CH 1 What is Social Psychology? Flashcards
What is social psychology, and how does it differ from sociology and personality psychology?
Social psychology studies how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts, while sociology focuses on group structures, and personality psychology studies individual traits.
What is hindsight bias? Provide an example.
The tendency to believe we knew something was going to happen after learning the outcome. Example: “I knew they would break up!” after hearing about a breakup.
How do social influences shape behavior?
Culture, social norms, peer pressure, and situational factors influence individual behavior.
What is the difference between correlational and experimental research?
Correlational research examines relationships between variables but does not determine causation, while experimental research manipulates variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
Why does correlation not imply causation?
Just because two things happen together does not mean one caused the other; a third variable might be influencing both.
What is random assignment, and why is it important in experiments?
It ensures participants are placed in groups by chance, reducing bias and increasing validity.
What is the difference between a dependent and an independent variable?
The independent variable is manipulated, while the dependent variable is measured.
What is the fundamental attribution error? Provide an example
The tendency to overestimate personality traits and underestimate situational factors when explaining others’ behavior. Example: Assuming a rude cashier is a bad person rather than considering they had a bad day.
How do personal attitudes and social influences shape behavior?
Attitudes guide behavior, but social influences like peer pressure and cultural norms play a significant role in shaping actions.
What is the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon?
Also called hindsight bias, it is the belief that we predicted an outcome after it has already occurred
