1. The document contains summaries of chapters from a social psychology course on stereotypes, self-serving bias, confirmation bias, social learning through peers, and pluralistic ignorance. 2. It discusses the author's own stereotype of taxi drivers based on news reports, an example of self-serving bias in blaming external factors for their exam performance, and how they fell victim to confirmation bias in anticipating a movie. 3. It also describes how meeting new peers helped the author gain confidence by observing their behaviors, and an experience with pluralistic ignorance where others did not help during a car accident due to fear of getting involved.

1. Name : Chong Yee Ching
Student ID : 0316102
Session : 4:00-7:00 pm
Subject : Social Psychology [PSYC0103]
Course : FNBE 07/13
Submission date : 12nd of May, 2014

2. Stereotype (Chapter 3)
From the newspapers, we can always see news about victims being robbed or raped by
taxi drivers during their journey towards their destination. Therefore, I have this stereotype
that every taxi driver is bad, so for me, riding a taxi is risky, if I have to go somewhere, taxi
would never be my first choice transport. I remembered once I had no choice but to take a
taxi back to hostel from KL Sentral, that was the first time I took a taxi ride for the past 18
years, I was so anxious and I felt so insecure, but still, I bought the taxi coupon and got in
the taxi. I sat at the back and started to think of ways to run away if something really
happens, but then, the driver started to talk to me, I was stunned, but then I still politely
answered his question then thought of stopping the conversation, but the driver was too
friendly, he start to ask me questions, I lied about some of the personal details like course I
am taking, etc. Even though he tried hard to ease the awkwardness, I still could not let my
guard down. When I finally reached my hostel, I quickly got my luggage then went into the
room, still could not stop worrying. Since I do not have a car in here, there is always time
that I need to take taxi, when I am riding alone I will be really alert and try to recognize the
road. When I am taking taxi with my friends, I will still be very keen on taking pictures of the
taxi’s details, which is attached on the dashboard to send to other friends who are not on
the taxi to keep us safe and know who to go for if emergency happens. Sometimes I will
even open an app, “find my friends” for other friends to keep track of our location. Even
after so many tours by taxi, it is still difficult for me to let my guard down since articles of
these crime cases are still coming out.

3. Self-serving bias (Chapter 4)
This is one of my favorite concept as it somehow relates to me. For SPM, moral studies and
history were set to be compulsory subjects, whereby every candidate need to register for
these two subjects in order to take part in the exam and I was the one who always get low
grades for Malay language. “How am I going to get higher grades for those subjects which
are taught in Malay?”, that was what I was thinking about. I blamed the language, why were
the subjects not taught in my mother tongue, which I will do better if there are, I blamed the
government, for setting moral and history as compulsory subjects, if they did not, I would
not have to suffer to study for these “lame” subjects. I blame everything, and I always
emphasized that my Malay is bad, therefore I do not take these subjects seriously. But
once, there was luck in me, I got quite a high grade for my moral studies, my friends were
surprised, they asked me how did I improve and since when I started not to resist this
subject. In order to have a good reputation, I told them I worked hard on this subject and
put a lot of effort in improving my language, that was not true, that was just lucky. You will
not get any pay if you do not put in effort, so, luck was just once, two of these subjects got
worse after that. I was regret that I did not put much effort in improving my language and
blame others instead, I told myself not to adopt the same thinking anymore for future
studies.

4. Confirmation Bias (Chapter 1)
This concept often occurs in our daily lives. Based on my own understandings, confirmation
bias is the tendency of paying attention to something that are supporting our own beliefs
and reject those that are not. For example, I had liked Chris Hemsworth since the movie,
Avengers, so when he acted as the main actor of the movie, Thor, I had always wanted to
watch it. I followed up the news of the filming and until the trailer was released, I anticipated
the movie a lot. I remembered on the first week of the screening, I had assignments, so my
time was not available for entertainment. A week after that, when I finally had time for this
movie, I saw reviews and heard some of the comments from my friends who had watched it.
Most of my friends told me it was not as good as they expected it to be, I did not listen to
them and insisted that how can a blockbuster movie had comments like these, I did not
trust them and looked up on the internet, the ratings were quite high, so I chose to believe
in the website and booked a movie ticket for that night, I really looked forward to the movie.
I went in and finally realize the movie was not as good as I expected it to be, it was like a
typical superhero movie and I did not like it that much. This shows that confirmation bias
was applied when my friends told me Thor was not that good compare to Avengers,
because at first, I followed up all the news regarding to the movie and had the schema that
the movie will be great since Chris Hemsworth took the main role and blindly reading
articles which only benefits the movie.

5. Social Learning: Peers (Chapter 7)
I used to be someone who was lack in confidence, I doubt everything I did, I always ask
for comments since I cannot really make decision by myself, I am fear of getting things
wrong and be responsible for the consequences. As I got into university I told myself to be
more confidence, I wanted to be confidence, but I just could not since I joined a bunch of
friends who are shy and never go out of their comfort zone, I maintained as the one I used
to be, never try to approach people and make new friends. But once, I met a new bunch of
people who are really friendly, they approached me and talked to me, they were all from
different states but due to their extrovert attitude, we met up and became good friends,
and on the first day of meeting them, they already offered to walk me back home as the
sky seemed to darken. For my own safety, I said yes, during the time I walked back, I
realized all of them live very near to me, and they invited me to join them for dinner
everyday since I lived close, I was really glad that I met them. Soon, I joined them more
often and since we are taking the same course, we also did homework together and
hence built up a strong relationship among the group of friends. In class, they always
initiate to answer questions, for homework, they also put in efforts and do their best, these
are what I always wanted. The day I started to join them, I started to see changes in me, I
will raise up my hand and answer questions, no more stammered in presentation and I
always have confidence in my own works since I put in efforts, during group works, I am
not that shy on giving out opinions anymore. This group of people really changed me, I
never take the initiative to greet people, now I can even talk fluently with strangers to ask
for help, etc.

6. Pluralistic Ignorance (Chapter 8)
Two months after I got my driving license, I got into an accident. It was not my fault, the
person at the back hit my car at a traffic light junction. The first thing I thought about was
the crime cases which the driver pretend to hit your car and got you out to talk, that is the
time, you will become the victim of being robbed. I called my father and told him what
happened, he also reminded me not to get out of the car until he reached there. So I stayed
in the car, not wanting to talk, the driver at the back came down, started to scold me vulgar
words and stuff, banging my car’s window, insisted me to come out and talk. Actually the
accident was not severe, just that the man’s car’s bumper dropped and my car got a little
scratch. I did not understand why he was talking and scolding so loudly when it was his
fault. I was stunned and did not know how to response, I was sure if I got out of the car I
would get myself into trouble, so I waited. During the time my dad rushed over, everyone on
the road passed by, saw the man scolding and banging my car’s window, but no one lends
out a helping hand, which was what I am really disappointed about, because my dad tends
to help others who got into an accident, or those whom their car broke down. But for my
situation, people just wanted to fulfill their curiosity instead of helping, because they saw the
man scolding loudly, they might not dare to talk to that guy since it might got themselves
into trouble, therefore everyone avoid to get involved. I can understand some of them whom
are lady or senior citizen, it was potentially dangerous for them to help, but some big guys
should have talk to the driver who hit my car, at least two or three of them might help to
control the situation. My dad arrived together with my uncle, he speak to the driver politely
and finally there was a motor cyclist who came down and help too, he is on our side, after
the negotiation ended, he told my dad he witnessed the situation but he dare not to help at
first because he dare not risked himself to get into trouble.