chapter 1 * Flashcards
cognitive processes
the mental activities of an individual,including perception, memory, reasoning, problem solving, and decision making
cognitive structures
any form of organization among a person’s concepts and beliefs
cognitive theory
a theoretical persepctive based on the premise that an indivdual’s mental activities (perception, memory, reasoning) are importanr determinants of behaviour
conditoning
a process of learning in which, if a person performs a particulae response and if this response is then reinforced, the response is strengthened
equity
when people recieve rewards in proportion to the contributions they make toward the attainment of group goals
evolutionary pscyhology
a theoretical perspective posting that predispositions toward some social behaviours are passed genetically from generation to generation and shaped by the process of natural selection
heuristics
mental shortcuts that allow individuals to quickly select and apply schemas to new or ambiguous situations
middle range theories
narrow, focused, theoretical frameworks that explain the conditions that produce some specific social behaviour. See also Theoretical perspectives
reflexive self
the ability to act toward oneself, taking the role of both the subject and the object in a situation; a uniquely human trait
role taking
in symbolic interaction theory, the process of imaginatively occupying the position of another person and viewing the situation and the self from that person’s perspective;the process of imagining the other’s attitudes and anticipating that person’s responses
role theory
a theoretical perspective based on the premise that a substantial portion of observable, day-to-day social behaviour is simply persons carrying out role expectations
schema
a specific cognitive structure that organizes the processing of complex info about other persons, groups, and situations. Our schemas guide what we percieve in the environment, how we organize info in memory, and what inferences and judgements we make about people and things
self
the indvidual viewed as both the active source and the passive object of reflexive behaviour
significant other
people whose views and attitudes are very important and worthy of consideration. The reflected views of a significant other have great influence on the individual’s self concept and self-regulation.
situated identity
a conception held by a person in a situation that indicates who they are in relation to the other people involved in that situation.