Chapter 12-Social Psychology

Question 1

What is social psychology?

Answer 1

The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Question 2

What is fundamental attribution error?

Answer 2

The tendency, when analyzing other’s behavior, to overestimate the influence of personal traits and underestimate the effects of the situation.

Question 3

What is attitude?

Answer 3

Feelings, often based on our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.

Question 4

What is the foot-in-the-door phenomenon?

Answer 4

The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.

Question 5

What is a role?

Answer 5

A set of expectations about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

Question 6

What is cognitive dissonance theory?

Answer 6

The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) clash. For example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions don’t match we may change our attitudes so we feel more comfortable.

Question 7

What is conformity?

Answer 7

Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Question 8

What is social facilitation?

Answer 8

Improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others.

Question 9

What is social loafing?

Answer 9

The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable.

Question 10

What is deindividuation?

Answer 10

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.

Question 11

What is group polarization?

Answer 11

Strengthening of a group’s preexisting attitudes through discussions within the group.

Question 12

What is group think?

Answer 12

The mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Question 13

What is prejudice?

Answer 13

An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and it’s members. Generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.

Question 14

What is a stereotype?

Answer 14

A generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people.

Question 15

What is discrimination?

Answer 15

Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and it’s members.

Question 16

What is just-world phenomenon?

Answer 16

The tendency to believe that the world is just and people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.

Question 17

What is an in-group bias?

Answer 17

The tendency to favor our own group.

Question 18

What is scapegoat theory?

Answer 18

The theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.

Question 19

What is alturism?

Answer 19

Unselfish concern for the welfare of others.

Question 20

What is the bystander effect?

Answer 20

The tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.

Question 21

What is conflict?

Answer 21

A perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.

Question 22

When people act in a way that is not in keeping with their attitudes, and then change their attitudes to match those actions, _ _ theory attempts to explain why.

Answer 22

cognitive dissonance

Question 23

In psychology’s most famous obedience experiments, most participants obeyed an authority figure’s demands to inflict presumed life threatening shocks on an innocent person. Social psychologist _ _ conducted these experiments.

Answer 23

Stanley Milgram

Question 24

People tend to exert less effort when working with a group than they would alone, which is called _ _.

Answer 24

Social loafing

Question 25

When like-minded groups discuss a topic, the existing opinions often grow stronger. This tendency is called _ _.

Answer 25

Group polarization

Question 26

When a group’s desire for harmony overrides it’s realistic analysis of other options, _ has occurred.

Answer 26

Groupthink

Question 27

When a prejudiced attitude causes us to blame an innocent person for our problems, we have used that person as a _.

Answer 27

Scapegoat

Question 28

People tend to marry someone who lives or works nearby. This is an example of proximity and the _ _ _ in action.

Answer 28

mere exposure effect

Question 29

Two vital components for maintaining companionate love are _ and -.

Answer 29

Equity; self-disclosure