- The document is a student's journal entries for a social psychology class discussing various concepts including confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, spotlight effect, halo effect, and observational learning. - The student provides personal examples for how each concept has manifested in their own experiences, such as ignoring a group member's ideas due to preconceptions, justifying excessive computer use, and learning drinking habits from peers. - Through recounting past experiences, the student demonstrates their understanding of how social psychology concepts like biases and learning can influence perceptions and behavior.

1. FNBE08/14 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY JOURNAL TANYONGCHIEN | 0320200
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN
Foundation of Natural BuildEnvironment (FNBE)
Name :Tan Yong Chien
Student ID No :0320200
Group/Session :Thursday (4pm – 6pm)
Subject :Social Psychology
Intake :14 August 2014
Lecturer :Mr. Shankar Thiruchelvam

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Journal 01
Confirmation Bias
I’ve learnt the concept of confirmation bias during psychology class. Here is an example that I’ve
been through. When I was form 3, I had this project for science where I have to work with another 5
classmates. We were not allowed to choose our own group members. However,one of my members,
Johnson, was very weak in science and he never did well in any science exam. I was very upset and
angry at the same time for having him in my group. I really wanted to score well in the project but I
felt very disappointed because of him in my group as I thought that he won’t be able to be helpful in
this project. Every time during the discussion, I ignored his ideas and opinions. In the end, my teacher
liked his idea the most and because his idea we managed to get an A for the project. I was shocked at
that moment. I then realized that I was wrong for being so biased. I think that I was biased in the
beginning for having a thought that he will be not able to help us in this project because of his
previous moves. In this situation, it is defined as confirmation bias. We tend to find evidence which
matches with our beliefs and ignore evidence that could disconfirm our beliefs. I rejected Johnson’s
idea because of his smartness and it will not be helpful throughout doing the project.

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Confirmation Bias
About two months ago, I surfed a website called www.shoehouze.com. It is a website that selling
some famous brand of sports and casualshoes. As a ‘kicks’ collector, I love this website because the
detail is written clearly of every shoes in this website. I decided to order and buy the shoes from this
website because of my busy university’s life. First and foremost, I did a lot of research of this website
from viewing all the reviews from their customers. I did contact the customer reception of this
website. He showed me all the messages from their customers that praised them and said will be back
for second piece. The website was overrated by the online reviews. However,my brother told me that
he had some bad experience from the online shopping before. It was paying the price which was 50
dollar cheaper than the malls and when he received the stock, it was not genuine and poor in quality. I
was taken aback by his words but I did not listen to him. Today, I went to the ATM and readied to
bank in the money to their bank account, suddenly my friend called me and told me that he had
received the new shoes that he ordered 2 weeks ago and the quality of it was just like how my brother
told me. He sent the photo of the shoes to me and I was shocked. Through this experience,
confirmation bias is shown through this experience of mine. I read the positive reviews and messages
about this website and had the schema that this website is going to be honest but it is not when I found
out.

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Journal 02
Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors. This
will lead to a feeling of discomfort in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviors. I have experienced
cognitive dissonance which is I love to play computer games since I get my first computer as my
birthday present. My parents scolded me every time whenever I was on my computer because I spent
5 to 6 hours a day on it. They scolded me almost every day and asked me to stop playing it and
advised me it is bad for our eyes. I did not care and I continued playing it even though I know that is
bad for my eyes. I kept telling myself that I did not play that much compared to my friends. They can
even play for whole a day and they are not wearing spectacles. I told myself not everyone who plays
computer game will have bad eyesight and I am not ‘the everyone’. So I had convinced myself that
spending 5 to six hours will not affect too much on my eyes. Hence,I have reduce dissonance in
adding new information that outweighs the dissonant beliefs. For example, I have been telling myself
that not everyone will get their eye affected when they spend over the limit on playing computer
games. I was making myself to feel more comfortable even though that I know I was wrong. The
theory of cognitive dissonance starts from the thinking that we only seek consistency in our beliefs
and attitudes where two cognitions are inconsistent.

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Cognitive Dissonance
There is another situation in which I have experienced cognitive dissonance. During the first semester
of university. I started to love all the branded clothes, shoes, accessories etc. I always want to buy all
those things whenever I am shopping at the high class malls. My mom tried to stop me from buying
the expensive stuffs but I never once listen to her. There were many people who kept telling me not to
buy these unnecessary luxury stuffs because you will never stop buying due to the new collection they
never stop manufacturing. I told them that I don’t buy very often and I even saving money when I get
my pocket money so there is nothing to worry about. I added an excuse to reduce the importance of
the cognitions which I telling everyone that I saved money from my pocket money. I was making
myself to feelbetter for spending money on the unnecessary stuffs by an excuse. By adding
something to reduce its importance of cognitions can be one of the ways to reduce dissonance.

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Journal 03
Spot light effect
The first thing that came to my mind when I heard the explanation of spot light effect,it was my high
school teacher,Mrs Nirmala. She taught me 3 years subject of History when I was 15. She is the most
kind and humble teacher I ever met, not to be forgotten. However,we don’t really listen to what she
taught all the time, because History is an extremely boring class. One day, when Mrs Nirmala was
teaching us, out of the blue, she finally felt she got annoyed because whole of our class was not
listening at all, instead we were all talking aloud. She decided to keep quiet and walk out from the
classroom. Yet,no one realize she was staring from outside the class because we were busy talking to
each other. When she realize that we don’t even care about her actions and she got angry and threw
the text book and pen that she was holding across the classroom. This caught our attention and we
looked at her. We then realize that Mrs Nirmala was angry due to our bad behaviour. We all remained
silent after her actions. This spotlight effect phenomenon is shown by Mrs Nirmala. The tendency to
think that more people notice something about you than they do.

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Journal 04
The Halo Effect
Halo effect is a cognitive bias that the impressions of an individual influence the observer’s thoughts
and feelings about that individual. I have an experience of this effect which was when I first step in
University Taylor’s Lakeside I met a guy like me which is new intake. The first impression of him
was quite arrogant, talkative and rude. I didn’t really like to get close to him because I think he will
ruin my university life. I tried to avoid from him but unfortunately I drop in the same group with him
on the orientation group. He never listen to others’ opinions which I already expected from the first
day I met him. It made me hate her more and more due to his attitude and bad manners. I believed
everything is just my own judgement to him until this day came. We finally had a chance to make
long conversation. He was a very kind and with an open handed personality. He did help me and gave
me some suggestions when I have no idea in harsh situation. I found that I was actually misunderstand
him and judged everything too early and it was not fair to him. Sorry bro…

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The Halo Effect
I am an “Apple” fans. I’ve bought their very first product until the latest one. I still remember I argued
with my girlfriend because she is a Samsung fans. I broke my iPad Air because I accidently dropped it
on the floor and the screen cracked. The cost of repairing almost can let me get a Samsung latest
tablet. My girlfriend said Samsung tablet will be better than Apple ones because it is made in Korea
and it is a worldwide company now. I won’t feel like changing it to the brand I don’t like. This
recalled me I said to my girlfriend that Samsung product will never be good as Apple. Everything was
from my thought and I didn’t even touch or play on Samsung product before because I think they will
be very complicated to use. This shown halo effect as I had a favourable experience with Apple and I
do not want to switch or try other brands. I know the price of Apple gadgets are double or maybe
triple times compare to other brands. I would probably buy new product simply from apple.

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Journal 05
Observational Learning
The concept of observational learning is learning that occurs through observing the behaviour of
others for example watching others and imitates actions himself. During my university life period, my
high school’s friends would always ask me out to drink beer with them in the pub. I was told by my
mother not to have bad habits like smoking or drinking. But every time when my father did that she
didn’t scold him. Hence I think it is not too serious that I drink beer as I am already 19 years old this
year. So I actually learnt this bad habit from my friends and father as I have observed their actions and
followed them. Out of the blue, I met my father in the same pub where I went with my friends. He did
not scold me but ask me to follow him back. On the way we back, he told me the reasons why he went
to pub and it was acceptable but he did not accept my reason for going to place like that. From that
day onwards, my father would always stay at home and not drinking anymore so I observed his
behaviour and action and followed him not to stay late night at outside. I will see my father as my role
model because he plays an very important role in teaching me doing the right things.

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Observational Learning
When I first came in to our first class of foundation studies, I had no ideas with all the assignments
which related to drawing because I never knew that study quantity survey needs to know a lot of
drawing and designing. I never be prepared before I enter this field but I saw my friends that also
going to pursue their degree on quantity survey and they did well on all their home works and
assignment that relate to drawing and designing. I wondered how they did that and so stated to
observe and follow the steps they took to achieve the results. They told me their ideas and thoughts
were all come from the research they did. After a period of observing them on doing their works, I
will also do research before all the assignments and home works come to me.