Chapter 1: Introduction Flashcards
Social process
the ways in which input from the people and groups around us affect our thoughts, feelings and actions
Cognitive process
the ways in which our memories, perceptions, thoughts, emotions, and motives influence our understanding of the world and guide our actions
social psychology
the scientific study of the effects of social and cognitive processes on the way individuals perceive, influence, and relate to others
construction of reality
the axiom that each person´s view of reality is a construction, shaped both by cognitive processes (the ways our minds work) and by social processes (input from others either actually present or imagined)
pervasiveness of social influence
the axiom that other people influence virtually all of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour, whether those others are physically present or not
striving for mastery
the motivational principle that people see ti understand and predict events in the social world in order to obtain rewards
seeking connectedness
the motivational principle that people seek support, liking, and acceptance from the people and groups they care about and value
valuing “me and mine”
the motivational principle that people desire to see themselves, and other people and groups connected to themselves, in a positive light
conservatism principle
the processing principle that individual´s and group´s views of the world are slow to change and prone to perpetuate themselves
accessibility principle
the processing principle that the info that is most ready available generally has the most impact on thoughts, feelings, and behaviour
superficiality versus depth
the processing principle that people ordinarily put little effort into dealing with info, but at times are motivated to consider info in a more depth
