Psy-302: Social Psychology

Assignment-1: Understanding The Social World Around Through Attribution

45 Points

This assignment cannot be done in 24 hours. It is 10% of you grade, so a lot of work is
expected.

Please use APA format for in-text citation and relevant reference. Please do not use my
slides as reference materials but go back to the original articles or scholarly work that have
been cited. Wikipedia and normal commercial websites and blogs are not allowed under any
circumstances. No exceptions.

Heider and Simmel (1944) study

Step-1 Use the link to go to the You-tube video and watch it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTNmLt7QX8E

In the video you have seen three geometrical figures (a large triangle, a small triangle and a
disc, also called a circle) moving in various directions and at various speeds. The only other
figure in the field was a rectangle, a section of which could be opened and closed as a door.

Now do the following:

Part-1: Describe all the interactions among these four shapes as steps and as inanimate
interactions. Example: Big-Triangle (BT) moves toward the large square (house), opens
door, moves into the house and closes door.

Part-2: Now, interpret the movements of the figures as actions of persons. You can use the
different shapes and sizes to represent different people in a fictional movie. Example-: Big
Triangle-Ratan, Small Triangle-Raya my niece, and the disc my partner-Nisa. Please use
names and relationships between them from your own perspective. Do not use these names
or relationships or plots that will use my family. Now, describe the entire range of
interactive moments and interactions among these shaped objects as a short story with a
proper plot. This story is essentially a small skit that you are verbally describing.

In sum, tell the story of the movie in a few sentences by humanizing the inanimate objects
and shapes. Once you are done, think carefully and answer the following questions: please
do not disturb the sequence of steps described. First write the story and then start
answering these questions and NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND.

a) STORY /Plot
b) What kind of a person is the big triangle?
 c) What kind of a person is the little triangle?
d) What kind of a person is the circle (disc)?
e) Why did the two triangles fight?
f) Why did the circle go into the house?
g) In one part of the movie the big triangle and the circle were in the house together.
What did the big triangle do then? Why?
h) What did the circle do when it was in the house with the big triangle? Why?
i) In one part of the movie the big triangle was shut up in the house and tried to get
out. What did the little triangle and the circle do then?
j) Why did the big triangle break the house?

IMPORTANT: For answering questions in Part 3 and part 4 Please clearly define any
concept that you are using to explain the activities. Also kindly cite the source from where
you are getting the definition. My slides are not sources. Use the original sources cited on
the slides to identify the original sources and then refer to them.

Part-3: Now answer the following questions:

a) What were the biggest differences between the first mode of description and the
second mode of description?
b) In order to achieve the goals outlined in the second part of the assignment, what did you
resort to? Specifically, what concept best describes your actions?
c) What are the two most important take home points from this exercise?

Part-4

a) Look back at the questions numbered b, c, d in Part 2, how are you applying the concept
in answering these questions in accordance with Heider’s naive psychology theory?

b) Describe the attributions made by you and the causality factors associated with your
attributions with respect to Big Triangle, Small Triangle and the Disc in the questions
numbered e, f, g, h, I,-j in Part 2.

c) Analyse the biases/errors present in your attribution pertaining to the geometrical

figures (big triangle, small triangle and the circle) movements/ behaviour in your
narrative. Explain the implications of attribution biases/errors in our day to day life and
suggest ways to reduce these biases/errors.

A word about plagiarism

As this is a landmark study in the Annals of Social Psychology, there would be many
examples describing this experiment and examples of answers to questions I have asked. So
please do not plagiarize. Remember, if you can find information online, it is highly likely I
also found it before you, when I designed the assignment. If you plagiarize, you will be asked
to drop the class and you will be reported to the Academics Department for plagiarism. So
let us all avoid the short cuts and hit the highway-the right way, apply ourselves to finish the
assignment.