Social and Cultural Bases of Behavior
What to know
Cover social cognition (attribution, fundamental attribution error, self-serving bias), attitudes and persuasion, conformity and obedience (Asch, Milgram), group dynamics (social loafing, groupthink, deindividuation), and interpersonal processes (transference, countertransference in clinical contexts). Cultural competence requires understanding individualism-collectivism, power distance, and how culture shapes symptom expression, help-seeking, and family involvement. Know the distinction between cultural universals and culturally bound idioms of distress, and the importance of avoiding ethnocentric assumptions in assessment.
Traps
Questions may describe a behavior and ask for the social-psychological label; distinguish conformity (yielding to group norms) from obedience (following authority). Watch for culture items that invite stereotyping-the correct answer usually emphasizes within-group variability and idiographic assessment. Don't confuse social facilitation (improved performance on simple tasks in presence of others) with social loafing (reduced effort in groups).
Rule of thumb
For attribution items: is the explanation about the person (dispositional) or the situation (situational)? For culture items: prefer answers that individualize, avoid overgeneralization, and integrate cultural context into formulation rather than treating it as a confound.