Psychology assignment 1 : Journal 1

1. NAME : HAU HUI YEE
STUDENT ID : 0320283
SECTION: MONDAY 2PM~4PM
SUBJECT : Social Psychology [PSYC0103]
SUBMISSION DATE : 27th April 2015

2. Counterfactual Thinking
The theory is imagining different outcomes for an event that has already occurred. And it always
related to negative event. This is upward counterfactuals .The familiar experience always happened
after I done my ITD’s (Introduction to Design) assignment. When I had designed and finish it , at the
moment when I received the result, the result is not very good. I had thinking : “How if I using
different design or adapt different principle inside my work? I will be getting higher mark than this !”.
Or, “How if I changed the material that I use , my work will be more good and get higher mark than
this !” I was not realized that the outcome already happen , it is nothing I can changed , and let this
worsen my mood. Beside, the another similar experience is about downward counterfactuals. When I
was sitting the SPM exam, the moment when I checking my answers of MCQ paper with my friends,
I was only get 20 questions correct among 40 questions. I was thinking: “Not bad! At least I passed , I
had meet the minimum required to pass . At least I did’nt failed !” Even though I get a bad result , I
am still okay with that, I even think there will be more worsen result than mine, I should appreciate
that I can get passed .
Harold Kelley: Covariation Theory
The theory is bases on three factors which is Consensus , distinctiveness and consistency to attribute
people’s behaviors . From my own experience, last time I was scold by my friend without reason.
Everyone know that he always a friendly guy, but something bad happed to him . (High consensus)
He was scold someone without reason ,this is an unique behaviour for him . (High distinctiveness) He
never scold someone before . (Low consistency).Thus, it must be the situational attributions . External
cause for him to be like this. Another experience is , my cousin always scold by her employer . (Low
consensus) Because she has been late to work .(Low distinctiveness) She always wake up lately,(High
consistency) it is not unique behaviour for her being late to work . As the conclusion , it must be

3. dispositional attributions (internal cause),because the cause of her action is due to her internal
characteristic.
The Effect ofMood on Cognition
This entries shows that , mood dependent memory. The similar experience is , while I having a trip
with my family in Taiwan for a week ,everyday was raining cat and dog. Thus, there are some places
we cannot visit because of the raining. I was very disappointed . After one month, while I heard my
mom share the experience of visited Taiwan to her friend. I found that I memories that I have is only
the negative things , compare to my mother , she was enjoy the trip very much ,I remember the bad
part and she was remember the interesting part. Beside, when I was study for exam or do my
assignment , I cannot study without music. Because the rhythm of the music helps me to create a
good mood and I can study much more better than without I , especially while I need to study scamp .
Our mood at the time oflearning is a retrieval cue for remembering that information.
The Halo Effect
This entries said that , one positive attribute will cause us to attribute other positive qualities to an
individual. From my past experiences, while I was interviewing for president of Chinese society in my
secondary school , my teacher was rejected me only because my shoes tie was untied. And her
comment was , I am not able to having this position because I am not a tidy and self-dicpline only
because I do not tie my shoes tie properly. Thus , a good first-impression is very important to others
especially for interviewee. Another experience was while I was doing network marketing , the first
impression was important to meet prospect , this is because when I need to convince someone to join
me , I must lead as an example to them .Not slipper , not short pants when meet someone at first if I .
Cialdini’s Six Weapons ofInfluence

4. Liking is one of the influence of this entries, my personal experience is when I was inviting my
friends to an event, when their first respond is “Is Ben coming too? if yes I will join !” They let Ben to
make the decision because they like to hang out with him. Next , scarcity. People want what they
(think) they can’t have. My personal experience is , while I was selling goods for charity , there were
only few people will buy it because for the charity .When I put a lable of “limited edition “ , the
selling was more quicker than last time , even the pattern of the shirt was the same . Social proof .
There was a time people was crazy with “minion” , when I was line up to buy a meal , others was look
at curiously me , why I did’t buy the toys , and then everyone needs minion to show they are same
with others.