Ch. 13 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 of the person’s disposition
fundamental attribution error
tendency, when analyzing others’ behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of the personal disposition
attitude
feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
role
set of expectations about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
cognitive dissonance theory
the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our
attitudes.
peripheral route persuasion
occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness
central route persuasion
occurs when interested people’s thinking is influenced by considering evidence and arguments
norms
understood rules for accepted and expected behavior
conformity
adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard
normative social influence
influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval
informational social influence
influence resulting from a person’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality
social facilitation
in the presence of others, improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks, and worsened performance on difficult tasks
social loafing
tendency for people to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable
deindividuation
loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonyminity
group polarization
enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclinations through discussion within the groupo
groupthink
mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
prejudice
an unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action
stereotype
generalized belief about a group of people
discrimination
unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members
just-world phenomenon
tendency for people to believe that the world is just and people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get
ingroup
“us” - people with whom we share a common identity
outgroup
“them” - those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup
ingroup bias
tendency to favor our own group
scapegoat
theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame
other-race effect
tendency to recall faces of one’s own race more accurately than faces of other races
aggression
any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally
frustration-aggression principle
principle that frustration - the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal - creates anger, which can generate aggression
frustration-aggression principle
principle that frustration - the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal - creates anger, which can generate aggression
social script
culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations
mere exposure effect
tendency for repeated exposure to novel stimuli to increase our liking of them
passionate love
aroused state of intense positive absorption in another
companionate love
deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined
equity
condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it
self-disclosure
act of revealing intimate aspects of ourselves to others
altruism
unselfish regard for the welfare of others
bystander effect
tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present
social exchange theory
theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
reciprocity norm
expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them
social responsibility norm
expectation that people will help those needing their help
conflict
perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas
social trap
a situation in which two parties, by each pursuing their self-interest rather than the good of the group, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.
mirror image perceptions
mutual views often held by conflicting parties, as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive
self-fulfilling prophecy
belief that leads to its own fulfillment
subordinate goals
shared goals that override differences among people and require cooperation
GRIT
Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction - a strategy designed to decrease international tensions
