ABSTRACT
When you think about it for only a minute or so, you realise that trying to understand, explain, predict and, when needed, change people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours is an awe-inspiring task. For example, we know that people often have little insight into their own thinking processes (e.g., Nisbett & Wilson, 1977), let alone the thoughts and cognitive processes of others (see also Nisbett & Ross, 1980). The same difficulties arise with people’s affective feelings (e.g., Schwarz & Clore, 1983). Furthermore, and perhaps most difficult of all, explaining and predicting social behaviour may be among the most difficult things people can aspire to (e.g., Snyder & Cantor, 1998). Yet it is precisely the explanation and prediction of cognition, affect, and behaviour that social psychologists set out to achieve.
