3 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY - TEXTBOOK Flashcards
According to the evolutionary perspective, what determines the nature of human interaction?
Tasks of survival and reproduction
What are the two ends of the spectrum of human interaction?
Helping to hurting
What is aggression?
Behaviour whose purpose is to harm another
What is the nativist view of the origin of aggression?
Instinct shaped by natural selection
<p>What is the term given to purging/releasing pent-up emotions through activities that redirect focus onto other sources?</p>
<p>Catharsis</p>
What are the two types of aggression?
Instrumental and hostile aggression
What is instrumental aggression?
Premeditated acts of aggression for personal gain
What is hostile aggression?
Spontaneous and impulsive aggression in response to unpleasant internal states
What is the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
People aggress when their goals are thwarted
What is the term given to directing aggression towards an innocent or more easily accessible target?
Aggression displacement
For what reason is it plausible that impulsive aggression evolved?
Aggression to eliminate sources of pain
What factors contribute to aggressive behaviour?
Biological, individual and situational factors
What is the best predictor of aggressive behaviour?
Gender
Which gender is most commonly the aggressor and the victim?
Males
Which neurotransmitter is correlated with aggression?
Serotonin
What is the effect of drugs which increase serotonin activity?
Reduction of retaliation in people with history of aggression if provoked
Which hormone is correlated with aggression?
Testosterone
What is the effect of high testosterone levels?
Feeling of confidence and power but easily irritated/frustrated
What type of aggression is more common in women?
Instrumental aggression and causing social harm (ostracism)
What is eugenics?
Selective breeding of humans to increase prevalence of desired characteristics
What uncomfortable internal states may promote aggression?
Temperature, pain, triggers
How may culture influence aggression?
Exemplification of behaviour causes that behaviour to become more prevalent in the population (both aggression and peace)
What is the culture of honour phenomenon?
Aggression linked to ‘tough’ reputation, machismo or willingness to avenge wrongness/insult
What is the WHO’s ecological model of aggression?
4 embedded levels of different factors that contribute to aggression
What are the 4 levels of the WHO model?
Individual, relationship, community, societal
What is included in the WHO individual level?
Genetic disposition, effect of early environment, age, substance abuse
What is included in the WHO relationship level?
Effect of friends, family and peers
What is included in the WHO community level?
Economic environment, population density
What is included in the WHO societal level?
Cultural norms, political instability, gun availability
What is cooperation?
Behaviour by two or more individuals that leads to mutual benefit
What is the prisoner’s dilemma?
Choice between cooperation and non-cooperation - cooperation is risky
What is the function of gossip in society?
Establish cooperative allegiances/ostracize those willing to exploit trust
What is the public goods dilemma?
Situation where individuals are better off not cooperating but group as a whole is worse off
What is hypothesis-confirming bias?
Systematic error of inductive reasoning - preference for confirmation over falsification
What is deception? (aka to lie)
Attempt to generate a false belief in order to manipulate a situation
What are the two ways to deceive?
Implant false information or withhold important information
What are the most common lies?
Feelings and opinions; actions, plans and whereabouts; knowledge, achievements and failings; explanations for behaviours; facts and personal possessions
Why do people lie?
Avoid upsetting someone else; enhance self-esteem, social status and respect; avoid punishment/negative judgement
What helps us to better deceive others?
Self-deception
What is self-deception?
Capacity to convince ourselves that a falsehood is true
When does self-deception occur?
When we display bias to ignore, underrepresent, forget or misinterpret to favour welcome information
What is altruism?
Behaviour that benefits another without benefitting oneself
What is the bystander effect?
When numerous people fail to help strangers in an emergency situation
What are the five steps in the five-step model of bystander effect?
Notice incident, interpretation as emergency, assume responsibility, know how to help, make decision to help