As Moskowitz notes, there exist “…general forces that shape social cognition, even though we remain naïve to their influence” (Moskowitz, 2005, p. 233). Social psychologists continue to study the social “forces” that influence how one thinks and in turn, how such thoughts impact behavior. This course has covered several areas of social cognition including the following:

• Presence of both conscious and unconscious processing
• Memory processes; conceptualization of the self
• Attempts to understand causality in the social world
• Accuracy of personal cognitive processing
• Attitude formation
• Stereotypes and prejudice behavior
• Impact of gender, culture, and emotion on cognitive processing
• Behavior change through social cognitive channels

How might one or more of these elements of social cognition inform your attempts at social change or your daily interactions?

For this Discussion, consider ways you might use your knowledge of social cognition for social change in your future role.

Reference: Moskowitz, G. B. (2005a). Attribution. In Social cognition: Understanding self and others (pp. 233–266). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

With these thoughts in mind:

A brief explanation of two ways you might use social cognition to promote social change. Then, explain how you might incorporate social cognition into your future practice or research. Finally, explain how you might use an element of social cognition in your daily interactions with others. Be specific and use examples.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resource