Chapter 11 Flashcards
Social psychology
the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
fundamental attribution error
the tendency, when analyzing others’ behavior, to overestimate the influence of personal traits and underestimate the influence of the situation
Attitude
feelings, often based on our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events
Peripheral route persuasion
occurs when people are influenced by unimportant cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness
Central route persuasion
occurs when interested people’s thinking is influenced by considering evidence and arguments
conformity
adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard
social facilitation
improved performance 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
group polarization
strengthening of a group’s preexisting attitudes through discussions within the group
Groupthink
the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
Prejudice
an unfair and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves negative feelings, stereotyped beliefs, and a predisposition to discriminatory action
stereotypes
a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people
ingroup bias
the tendency to favor our own group
Scapegoat theory
the theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame
