The second chapter of the book “The Social Animal” by Elliot Aronson, takes readers through the intricacies of how perceptions and cognitive processes work in humans. The author kicks off by mentioning schema theory, as it is known in psychology that these are the structures or mental frameworks with which people organize reality. It helps us manage a large amount of information we come across daily because it simplifies and categorizes it into relevant groups. However, schemas can also distort our thinking and cause biases. Another important theme in the chapter concerns perception as an active process rather than a passive one. This implies that various things like past experiences, cultural background, and social context play a significant role in determining what we perceive as well as how …show more content…
He further defines cognitive dissonance as an unpleasant feeling that drives individuals to resolve this discrepancy either through altering their convictions or justifying their actions. In order to explain the way people reduce inconsistency, the author cites some real-life situations where individuals display various cognitive processes such as self-justification and denial. Additionally, the chapter explores initial encounters and how they can influence subsequent interactions. Aronson says studies have shown that initial impressions are formed almost immediately and can be very long-lasting, affecting our perceptions of peers throughout time. The author emphasizes empathy and perspective-taking in surmounting first impression biases to achieve better comprehension and interaction. He also delves into social influences' role in shaping perception and behavior. He does this by showing how individuals are prone to conforming, and adjusting their beliefs and actions as they try to fit into groups or behave according to the dictates of