrated effort of individuals who have contributed their insights, critiques, and
recommendations on this book and the Revel course. We are deeply grateful for these collaborations and reviews:
Albert Lee Kai Chung, Nanyang Technological University
Lambros Lazuras, Sheffield Hallam University
Alizeh Batra Merchant, New York University Abu Dhabi
Michael Thai, The University of Queensland
About the Authors

Elliot Aronson real-world problems. Dr. Aronson’s own recent books for general
audiences include Mistakes Were Made (but not by ME), with
When I was a kid, we were the only Jewish family in a vir- Carol Tavris, and a memoir, Not by Chance Alone: My Life as
ulently anti-Semitic neighborhood. I had to go to Hebrew a Social Psychologist.
school every day, late in the afternoon. Being the only
youngster in my neighborhood going to Hebrew school
made me an easy target for some of the older neighborhood Tim Wilson
toughs. On my way home from Hebrew school, after dark, One day when I was 8, a couple of older kids rode up on
I was frequently waylaid and roughed up by roving gangs their bikes to share some big news: They had discovered an
shouting anti-Semitic epithets. abandoned house down a country road. “It’s really neat,”
I have a vivid memory of sitting on a curb after one they said. “We broke a window and nobody cared!” My
of these beatings, nursing a bloody nose or a split lip, feel- friend and I hopped onto our bikes to investigate. We had
ing very sorry for myself and wondering how these kids no trouble finding the house—there it was, sitting off by
could hate me so much when they didn’t even know me. I itself, with a big, jagged hole in a first-floor window. We
thought about whether those kids were taught to hate Jews got off of our bikes and looked around. My friend found a
or whether, somehow, they were born that way. I wondered baseball-sized rock lying on the ground and threw a per-
if their hatred could be changed—if they got to know me fect strike through another first-floor window. There was
better, would they hate me less? I speculated about my own something exhilarating about the smash-and-tingle of shat-
character. What would I have done if the shoe were on the tering glass, especially when we knew there was nothing
other foot—that is, if I were bigger and stronger than they, wrong with what we were doing. After all, the house was
would I be capable of beating them up for no good reason? abandoned, wasn’t it? We broke nearly every window in
I didn’t realize it at the time, of course, but eventually I the house and then climbed through one of the first-floor
discovered that these were profound questions. And some windows to look around.
30 years later, as an experimental social psychologist, I had It was then that we realized something was terribly
the great good fortune to be in a position to answer some of wrong. The house certainly did not look abandoned. There
those questions and to invent techniques to reduce the kind were pictures on the wall, nice furniture, books in shelves.
of prejudice that had claimed me as a victim. We went home feeling frightened and confused. We soon
Elliot Aronson is Professor Emeritus at the University of learned that the house was the home of an elderly couple
California at Santa Cruz and one of the most renowned social psy- who were away on vacation. Eventually, my parents dis-
chologists in the world. In 2002, he was chosen as one of the 100 covered what we had done and paid a substantial sum to
most eminent psychologists of the twentieth century. Dr. Aronson repair the windows. For years, I pondered this incident:
is the only person in the 120-year history of the American Psycho- Why did I do such a terrible thing? Was I a bad kid? I didn’t
logical Association to have received all three of its major awards: think so, and neither did my parents. How, then, could a
for distinguished writing, distinguished teaching, and distin- good kid do such a bad thing? Even though the neighbor-
guished research. Many other professional societies have honored hood kids said the house was abandoned, why couldn’t my
his research and teaching as well. These include the American friend and I see the clear signs that someone lived there?
Association for the Advancement of Science, which gave him its How crucial was it that my friend was there and threw
highest honor, the Distinguished Scientific Research award; the the first rock? Although I didn’t know it at the time, these
American Council for the Advancement and Support of Educa- reflections touched on several classic social psychological
tion, which named him Professor of the Year of 1989; the Society issues, such as whether only bad people do bad things,
for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, which awarded him whether the social situation can be powerful enough to
the Gordon Allport prize for his contributions to the reduction of make good people do bad things, and the way in which
prejudice among racial and ethnic groups; and the William James our expectations about an event can make it difficult to see
Award from the Association for Psychological Science. In 1992, it as it really is. Fortunately, my career as a vandal ended
he was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sci- with this one incident. It did, however, mark the beginning
ences. A collection of papers and tributes by his former students of my fascination with basic questions about how people
and colleagues, The Scientist and the Humanist, celebrates his understand themselves and the social world—questions I
contributions to social psychological theory and its application to continue to investigate to this day.

19
20 About the Authors

Tim Wilson did his undergraduate work at Williams College had watched was of an actor, and in some versions of the
and Hampshire College and received his PhD from the University study he mentioned having a girlfriend. In other versions,
of Michigan. Currently Sherrell J. Aston Professor of Psychology he mentioned a boyfriend. What the researchers were actu-
at the University of Virginia, he has published numerous articles ally studying was how this social category information of
in the areas of introspection, attitude change, self-knowledge, and sexual orientation would influence participants’ attitudes
affective forecasting, as well as a recent book, Redirect: The Sur- about the interaction.
prising New Science of Psychological Change. His research And then she took out a tape measure.
has received the support of the National Science Foundation and The tape measure was to gauge how close to my part-
the National Institute for Mental Health. He has been elected ner’s chair I had placed my own chair, the hypothesis being
twice to the Executive Board of the Society for Experimental So- that discomfort with a gay partner might manifest in terms
cial Psychology and is a Fellow in the American Psychological of participants placing their chairs farther away. Greater
Society and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. In comfort with or affinity for the partner was predicted to
2009, he was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts lead to more desire for proximity.
and Sciences. In 2015 he received the William James Fellows And at that, I was hooked. The little voice in my head
Award from the Association for Psychological Science. Wilson had grown from a whisper to a full-throated yell that this
has taught the Introduction to Social Psychology course at the was a field I could get excited about. First of all, the re-
University of Virginia for more than 30 years. In 2001 he was searchers had tricked me. That, alone, I thought was, for
awarded the University of Virginia All-University Outstand- lack of a better word, cool. But more important, they had
ing Teaching Award, and in 2010 was awarded the University of done so in the effort to get me and my fellow participants
­Virginia Distinguished Scientist Award. to reveal something about our attitudes, preferences, and
tendencies that we never would have admitted to (or per-

Sam Sommers haps even would have been aware of) had they just asked
us directly. Here was a fascinatingly creative research de-
I went to college to major in English. 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 kind of thing you Like I said, I was hooked. And I look forward to help-
did as a second-semester freshman. It was when we got to ing to introduce you to this field that caught me by surprise
the social psychology section of the course that a little voice back when I was a student and continues to intrigue and
in my head starting whispering something along the lines inspire me to this day.
of, Hey, you’ve gotta admit this is pretty good stuff. It’s a lot like Sam Sommers earned his BA from Williams College and his
the conversations you have with your friends about daily life, but PhD from the University of Michigan. Since 2003 he has been a
with scientific data. faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Tufts Uni-
As part of the class, we had the opportunity to partici- versity in Medford, Massachusetts. His research examines is-
pate in research studies for course credit. So one day I found sues related to stereotyping, prejudice, and group diversity, with
myself in an interaction study in which I was going to work a particular interest in how these processes play out in the legal
on solving problems with a partner. I walked in and it was domain. He has won multiple teaching awards at Tufts, includ-
clear that the other guy had arrived earlier—his coat and ing the Lerman-Neubauer Prize for Outstanding Teaching and
bag were already hanging on the back of a chair. I was led to Advising and the Gerald R. Gill Professor of the Year Award. He
another, smaller room and shown a video of my soon-to-be was also inducted into the Tufts Hall of Diversity for his efforts
partner. Then I was given a series of written questions about to promote an inclusive climate on campus for all students. He
my perceptions of him, my expectations for our upcoming has testified as an expert witness on issues related to racial bias,
session together, and so forth. Finally, I walked back into the jury decision making, and eyewitness memory in criminal trial
main area. The experimenter handed me a chair and told proceedings in eight states. He has written two general audience
me to put it down anywhere next to my partner’s chair, and books related to social psychology: Situations Matter: Under-
that she would go get him (he, too, was presumably com- standing How Context Transforms Your World (2011) and
pleting written questionnaires in a private room). This Is Your Brain on Sports: The Science of Underdogs,
So I did. I put my chair down, took a seat, and waited. the Value of Rivalry, and What We Can Learn from the
Then the experimenter returned, but she was alone. She T-shirt Cannon (2016). He is also co-author of Invitation to
told me the study was over. There was no other participant; Psychology (7th edition), along with Carole Wade, Carol Tavris,
there would be no problem solving in pairs. The video I and Lisa Shin.
Special Tips for Students

“T
here is then creative reading as well as crea- to other people. Still others are short quizzes that illustrate
tive writing,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson in social psychological concepts.
1837, and that aptly sums up what you need to Watch the videos. Our carefully curated collection of in-
know to be a proficient student: Be an active, creative con- terviews, news clips, and research study reenactments is
sumer of information. How do you accomplish that feat? designed to enhance, and help you better understand, the
Actually, it’s not difficult. Like everything else in life, it just concepts you’re reading. If you can see the concept in ac-
takes some work—some clever, well-planned, purposeful tion, it’s likely to sink in a little deeper.
work. Here are some suggestions about how to do it.

Get to Know the Textbook Just Say No to the Couch


Believe it or not, in writing this book, we thought carefully
about the organization and structure of each chapter. Things
Potato Within
are presented as they are for a reason, and that reason is to Because social psychology is about everyday life, you might
help you learn the material in the best way possible. Here lull yourself into believing that the material is all common
are some tips on what to look for in each chapter. sense. Don’t be fooled. The material presented in this book
is more complicated than it might seem. Therefore, we want
Key terms are in boldface type in the text so that you’ll
to emphasize that the best way to learn it is to work with it
notice them. We define the terms in the text, and that defi-
in an active, not passive, fashion. You can’t just read a chap-
nition appears again in the margin. These marginal defini-
ter once and expect it to stick with you. You have to go over
tions are there to help you out if later in the chapter you
the material, wrestle with it, make your own connections to
forget what something means. The marginal definitions are
it, question it, think about it, interact with it. Actively work-
quick and easy to find. You can also look up key terms in
ing with material makes it memorable and makes it your
the alphabetical Glossary at the end of this textbook.
own. Because it’s a safe bet that someone is going to ask you
Make sure you notice the headings and subheadings. The about this material later and you’re going to have to pull it
headings are the skeleton that holds a chapter together. They out of memory, do what you can to get it into memory now.
link together like vertebrae. If you ever feel lost, look back to Here are some techniques to use:
the previous heading and the headings before it—this will
• Go ahead and highlight lines in the text—you can do
give you the “big picture” of where the chapter is going. It
so in Revel by clicking and dragging the cursor over
should also help you see the connections between sections.
a sentence; you can even choose your own color, and
The summary at the end of each chapter is a succinct short- add a note! If you highlight important points, you will
hand presentation of the chapter information. You should read remember those important points better and can scroll
it and make sure there are no surprises when you do so. If any- back through them later.
thing in the summary doesn’t ring a bell, go back to the chap- • Read the chapter before the applicable class lecture, not
ter and reread that section. Most important, remember that the afterward. This way, you’ll get more out of the lecture,
summary is intentionally brief, whereas your understanding which will likely introduce new material in addition to
of the material should be full and complete. Use the summary what is in the chapter. The chapter will give you the big
as a study aid before your exams. When you read it over, ev- picture, as well as a lot of detail. The lecture will en-
erything should be familiar. When you have that wonderful hance that information and help you put it all together.
feeling of knowing more than is in the summary, you’ll know If you haven’t read the chapter first, you may not un-
that you are ready to take the exam. derstand some of the points made in the lecture or real-
Be sure to do the Try It! exercises. They will make concepts ize which points are most important.
from social psychology concrete and help you see how they • Here’s a good way to study material: Write out a key
can be applied to your own life. Some of the Try It! exercises concept or a study in your own words, without look-
replicate social psychology experiments. Others reproduce ing at the book or your notes. Or say it out loud to
self-report scales so you can see where you stand in relation ­yourself—again in your own words, with your eyes

21
22 Special Tips for Students

closed. Can you do it? How good was your version? of a social psychologist—and try to apply what you
Did you omit anything important? Did you get stuck are learning to the behavior of friends, acquaintances,
at some point, unable to remember what comes next? If strangers, and, yes, even yourself. In each chapter you
so, you now know that you need to go over that infor- will see how other students have done this in brief
mation in more detail. You can also study with some- videos called #SurvivalTips. Make sure you use the
one else, d
­ escribing theories and studies to each other Try It! exercises. You will find out how much social
and seeing if you’re making sense. psychology can help us understand our lives. When
• If you have trouble remembering the results of an im- you read the news, think about what social psychol-
portant study, try drawing your own version of a graph ogy has to say about current events and behaviors; we
of the findings (you can use our data graphs for an idea believe you will find that your understanding of daily
of how to proceed). You will probably find that you life is richer. If you notice a news article that you think
remember the research results much better in pictorial is an especially good example of “social psychology
form than in words. Draw the information a few times in action,” please send it to us, with a full reference to
and it will stay with you. where you found it and on what page. If we decide to
use it in the next edition of this book, we’ll list your
• Remember, the more you work with the material, the
name in the Acknowledgments.
better you will learn and remember it. Write it in your
own words, talk about it, explain it to others, or draw We realize that 10 years from now you may not re-
visual representations of it. member all the facts, theories, and names you learn now.
• Last but not least, remember that this material is a Although we hope you will remember some of them, our
lot of fun. You haven’t even started reading the book main goal is for you to take with you into your future a
yet, but we think you’re going to like it. In particu- great many of the broad social psychological concepts pre-
lar, you’ll see how much social psychology has to tell sented herein—and, perhaps more important, a critical and
you about your real, everyday life. As this course pro- scientific way of thinking. If you open yourself to social
gresses, you might want to remind yourself to observe psychology’s magic, we believe it will enrich the way you
the events of your daily life with new eyes—the eyes 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 how 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

23
24 Chapter 1

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Survey What Do You Think?

Revel Interactive
SURVEY RESULTS

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

Yes
No

It is a pleasure to be your tour guides as we take you on a journey through the world of
social psychology. As we embark on this journey, our hope is to convey our excitement
about 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 scientist who has contributed to the knowledge base that
makes up our discipline. Thus, not only are we leading this tour, we also helped create
some of its attractions. We will travel to fascinating and exotic places like prejudice,
love, propaganda, education, conformity, aggression, compassion… all the rich variety
and surprise 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 different “job” at
night: Feeding the hungry. When he gets home from his last school bus run, he
and 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
street corner 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 has known Martin for 2 months and feels that she is madly in love with
him. “We’re soul mates!” she tells her best friend. “He’s the one!” “What are you
thinking?” says the best friend. “He’s completely wrong for you! He’s as different
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 Wikipedia!”
• Janine and her brother Oscar are arguing about fraternities. Janine’s college
didn’t have any, but Oscar is at a large state university in the Midwest, where he
has joined Alpha Beta. He went through a severe and scary hazing ritual to join,
and Janine cannot understand why he loves these guys so much. “They make
the pledges do such stupid stuff,” she says. “They humiliate you and force you
to get sick drunk and practically freeze to death in the middle of the night. How
can you possibly be happy living there?” “You don’t get it,” Oscar replies. “Alpha
Beta is the best of all fraternities. My frat brothers just seem more fun than most
other 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 ended, Biggs an-
nounced on camera that he was going to commit suicide. He took an overdose
of drugs and linked to a live video feed from his bedroom. None of his hun-
dreds 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:
tegmina do; at first (Fig. 112, A) there is but little difference between
the two, though in the interior of the wing-flap some traces of a
radiate arrangement can be seen, as shown at W in A, Fig. 112; in a
subsequent condition the wing-pads are increased in size and are
more divided, the appearance indicating that the wings themselves
are present and packed about a centre, as shown in W of B, Fig.
112.

Fig. 112.—Notal plates from which the tegmina and wings of Forficula
auricularia are developed in young, A, and more advanced, B,
nymph.

In the young of the common earwig the number of joints[139] in the


antennae increases with age. Camerano, l.c., says that before
emergence from the egg there are apparently only 8 joints in the
antennae, and Fischer states that the larvae of F. auricularia have at
first only 8 antennal joints; later on 12 joints are commonly found,
and, according to Bateson,[140] this number occasionally persists
even in the adult individual. Meinert says[141] that the newly hatched
Forficula has either 6 or 8 joints, and he adds that in the later portion
of the preparatory stage the number is 12. Considerable discrepancy
prevails in books as to the normal number of joints in the antennae
of the adult F. auricularia, the statements varying from 13 to 15. The
latter number may be set aside as erroneous, although it is, curiously
enough, the one given in the standard works of Fischer, Brunner,
and Finot. Meinert gives without hesitation 14 as the number;
Bateson, l.c., found that 14 joints occurred in 70 or 80 per cent of
adult individuals, that 13 was not uncommon, that 12 or 11
occasionally occurred, and that the number may differ in the two
antennae of the same individual. These variations, which seem at
first sight very remarkable, may with probability be considered as
due to the fact that in the young state the number of joints increases
with age, and that the organs are so fragile that one or more of the
joints is very frequently then lost, the loss being more or less
completely repaired during the subsequent development. Thus a
disturbing agency exists, so that the normal number of 14 joints is
often departed from, though it appears to be really natural for this
species. Bateson has also pointed out that when the normal number
of articulations is not present, the relative proportions of joints 3 and
4 are much disturbed. It is, however, probable that the increase in
number of the joints takes place by division of the third or third and
fourth joints following previous growth thereof, as in Termitidae; so
that the variations, as was suggested by Bateson, may be due to
mutilation of the antennae, and consequent incompletion of the
normal form of the parts from which the renovation takes place;
growth preceding segmentation—in some cases the growth may be
like that of the adult, while the segmentation remains more
incomplete. In the young the forceps of the two sexes differ but
slightly; the form of the abdominal rings is, on the contrary, according
to Fischer, already different in the two sexes in the early stage.

The common earwig has a very bad reputation with gardeners, who
consider it to be an injurious Insect, but it is probable that the little
creature is sometimes made the scapegoat for damage done by
other animals; it appears to be fond of sweets, for it often makes its
way to the interior of fruits, and it no doubt nibbles the petals, or
other delicate parts of flowers and vegetables. Camerano, however,
states, l.c., that the specimens he kept in confinement preferred
dead Insects rather than the fruits he offered them. Rühl considers
the earwig to be fond of a carnivorous diet, eating larvae, small
snails, etc., and only attacking flowers when these fail.[142] It has a
great propensity for concealing itself in places where there is only a
small crevice for entry, and it is possible that its presence in fruits is
due to this, rather than to any special fondness for the sweets. This
habit of concealing itself in chinks and crannies in obscure places
makes it an easy matter to trap the Insect by placing pieces of hollow
stalks in the situations it affects; inverted flower-pots with a little hay,
straw, or paper at the top are also effectual traps. We have remarked
that it is very rarely seen on the wing, and though it has been
supposed to fly more freely at night there is very little evidence of the
fact. Another British species, Labia minor, a smaller Insect, is,
however, very commonly seen flying.

Earwigs have the reputation of being fond of their young, and


Camerano describes the female of the common earwig as carefully
collecting its eggs when scattered, lifting them with its mandibles and
placing them in a heap over which it afterwards brooded. De
Geer[143] more than a century ago observed a fondness of the
mother for the young. After the eggs were hatched, Camerano's
individual, however, evinced no interest in the young. A larger
species, Labidura riparia (Fig. 110) is said to move its eggs from
place to place, so as to keep them in situations favourable for their
development.

The name "earwig" is said to be due to an idea that these creatures


are fond of penetrating into the ears of persons when asleep. Hence
these Insects were formerly much dreaded, owing to a fear that they
might penetrate even to the brain. There does not appear to be on
record any occurrence that could justify such a dread, or the belief
that they enter the ears. If they do not do so, it is certainly a curious
fact that a superstition of the kind we have mentioned occurs in
almost every country where the common earwig is abundant; for it
has, in most parts of Europe, a popular name indicating the
prevalence of some such idea. It is known as Ohren-wurm in
German, as perce-oreille in French, and so on. The expanded wing
of the earwig is in shape so very like the human ear, that one is
tempted to suppose this resemblance may in former ages have
given rise to the notion that the earwig has some connexion with the
human ear; but this explanation is rendered very improbable by the
fact that the earwig is scarcely ever seen with its wings expanded,
and that it is a most difficult matter to unfold them artificially, so that it
is very unlikely that the shape of the wings should have been
observed by untutored peoples.

The group Forficulidae seems to be most rich in species in warm and


tropical regions; several unwinged species are met with in the
mountainous districts of Europe; indeed, in some spots their
individuals are extremely numerous under stones. In Britain we have
a list of six species, but only two of these are to be met with; the
others have probably been introduced by the agency of man, and it
is doubtful whether more than one of these immigrants is actually
naturalised here. One of these doubtfully native species is the fine
Labidura riparia (Fig. 110), which was formerly found near
Bournemouth. Altogether about 400 species of earwigs are known at
the present time, and as they are usually much neglected by Insect
collectors, it is certain that this number will be very largely increased,
so that it would be a moderate estimate to put the number of existing
species at about 2000 or 3000. None of them attain a very large
size, Psalis americana being one of the largest and most robust of
the family; a few display brilliant colours, and some exhibit a colour
ornamentation of the surface; there are two or three species known
that display a general resemblance to Insects of other Orders. The
remarkable earwig represented in Fig. 102 (and which appears to be
a nondescript form—either species or variety—closely allied to P.
marmoricauda) was found by Baron von Hügel on the mountains of
Java; the femora in this Insect have a broad face which is turned
upwards instead of outwards, the legs taking a peculiar position; and
it is curious that this exposed surface is ornamented with a pattern.
The feature that most attracts attention on inspecting a collection of
earwigs is, however, the forceps, and this is the most marked
collective character of the group. These curious organs exhibit a very
great variety; in some cases they are as long as the whole of the rest
of the body, in others they are provided with tynes; sometimes they
are quite asymmetrical, as in Anisolabis tasmanica (Fig. 113); in
Opisthocosmia cervipyga, and many others they are curiously
distorted in a variety of ways. The classification of the earwigs is still
in a rudimentary state; the number of joints in the antennae, the form
of the feet, and (in the terrestrial forms) the shape of the rudimentary
wing-cases and wings being the characters that have been made
most use of by systematists; no arrangement into sub-families or
groups of greater importance than genera is adopted.
The only particulars we have as to the embryological development of
the earwig are due to Heymons.[144] The forceps spring from the
eleventh abdominal segment, and represent the cerci of other
Orthoptera. An egg-tooth is found to be present on the head for
piercing the egg-shell. The embryo reverses its curved position
during the development, as other Orthoptera have been observed to
do, but in a somewhat different manner, analogous to that of the
Myriapods.

Several fossil Forficulidae are known; specimens belonging to a


peculiar genus have been described from the Lower Lias of Aargau
and from the Jurassic strata in Eastern Siberia, but the examples
apparently are not in a very satisfactory state of preservation. In the
Tertiary formations earwigs have been found more frequently.
Scudder has described eleven species of one peculiar genus from
the Lower Miocene beds at Florissant in Colorado; some of these
specimens have been found with the wings expanded, and no doubt
that they were fully developed Forficulidae can exist. The fossil
species of earwigs as yet known do not display so remarkable a
development of the forceps as existing forms do.

Fig. 113.—Anisolabis tasmanica ♂.

Brauer and others treat the Forficulidae as a separate Order of


Insects—Dermaptera—but the only structural characters that can be
pointed out as special to the group are the peculiar form of the
tegmina and hind wings—which latter, as we have said on p. 206,
are considered by some to be formed on essentially the same plan
as those of other Orthoptera—the imbrication of the segments, and
the forceps terminating the body. The development, so far as it is
known, is that of the normal Orthoptera. Thus the Forficulidae are a
very distinct division of Orthoptera, the characters that separate
them being comparatively slight, though there are no intermediate
forms. Some of those who treat the Dermaptera as a sub-Order
equivalent to the rest of the divisions of the Order, call the latter
combination Euorthoptera.

Fam. II. Hemimeridae.

Apterous, blind Insects with exserted head, having a constricted neck, mouth
placed quite inferiorly; the thoracic sterna large, imbricate. Hind body elongate, the
segments imbricate, the dorsal plates being large and overlapping the ventral; the
number of visible segments being different according to sex: a pair of long
unsegmented cerci at the extremity. Coxae small, widely separated. Development
intra-uterine.

Fig. 114.—Hemimerus hanseni, female. Africa. (After Hansen.)

Fig. 115.—Under side of head and front of prothorax of Hemimerus. a,


base of antenna; b, articulation of antenna; c, labrum; d,
mandible; e, condyle of mandible; f, articular membrane of
mandible; g, stipes of maxilla; h, exterior lobe; i, palpus of maxilla;
k, submentum; l, mentum; m, terminal lobe of labium; n, labial
palp; o, plate between submentum and sternum; p, prosternum; q,
cervical sclerites. (After Hansen.)
In describing the labium of Mandibulata, p. 97, we alluded to the
genus Hemimerus as reputed to possess a most peculiar mouth.
When our remarks were made little was known about this Insect; but
a very valuable paper[145] by Dr. H. J. Hansen on it has since
appeared, correcting some errors and supplying us with information
on numerous points. M. de Saussure described the Insect as
possessing two lower lips, each bearing articulated palpi, and he
therefore proposed to treat Hemimerus as the representative of a
distinct Order of Insects, to be called Diploglossata. It now appears
that the talented Swiss entomologist was in this case deceived by a
bad preparation, and that the mouth shows but little departure from
the ordinary mandibulate type. There is a large inflexed labrum; the
mandibles are concealed by the maxillae, but are large, compressed,
and on their inner edge toothed. The maxillae are well developed,
are surmounted by two lobes and bear five-jointed palpi. The ligula
appears to be broad and short, and formed of two parts longitudinally
divided; the short palpi consist of three segments. The mentum is
very large. The lingua is present in the form of a free pubescent lobe
with a smaller lobe on each side. The structure of the pleura is not
fully understood; that of the abdomen seems to be very like the
earwigs, with a similar difference in the sexes. The cerci are
something like those of Gryllidae, being long, flexible, and
unsegmented. The legs have rather small coxae, and three-jointed
tarsi, two of which are densely studded with fine hairs beneath, as in
Coleoptera. It is difficult to detect the stigmata, but Dr. Hansen
believes there are ten pairs.

Fig. 116.—Foetus of Hemimerus. (After Hansen.) a, Antenna; b, organ


from the neck; c, cerci; d, membrane (? cast skins).
Fig. 117.—Hemimerus talpoides. Africa. (After de Saussure.) A, Upper;
B, under surface.

The species described by Dr. Hansen as H. talpoides is probably


distinct from that of Walker, though both come from equatorial West
Africa. Dr. Hansen's species, which may be called H. hanseni, has
been found living on the body of a large rat, Cricetomys gambianus;
the Insect occurred on a few specimens only of the mammal, but
when found was present in considerable numbers; it runs with
rapidity among the hairs and apparently also springs. The nature of
its food is by no means clear. Not the least remarkable fact in
connexion with this peculiar Insect is its gestation. The young are
borne inside the mother, apparently about six at a time, the larger
one being of course the nearest to the orifice. Dr. Hansen thinks the
young specimens are connected with the walls of the maternal
passages by means of a process from the neck of each. But the
details of this and other points are insufficiently ascertained; it is,
indeed, difficult to understand how, with a process of the kind of
which a fragment is shown in Fig. 116, b, the Insect could fix itself
after a detachment for change of position. The young is said to be
very like the adult, but with a simpler structure of the antennae and
abdomen. On the whole, it appears probable that Hemimerus is, as
stated by Dr. Hansen, a special family of Orthoptera allied to
Forficulidae; further information both as to structure and
development are, however, required, as the material at the
disposition of the Swedish entomologist was very small.

CHAPTER IX
ORTHOPTERA CONTINUED—BLATTIDAE, COCKROACHES

Fam. III. Blattidae—Cockroaches.

Orthoptera with the head deflexed, in repose concealed from above, being flexed
on to the under-surface with the anterior part directed backwards. All the coxae
large, free, entirely covering the sternal surfaces of the three thoracic segments,
as well as the base of the abdomen. The sternal sclerites of the thoracic segments
little developed, being weak and consisting of pieces that do not form a continuous
exo-skeleton; tegmina and wings extremely variable, sometimes entirely absent.
The wings possess a definite anal region capable of fan-like folding; rarely the
wing is also transversely folded. The three pairs of legs differ but little from one
another.

Fig. 118.—Heterogamia aegyptiaca. A, male; B, female. (After


Brunner.)

The Blattidae, or cockroaches, are an extensive family of Insects,


very much neglected by collectors, and known to the ordinary
observer chiefly from the fact that a few species have become
naturalised in various parts of the world in the houses of man. One
such species is abundant in Britain, and is the "black beetle" of
popular language; the use of the word beetle in connexion with
cockroaches is, however, entomologically incorrect. One or two
members of the family are also well known, owing to their being used
as the "corpora vilia" for students commencing anatomical
investigation of the Arthropoda; for this purpose they are
recommended by their comparatively large size and the ease with
which an abundant supply of specimens may always be procured,
but it must be admitted that in some respects they give but a poor
idea of Insect-structure, and that to some persons they are very
repulsive.
The inflexed position of the head is one of the most characteristic
features of the Blattidae; in activity it is partially released from this
posture, but the mouth does not appear to be capable of the full
extension forwards that is found in other Insects that inflex the head
in repose. The labium is deeply divided, the lingua forms a large lobe
reposing on the cleft. The maxillary palpi have two basal short joints,
and three longer joints beyond these; the labial palps consist of three
joints of moderate length. The under-surface of the head is formed in
large part by the submentum, which extends back to the occipital
foramen.

Fig. 119.—Under-surface of Periplaneta australasiae. c, Coxae.

The front of the head is the aspect that in repose looks directly
downwards; the larger part of it is formed by the clypeus, which is
separated from the epicranium by a very fine suture angulate in the
middle; there is a large many-facetted eye on each side; near to the
eye a circular space serves for the insertion of the antenna; close to
this and to the eye there is a peculiar small area of paler colour,
frequently membranous, called the fenestra, and which in the males
of Corydia and Heterogamia is replaced by an ocellus. The antennae
are very elongate and consist of a large number of minute rings or
joints, frequently about 100. The head is not inserted directly in the
thorax, as is the case in so many Insects; but the front of the thorax
has a very large opening, thus the neck between it and the head is of
more than usual importance; it includes six cervical sclerites.

The pronotum is more or less like a shield in form, and frequently


entirely conceals the head, and thus looks like the most anterior part
of the body; usually it has no marked angles, but in some of the
apterous forms the hind angles are sharp and project backwards. In
contrast to the pronotum the prosternum is small and feeble, and
consists of a slender lateral strip on each side, the two converging
behind to unite with a median piece, the prosternum proper. None of
these pieces of the ventral aspect of the prothorax are ordinarily
visible, the side-pieces being covered by the inflexed head, and the
median piece by the great coxae. In some of the winged Blattidae
(Blabera, e.g.) there is at the base of each anterior coxa a small
space covered by a more delicate membrane, that suggests the
possibility of the existence of a sensory organ there (Fig. 120, i).[146]
At the base of—above and behind—the front coxa the prothoracic
spiracle is situate.

Fig. 120.—Base of front leg and portion of prothorax of Blabera


gigantea. a, Under-side of pronotum; b, fold of pronotum?; c,
epimeron?; d, episternum?; e, trochantin; f, coxa; g, trochanter; h,
base of femur; i, presumed sense organ.

The meso- and meta-thoracic segments differ but slightly from one
another; the notal or dorsal pieces are moderately large, while the
sternal or ventral are remarkably rudimentary, and are frequently
divided on the middle line. Connected with the posterior part of each
sternum there is a piece, bent upwards, called by some anatomists
the furca; when the sterna are divided the furca may extend forwards
between them; in other cases it is so obscure externally as to leave
its existence in some doubt.

The sterna in Blattidae are remarkable for their rudimentary


structure. This is probably correlated with the great development of
the coxae, which serve as shields to the lower part of the body. The
pieces of the sterna are not only small, but are also of feeble
consistence—semi-membranous, in fact—and appear like thicker
portions of the more extensive and delicate membrane in which they
are situate; they sometimes differ considerably in the sexes of the
same species. The coxae have very large bases, and between them
and the sterna are some pieces that are grooved and plicate, so that
it is not easy to decide as to their distinctions and homology (Fig.
120). The second breathing orifice is a slit placed in a horny area in
the membrane between the middle and hind coxae.

The legs are remarkable for the large and numerous spines borne by
the tibiae, and frequently also by the femora: the trochanters are
distinct and of moderate size; the tarsi are five-jointed, frequently the
basal four joints are furnished with a pad beneath; the fifth joint is
elongate, bears two claws, and frequently between these a
projecting lobe or arolium; this process scarcely exists in the young
of Stilopyga orientalis, the common cockroach, though it is well
developed in the adult. The hind body or abdomen is always large,
and its division into rings is very visible, but the exact number of
these that can be seen varies according to age, sex, species, and to
whether the dorsal or ventral surface be examined. The differences
are chiefly due to the retraction and inflexion of the apical segments;
the details of the form of these parts differ in nearly every species. It
is, however, considered that ten dorsal and ventral plates exist,
though the latter are not so easily demonstrated as the former. The
basal segment is often much diminished, the first dorsal plate being
closely connected with the metanotum, while the first ventral may be
still more rudimentary; much variety exists on this point. In the
female two of the ventral terminal plates are frequently inflexed, so
as to be quite invisible without dissection. From the sides of the tenth
segment spring the cerci, flat or compressed processes very various
in size, length, and form, usually more or less distinctly jointed.
Systematists call the seventh ventral plate of the female the "lamina
subgenitalis," or the "lamina subgenitalis spuria," the concealed
eighth plate being in this latter case considered the true subgenital
plate. In the male this term is applied to the ventral plate of the ninth
segment, the corresponding dorsal plate being called the "lamina
supra-analis." These terms are much used in the systematic
definitions of the genera and larger groups.

The males, in addition to the cerci alluded to as common to both


sexes, are provided on the hind margin of the lamina subgenitalis
with a pair of slender styles. These are wanting in the females, but in
the common cockroach the young individuals of that sex are
provided, like the male, with these peculiar organs. M. Peytoureau
has described[147] the mode of their disappearance, viz. by a series
of changes at the ecdyses. Cholodkovsky, who has examined the
styles, considers them to be embryologically the homologues of true
legs.[148] These styles are said not to be present in any shape in
some species—Ectobia, Panesthia, etc.; this probably refers only to
the adults. In some cases a curious condition occurs, inasmuch as
one of the two styles is absent, and is replaced by a notch on the
right side, thus causing an asymmetry—Phyllodromia, Temnopteryx,
etc.

It has been found in several species that there are eight pairs of
abdominal spiracles, making, with the two thoracic, ten pairs in all.
The first of the abdominal spiracles is larger than the others, and in
the winged species may be easily detected by raising the tegmina
and wings, it being more dorsal in position than those following,
which are in some species exposed on the ventral surface owing to
the cutting away of the hind angles of the ventral plates; but the
terminal spiracles are in all cases difficult to detect, and it is possible
that the number may not be the same in all the species of the family.
The cerci exhibit a great deal of variety. In the species with elongate
tegmina and wings the cerci are elongate, and are like antennae in
structure; in many of the purely apterous forms the cerci appear to
be entirely absent (cf. Fig. 130, Gromphadorhina), but on
examination may be found to exist in the form of a small plate, or
papilla scarcely protuberant. In the males of Heterogamia they are,
on the contrary, very like little antennae; in the unwinged females of
this genus they are concealed in a chink existing on the under-
surface of the apex of the body.

The alar organs of Blattidae are of considerable interest from several


points of view. They exist in various conditions as regards size and
development, and in some forms are very large; each tegmen in
some species of the genus Blabera (Fig. 132) may attain a length of
nearly three inches; in other cases wings and tegmina are entirely
absent, and various intermediate conditions are found. In Fig. 121
we give a diagram of the tegmen or front wing, A, and the hind wing,
B, to explain the principal nervures and areas. The former are four in
number, and, adopting Brunner's nomenclature[149] for them, are
named proceeding from before backwards mediastinal, a; radial, b;
infra-median (or ulnar), c; and dividens, d. An adventitious vein, vena
spuria, existing in the hind wings of certain genera is marked sp in B.

Fig. 121.—Diagram of tegmen, A, and wing, B, in Blattidae. Nervures:


a, mediastinal; b, radial; c, ulnar or infra-median; d, dividens; sp,
spuria. Areas: 1, mediastinal or marginal; 2, scapular or radial; 3,
median; 4, anal or axillary.

The vena dividens is of great importance, as it marks off the anal or


axillary field, which in both tegmen and wing has a different system
of minor veins from what obtains in the rest of the organ; the veins
being in the anterior region abundantly branching and dichotomous
(Fig. 132), while in the anal field there is but little furcation, though
the nervures converge much at the base. The mediastinal gives off
minor veins towards the front only, the radial gives off veinlets at first
towards the front, but nearer the tip of the wings sends off minor
veins both backwards and forwards. The infra-median or ulnar vein
is very variable; it is frequently abbreviated, and on the whole is of
subordinate importance to the other three. These latter thus form
four chief areas or fields, viz.—1, mediastinal or marginal; 2,
scapular or radial; 3, median; and 4, anal. These nervures and
divisions may be traced in a large number of existing and fossil
Blattidae, but there are forms existing at present which it is difficult to
reduce to the same plan. In Euthyrhapha, found in the Pacific
Islands, the hind wings are long and project beyond the tegmina, and
have a very peculiar arrangement of the nervures; the species of
Holocampsa also possess abnormal alar organs, while the structure
of these parts in Diaphana (Fig. 122) is so peculiar that Brunner
wisely refrains from attempting to homologise their nervures with
those of the more normal Blattidae. The alar organs are frequently
extremely different in the two sexes of the same species of Blattidae,
and the hind wing may differ much from the tegmen as regards
degree of departure from the normal. So that it is not a matter for
surprise that the nervures in different genera cannot be satisfactorily
homologised.

Fig. 122.—Diaphana fieberi. Brazil. A, The Insect, natural size; B,


tegmen, and C, wing, magnified. (After Brunner.)

But the most peculiar wings in the family are the folded structures
found in some forms of the groups Ectobiides and Oxyhaloides
[Anaplectinae and Plectopterinae of de Saussure]. These have been
studied by de Saussure,[150] and in Fig. 123 we reproduce some of
his sketches, from which it will be seen that in B and C the wing is
divided by an unusual cross-joint into two parts, the apical portion
being also longitudinally divided into two pieces a and b. Such a form
of wing as is here shown has no exact parallel in any of the other
groups of Insects, though the earwigs and some of the Coleoptera
make an approach to it. This structure permits a very perfect folding
of the wing in repose. The peculiarities exhibited have been
explained by de Saussure somewhat as follows. In the ordinary
condition of Orthoptera the axillary or anal field (P) when the wings
are closed collapses like a fan, and also doubles under the anterior
part (H) of the wing along the line a a, in Fig. 123, A, the result being
similar to that shown by our Fig. 124. It will be noticed in Fig. 123, A,
that a small triangular area (t) exists at the tip of the wing just where
the fold takes place, so that when the wing is shut this little piece is
liberated, as shown in t, Fig. 124. In many Blattidae, e.g. Blabera
(Fig. 132), no trace of this little intercalated piece can be found, but
in others it exists in various degrees of development intermediate
between what is shown in Thorax porcellana (Fig. 123, A) and in
Anaplecta azteca (123, B), so that a, b of the latter may be looked on
as a greater development of the condition shown in A at t. It will be
noticed that the superadded part of the wing of 123, B, possesses no
venation, being traversed only by the line along which it folds; but in
the wing of Diploptera silpha, 123, C, the corresponding part is
complexly venated. This venation, as Brunner says,[151] is not an
extension of the ordinary venation of the wing, but is sui generis. It is
curious that though all the degrees of development between A and B
exist in various forms of the tribes Ectobiides and Oxyhaloides, yet
there is nothing to connect the veined apex of Diploptera with the
unveined one of Anaplecta.

Fig. 123.—Hind wings of Blattidae. A, Thorax porcellana; B, Anaplecta


azteca; C, Diploptera silpha. (After de Saussure.)
Fig. 124.—Hind wing of Blatta folded. t, Free triangular area. (After de
Saussure.)

The internal anatomy of Blattids has been investigated in only one or


two species. There are no great peculiarities, but some features of
minor interest exist. The alimentary canal (Fig. 125) is remarkable on
account of the capacious crop, and the small gut-like, chylific
ventricle; eight elongate pouches are situate on this latter part at its
junction with the gizzard.

The Malpighian tubules are very numerous and delicate; there are
extensive salivary glands and reservoirs; and on the anterior part of
the true stomach there are eight caecal diverticula. The great chain
of the nervous system consists in all of eleven ganglia—two
cephalic, three thoracic, and six abdominal.

The ovaries in Stilopyga orientalis consist each of eight egg-tubes,


placed at the periphery of a common receptacle or oviduct, the pair
of receptacles themselves opening into a common chamber—the
uterus—which is surrounded by a much branching serific or
colleterial gland. In this chamber the egg-case is formed from the
secretion of the gland just mentioned. According to Miall and Denny,
[152] there is a spermatheca which opens not into the uterus but into
the cloacal chamber behind it. Lowne doubts this diverticulum being
a true spermatheca. The manner in which the eggs are fertilised and
their capsule modelled is uncertain.[153]
Fig. 125.—Alimentary canal of Stilopyga orientalis. (After Dufour.) a,
Head; b, salivary glands; c, salivary reservoir; d, crop; e,
diverticula placed below proventriculus; f, stomach; g, small
intestine; h, rectum; i, Malpighian tubes; k, extremity of hind body.

The internal reproductive organs of the male are very complex in


Stilopyga orientalis; each testis consists of a number (30 to 40) of
vesicles placed on a tube which is prolonged to form the vas
deferens. There is a very peculiar large complex gland consisting of
longer and shorter utricles, opening into the vesiculae seminales,
and forming a "mushroom-shaped gland."[154] This gland is much
larger than the testes proper, which, it is said, lose early their
functional activity in the species in question, and shrivel. There is
another important accessory gland, the conglobate gland of Miall
and Denny, opening on a portion of the external copulatory armour.

Although some species of Blattidae are domesticated in our houses,


and their bodies have been dissected by a generation of anatomists,
very little is known as to their life histories. The common "black
beetle" of the kitchen is said by Cornelius to be several years in
attaining the adult state. Observations made at Cambridge by the
writer, as well as others now being carried on there by Mr. H. H.
Brindley, quite confirm this view, the extent of growth accomplished
in several months being surprisingly little, and the amount of food
consumed very small. It is therefore not improbable that the life of an
individual of this species may extend to five years. Phyllodromia
germanica, a species that is abundant in the dwellings of the peoples
of north-eastern Europe, attains its full development in the course of
a few months.

We have already alluded to the fact that in the Blattidae the eggs are
laid in a capsule formed in the interior of the mother-Insect. This
capsule is a horny case varying much in size and somewhat less in
form in the different species; it is borne about for some time by the
mother, who may not infrequently be seen running about with it
protruding from the hinder part of the body. Sooner or later the
capsule is deposited in a suitable situation, and the young
cockroaches emerge; it is said that they are sometimes liberated by
the aid of the mother. Mr. Brindley has found it very difficult to
procure the hatching of the young from their capsules.

Fig. 126.—Egg-capsules of European Blattidae. A, Ectobia lapponica;


B, Phyllodromia germanica; C, Heterogamia aegyptiaca. (After
Brunner.)

It is known that some Blattidae are viviparous. In the case of one


such species, Panchlora viridis, it appears probable that the egg-
capsule is either wanting, or is present in only a very imperfect form.
[155]

On emerging the young Blatta is in general form very similar to the


parent, though usually much paler in colour. After casting the skin an
uncertain number of times—not less than five, probably as many as
seven—it reaches the adult condition, the changes of outer form that
it undergoes being of a gradual nature, except that at the last
ecdysis the wings—in the case of the winged species—make their
appearance, and the terminal segments of the body undergo a
greater change of form. What mutations of shape may be undergone
by the thoracic segments previous to the final production of the
wings has not apparently been accurately recorded, Fischer's
opinion being evidently based on very slight observation. The little
that has been recorded as to the post-embryonic development since
the observations of Hummel[156] and Cornelius[157] will be found in
the works of Brunner.[158] According to this latter authority, in the
wingless species the terminal segments of the body have the same
form in the early stages as they have in the adult state, so that this
latter condition can only be recognised by the greater hardness of
the integument. When tegmina or wings are present in a well-
developed form in a Blattid, it is certain that the Insect is adult; and
when there can be seen at the side of the mesonotum or metanotum
a piece, however small, separated by a distinct suture, it may be
correctly assumed that the individual is an adult of a species having
only rudimentary alar organs. The adult female of the common
Stilopyga orientalis shows this phenomenon.

The cockroaches are remarkable for the excessive rapidity with


which they run, or rather scurry, their gait being very peculiar. The
common domestic forms, when alarmed, disappear with great agility,
seeking obscure corners in which to hide themselves, it being part of
their instinct to flee from light. Hence they are called lucifugous, and
are most of them entirely nocturnal in their activities. In the South of
Europe and other warmer regions many Blattidae may, however, be
found on bushes and foliage in the daytime; these, when alarmed,
fall down and run off with such speed and in so tortuous a manner,
that it is a very difficult matter to seize them. It is recorded that the
males of the genus Heterogamia are attracted by lights, though their
apterous females keep themselves concealed underground in sandy
places.

We may take this opportunity of alluding to the attraction that light


exerts on Insects. Many species that conceal themselves during the
daytime and shun light as if it were disagreeable, are at night-time so
fascinated by it that it is the cause of their destruction. The quantity
of Insects killed in this way by electric and other bright lights is now
enormous; in many species the individuals immolate themselves by
myriads. It would appear that only nocturnal and winged species are

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