Ma journal psy

CHIA KEH CHIAN | 0322062 | FNBEJAN2015/AUG | MONDAY 10AM-12AM
Name: Chia Keh Chian
Student ID: 0322062
Group / Session: Monday 10am-12pm
Subject and Course: Social Psychology
Submission date: 16/11/15

Journal 1 :
Chapter 1 - What is Social Psychology
Social Loafing (9/9/2015)
The idea of working in groups is usually seen as a way to improve the
accomplishment of a task by pooling the skills and talents of the individuals in that
group. But, in some groups, there is a tendency on the part of participants to
contribute less to the group's goal than if they were doing the same task themselves.
We call this situation as ‘social loafing’. Social loafing is a theory discovered by Max
Ringelmann in 1833. It refers to the concept that people are tend to put less effort on
a task if they are in a group, compared to when they are required work alone,
because all members of the group are putting their effort to achieve a common goal,
each member of the group contributes less than they would if they were individually
responsible. In group work, individual effort always cannot be identified. Social
loafing can affect group dynamic, which results in less productivity and more
emotional tension. Besides, it lowers the level of satisfaction for the task in all
members of the group. Social loafing can be caused by low motivation, diffusion of
responsibility, large group size and expectations towards the others.
As a human who is categorizedas social animal, we meet and communicate with a
lot of people daily, such as our family members, neighbours, friends or even strangers.
In addition, I am a university student where I need to work in a group for half of my
assignments. Usually one group consist of 4 to 5 person but for some projects, ten

person might be assigned in a group, which means all the ten person have to work
together to achieve a common goal.
There are a lot of incidents that show social loafing in my life. For example, during
high school, all students were required to clean our respective classroom and school
compound which was divided to all classes on the last day of school before any
holiday. In my class, half of the students did not take it seriously including me. Every
time when we were required to do so, all of us were just walking around and chatting,
talking about our holiday plans and random stuffs excitedly. There was once, just
when me and my friends thought we can leave the cleaning job to the others, the
discipline teacher came to our classroom and punished everyone, because none of us
was doing our job. Instead, most of us were just holding the cleaning tools and
pretending to be doing work. We were all relying on the others, expecting the others
will do the job. As a result, all of us were forced to stay back for half an hour to clean
our classroom as a punishment.
Besides, I’ve also experienced social loafing when I was with my family. Remember
there were once, my father drove us to Kuantan to join my uncle’s open house party.
My uncle moved there for his job. Before that, none of our relatives stayed at Kuantan,
so it was our first time travelling there. Unfortunately, we got lost while on our way to
their house. My father was worried and anxious that we could not reach there on
time, so he asked us to search for the right direction to his house on GPS. At that
time, all of us were too lazy to do so, my sisters and I pretended to be sleeping, and
secretly hope the other party will obey my father’s order to search for the direction.
At the end, none of us helped my father, so he was forced to stop at a place to check

for it by himself. Resultantly, he was fined for parking his car at a penalty zone. We
continued our journey to Kuantan right after that but the atmosphere in car changed
completely, it was quiet and gloomy. Not only that, we were two hours late to my
uncle’s party. My sisters and I were very regretted for our action. We did not know
social loafing could bring so many negative consequences.
Another example of social loafing in my life just happened not long ago. It was a
group project assigned by our constructed landscape lecturer. For that project, we
were required to produce an A4 booklet of site analysis and site synthesis of one of
our group members, Michelle’s house. It was actually a simple project plus there were
eight of us in a group, while other groups have only seven, but we stayed overnight,
rushing to finish our project on the day before the submission. Before that, none of
us contributed any effort on it; all of us were just focusing on our own individual
projects, as there were a few projects going on during that time. We reflected upon
ourselves after the booklet was submitted. We were all regretted that all we did
before was merely expecting the others will pay effort to complete the work even if
we don’t, and that was a very selfish and thoughtless action.

Journal 2 :
Chapter 2 - The Self
Self-Serving Bias (17/9/2015)
The self-serving bias refers to our tendency to take personal credit for success while
blaming outside sources for our failures. Essentially, we tend to believe that our
successes are due to internal traits and talents, while our failures are caused by
variables outside of our control. In many cases, this cognitive bias allows peopleto
protect their self-esteem. By attributing positive events to personal characteristics,
people get a boost in confidence. At the other side, by denying responsibility and
blaming outside forces for failures peopleprotect their self-esteem and absolve
themselves from personal responsibility. In short, we, human beings tend to make
positive attributions that allow us to see ourselves in the best possible way, and to
make negative attributions for negative outcomes. It is usually caused by depression,
self-esteem, role in the situation, locus of control and culture.
Self-serving bias happens at everywhere in our life. I myself have experienced it
several times before. Back in high school, I had a friend who liked to play basketball. I
remember what happened when he joined his first basketball tournament last year.
On that day, we went to watch the competition as a support. The match was brilliant
but at the end, his team lost. As soon as he met us after the match, he started to

complain that the weather was too hot, which adversely affected his performance.
According to him, he did not manage to do his best during the game because of the
overwhelming heat. He also complaint about his team mates, he said they did not
spend enough time to practice which caused them not good enough in passing ball.
His act showed that he did not take the responsibility for his team’s failure. He made
external attributions by blaming the weather and his teammates instead of evaluating
his own performance.
A few months later, my friend joined another basketball game again. His team won
that match at last. We congratulated him sincerely and held a small celebration for
him after that. During the celebration, he could not stop telling us how hard he
trained his members and himself, and how much time and energy he had sacrificed
for the competition. He told us he deserved the victory. This time, he made internal
attributions for their team’s success. He attributed the positive outcome to his skills
and sacrifices.
When I was younger, I myself had practiced self-serving bias without any conscious,
until my mother advised me not to point finger when I am the one who did
something wrong. Instead, I should reflect upon my own mistake. I was in standard
six at that time. My mother brought me to my grandmother’s house. I still remember
that I broke my grandmother’s favourite teapot. Due to this self-serving bias that I
had in my thinking, I did not take responsibility of this mistake. Instead of apologizing,
I blamed her for putting it near the edge of the table, which caused it fell easily. Also,
I complaint the floor that was just mopped by my auntie was too slippery but in fact,
it was because of my carelessness and playfulness.

Other than that, I remember there was another time when I practiced self-serving
bias again. It happened when I was form three. I was the director of a play, I wrote the
script, distributed the characters and monitored every practice but on the
performance day, some of the members still did some big mistakes. Consequently,
our play was criticised and graded badly by our teacher. I was very angry and scolded
them for the mistake that they had made, which I thought was unforgiveable. I had
worked so hard so it, why would I end up getting a bad grade? I kept thinking that
my members ruined everything. That is when I had the self-serving bias thinking. I
made external attribution by blaming my team members for this negative outcome.
Afterwards, when I calmed myself down I apologized to them for what I had done. I
realized that it was not just their fault. We were a team. If one of us did mistake, that
meant all of us was responsible for it. If I had worked harder on monitoring their
practice, pointing out their mistakes and correcting them, this will not happen.
The last example is taken from my younger sister. She started to learn piano since
two years ago. She once decided to quit her piano lessons and insisted to change her
piano teacher when she failed her first piano exam. According to what she complaint
to my father, her piano teacher was always late to class and did not pay attention to
her while she was playing. My father had to choice but sent her to another teacher.
Recently, she had just passed her second piano exam and this time, she made
internal attribution to her success. She told us that she practised a lot this time and
her skills had improved, therefore she deserved it.

Journal 3 :
Chapter 3 – Social Cognition
Counterfactual Thinking (24/9/2015)
Counterfactual thinking is a psychology concept that involves the human tendency
to create possible alternatives to life events that have already occurred; something
that is contrary to what actually happened. This often happens in 'if only...' and ‘at
least…’ situations, where we wish something had or had not happened. Usually, it is
associated with negative events. In fact, counterfactual thinking can be used to
improve or worsen human’s mood. There are two types of counterfactual thinking,
which are upward counterfactuals and downward counterfactuals. In upward
counterfactuals, we think of what we should have done. For example, when we failed
a test, we will imagine our result ‘if only’ we had studied harder. Most probably, we
might end up with a better result. On the other hand, downward counterfactual refers
to our imagination about worse things that did not happen. For example when we
lost our wallets, we tell ourselves, ‘at least’ I am safe, or ‘at least’ there were not much
cash. Counterfactual thinking often happens around situations of perceived 'luck'.
No matter big or small, good or bad, we encounter countless of incidents in
everyday life. We always use counterfactual thinking to imagine another outcome.

Most of the time, I use downward counterfactual thinking to improve my mood when
something bad or unlucky happen to me.
For example recently, I followedmy father and his friends to cycle. It was my first
time riding a mountain bike. I was quite afraid at first because the bicycle size was
actually too big for me, but I managed to overcome my fear. Unfortunately, I fell
down at the roadside while on the way home. My limbs experienced some minor
injuries and the worse thing was 3 of my teeth were broken into half in that accident.
As a girl who always wants to look beautiful, I was depressed. And that was the time I
cheered myself up with downward counterfactual thinking. I told myself; at least I did
not hurt my face, so there will be no scratches and scars on my face. Other than that,
although I lost my teeth, at least it can be recovered by doing crowning. Most
importantly, at least I was safe and sound as there were no cars passing by during
that time. On the other hand, my father experienced both upward and downward
counterfactual thinking. My father blamed himself for not changing a smaller bicycle
which suited me more for me, so that the accident could be prevented. He also said if
only he took care of me well enough, this accident will not happen. At the bright side,
he told me although he had spent four thousand ringgit for my teeth crowning and
his bicycle repairing, at least he was very happy to see that I am safe and look like
before again.
However, I am not an optimistic girl all the time. Sometimes, I do regret about my
choices and can’t stop thinking about different and better outcomes if I had made
another choice. These upward counterfactual thinking usually causes me regret, it
worsen my mood and leads to depression. For example, I always had this thinking

whenever I received bad grades. I wished I had studied more and not procrastinated
that much. If only I did that, I probably would not end up with getting bad grades.
Not only that, since I entered university, I have always regretted for not starting my
assignment earlier, but always rushing to finish them when the submission dates
were just around the corner. I always wondered how my semester one results will be
if I made use of my time fully and wisely.
One of the most unforgettable incidents in my life was my pet dog, Molly’s death
three years ago. Molly is a Chihuahua that I had kept as a pet dog since I was 10. It
died in a car accident as it ran out from our house gate without us noticing; Molly
was struck by a car and died on the spot. After this heart-breaking accident, I could
not stop but kept blaming myself for not locking the gate properly, which led to
Molly’s death. If only I had checked and assured the gate is locked, Molly would not
have died. This upward counterfactual thinking affected my mood in a negative way
for a long period of time; I could not get over its death and I really wish I have the
power to go back in time to change everything. If only I am able to do so, Molly
could still be alive. I could still see it every day, showing me its innocent eyes
whenever it wanted food and shaking its tails to welcome my return from school and
anywhere else. If only I could.

Journal 4 :
Chapter 4 – Perception (1/10/2015)
The confirmation Bias
The confirmation bias is human’s tendency to give more attention and weight to
information that support our beliefs, and ignore or under weigh evidence that could
disconfirm or contradicts with our beliefs. Therefore, it is also called myside bias.
According to this psychology concept, we are more likely to search for, interpret, or
recall information in a way that confirms our beliefs or hypotheses. We always like to
imagine that our hypothesis are rational, logical, and objective, but the fact is that our
ideas are often based on paying attention to the information that upholds our ideas
and ignoring the information that challenges our existing beliefs. In other words, the
confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias that involves favouring information that
confirms previously existing hypotheses or biases; it is also an error of inductive
inference toward confirmation of the hypothesis under study. According to Francis
Bacon, it is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human understanding to be more
moved and excited by affirmatives than by negatives.

Confirmation biases not only impact how people collect information, but they also
influence how people analyse, interpret and recall information. The disadvantageof
having this selective thinking is that it can prevent us from looking at situations fairly
and objectively, and then influence the decisions we make. Most of the times, it can
lead to poor or faulty choices. If we become blinded to evidence truly refuting a
favoured hypothesis, we have crossed the line from reasonableness to closed-
mindedness.
Unconsciously, I myself and my family had practice the confirmation bias too. I
came from a Chinese family. During primary, I studied in a Chinese school, SJK (C)
Merlimau where 95% of the students and teachers were all Chinese. I spent six years
there, mixing with my Chinese friends, talking and learning in Chinese language. After
UPSR examination, I told my parents that I wanted to continue my studies at a
Malaysian Chinese Independent High School located in Malacca, which is Pay Fong
High School. My parents were not agreed with me because it is an independent high
school; they thought their certificate will not be approved by the government. To
prove them wrong, I started to ask around. I approached to my seniors who were
studying in government school about the disadvantages of their school, and they
told me the teachers are always absent, the toilets are mostly dirty and sometimes
the Malay students like to disturb Chinese girls. In addition, I also asked my senior
who was studying in Pay Fong High School about the advantages of Chinese
independent school; she told me the students there are all very well disciplined, their
co-curricular activities are fun, the teachers are mostly fun, classes are interactive and
they always have outdoor activity day to enhance their study experience.

After collecting these data that supported my beliefs, which was Chinese
independent school is better than government school, I convinced my parents about
why they should send me to a Chinese independent school instead of a government
school with my points. However, my parents also did their research based on their
bias. In opposite, they asked their friends about the disadvantages of studying in
Chinese independent school and started to convince me to give up the idea because
firstly, their certificate is not as ‘good’ as government school’s certificate according to
them, secondly, the school fee and all those extra fees is expensive and thirdly, they
said it is better to mix with people with different races because we are living in a
multiracial country.
All in all, both party (me and my parents) were actively searching for evidences and
information that support our own hypothesis. At last, my parents sent me to
government school but thanks god; I had five years of amazing school life there.
Another example of self-confirmation bias also happened in my family. When we
were younger, my sisters and I had always begged to have a pet dog but my mother
was scared of and disliked animals. She did not allow us to keep any animal in our
house. Her reasons were dogs are dirty and naughty, they cause destructions and
hard to take care of. She also stated that it will distract us from studying. To make our
wish come true, my sisters and I were always searching for relevant articles to show
my mother. Having this confirmation bias, instead of searching articles like ‘Are dogs
good for a family?’, ‘Advantages and disadvantages of having a pet dog’, we only
seek for information that support our beliefs, such as ‘Why dogs are human’s best
friend’, ’10 reasons why you must have a dog at home’, ‘Dogs are sources of

happiness’ to convince our mother. Lastly, my mother was convinced and bought us a
Chihuahua, we named it as Molly. That was the happiest day in my life. Luckily, my
mother started to give up on her bias and accept Molly as our new family member
with open heart.
Journal 5 :
Chapter 5 - Attitudes
Observational Learning (10/10/2015)
Observational learning is a theory suggested by Albert Bandura. It refers to shaping,
modelling or social learning which occurs by observing, retaining, and replicating
behaviour seen from models. Models are the individuals that perform the imitated
behaviour. This type of learning can take place at any stage in life; it tends to be the
most common and particularly important during childhood as children observe and
learn from the authority figures in their lives, especially their parents. During this
period, children learn how to behave and respond to others by observing how their
parents interact with each other and with other people. A countless amount of
learning happens through this process of observing and imitating others.
Observational learning can teach completely new behaviours or can affect the
frequency of previously learned behaviours. It can also encourage previously
forbidden behaviours. Observational learning also explainedhow we acquire
attitudes, fears, opinions or specific behaviours.
As human who live in community, we engaged in social learning naturally, as we
meet and communicate with a lot of people daily. Since I was young, I have always

been following my parents’ behaviours because they are the people that I am with
most of the time. It is both a good thing and a bad thing because no one is flawless,
my parents have their good sides and of course their bad side too. Unconsciously, I
have observed and imitated some of their good habits and also bad habits in daily
life. For example, all of my family members practice a common bad habit- we talk
while we eat and speak while our mouths full. Dinner time is also known as our family
bonding time; we sit together and share our stories while eating. That is the reason
why we tend to talk a lot during dinner, even when there is food in our mouth.
Besides, I always make a ‘slurrrrrrp’ sound whenever I am drinking soup or any hot
drinks, which is considered as a rude action. I was influenced by my father, it occurred
naturally; I did not realize it until my mother pointed it out. Other than that, just like
my father, I sang loudly in shower since I was young. Sometimes, it annoys my sister.
A few of the good habits that I acquired by observational learning is I don’t smoke, I
don’t drink carbonated drink and I respect old people just like my parents do. None
of them smoke and they have always been warning us not to do so because smoking
has bad effects on our health and self-esteem, it also influences the way how others
see us. Besides, there is also no chance that people will see carbonated drink in our
house fridge because none of us likes it. We all think that carbonated drink tastes bad
and weird with the tremendous amount of gas it contains. It also contains high sugar
content which causes obesity. Lastly, my parents have always taught us to respect old
people by practising it by themselves. Not only they respect their own parents who
are my grandparents, they are also very generous and kind towards the other elderly
people. My siblings and I are aware of we should respect old people since small
because our parents brought us to visit old folks home and give them some help

before. Until now, I always respect golden ager, by giving them seats on bus, helping
them to carry their stuffs and donating money to them when I have chances to do so.
Years ago, an Indian family was my neighbours, they moved away last year because
of some unhappy incidents. They lived in poverty because the father was unemployed;
he was also a habitual drunkard who always beat his wife and children. We always
heard noise from their house, sometimes it was a woman’s wailing; sometimes it was
some shouting and crying noise. Besides, I always saw used cigarettes in front of their
house. One of his children was my schoolmate; he was always alone and very quiet in
school. Sometimes, my friends and I saw bruises on his body but we dared not do
anything because we were afraid of the troubles that we might get involved in.
Last year, he was expelled from school because it was found out that he had 3
packets of illegal cigarettes and drugs in his school bag. Also, he was caught for
smoking in the toilet. Not long later, their entire family moved away from their house
quietly. I heard from my other neighbours saying that the father was caught for
taking and selling drugs. I felt sorry for the wife and the children, especially the one
who was influenced by his father. He could had have a bright future if he had a good
model to observe and learn from but sadly, he did not has a choice to choose his
own parents and environment that he grew up.

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