Social Cognition Case Study

Kunda, Z. (1999). Automatic processes: Judgment and behavior without awareness, intention, control, or effort (Ch. 7, pp. 265-309). In Social Cognition.
1. Is it possible to be more accurate about the causes of our behaviors or to help our clients be more aware of their own causes of their behaviors?
 It should be possible for us to detect automatically triggered affect by examining its consequences for subsequent judgment. The automaticity of affect can lead to clients dysfunctional thinking and may influence their behaviors. By educating clients on the impact of their thoughts and feelings on their behaviors, they may become more aware of how they cause their behaviors.
 Similarly, psychologists could try to assist clients to develop a

A., & Chartrand, T. L. (1999). The unbearable automaticity of being. American Psychologist, 54(7), 462-479.
1. Since “the ability to exercise… conscious, intentional control is actually quite limited,” how can clinicians help patients make important changes given what Bargh & Chartrand describe?
 By educating clients that conscious processes are acts of which individuals are aware, intentional, requires effort, and that they are in control of. Psychologists could reinforce to clients that mental capacities are essential in simplifying and understanding the world. As psychologists, we can encourage and teach clients to better recognize automatic disruptive thinking and explore ways to substitute then with more rational processes.
 Psychologists could educate clients on the fact that given the restriction imposed by conscious thinking, automatic thoughts are used to assist individuals to prioritize, organize, and respond to information more efficiently as it eliminates the need to focus on the different aspects of information individuals need to process individual to make decisions.
 Psychologist could also try to normalize clients’ experiences that negative thoughts are not brought on by themselves but instead automatically present themselves effortlessly and intentionally and will linger if they decide to harbor

Dijksterhuis, A., & Nordgren, L. F. (2006). A theory of unconscious thought. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1(2), 95-109.
1. Dijksterhuis & Nordgren report that people who act automatically or unconsciously demonstrate less stereotype-driven behavior, not more. This is in contrast to much of the theory and evidence about stereotypes. Why do you agree or disagree with them?
 I agree, as unconscious thoughts do not require attention but has a high capacity of consciousness which is limited and does not have the ability to do more than one thing at a time. It therefore implies that individuals who exhibit stereotypical behaviors are often limited in their ability to consider all the possible factors at interplay in producing social behaviors.
 Similarly, unconscious processes work bottom-up which implies the uncovering of values that are already present. As such, individuals are generally not aware of their stereotyping