9: Social Psychology Flashcards
social psychology
scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
attribution theory
theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation to their personality
fundamental attribution error
the tendency, when watching others, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of dispositional traits
attitude
feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events
central route persuasion
attitude change path in which interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
peripheral route persuasion
attitude change path in which people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
role
a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
cognitive dissonance theory
the theory that we act to reduce the tension we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) or a thought and action are inconsistent
conformity
adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard
normative social influence
influence resulting from a eprson’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval
informational social influence
influence resulting from one’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality
social facilitation
stronger responses on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others
social loafing
the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable
deindividuation
the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
