Chapter 13 Textbook Flashcards
Attribution Theory
the theory that we explain someone’s behaviour by crediting either the situation of the persons predisposition
Fundamental attribution error
the tendency for observers, when analyzing others behaviour, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition (whether we attribute homelessness to social circumstances or to personal disposition)
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
role
a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
cognitive dissonance theory
the theory that we act to reduce discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts 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
ex: if Jamal (shy) acts confident , his behaviour will contradict his negative self-thoughts, creating cognitive dissonance.
conformity
adjusting our behaviour 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 one’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality
Stanley Migram’s experiment
65% of the adult male ‘teachers’ fully obeyed the experimenter’s commands to continue. Shock
social facilitation
improved performance on 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 (masks)
group polarization
beliefs and attitudes we bring to a group grow stronger as we discuss them with like-minded others
groupthink
the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
ex: to preserve the good feeling, group members suppressed of self-censored their dissenting views
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
a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people
discrimination
unjustifiable negative behaviour toward a group and its members
just-world phenomenon
the tendency for people to believe the world is just and that 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
the tendency to favour our own group
scapegoat theory
the theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame. Blaming an undeserving person for a problem
other-race effect
the tendency to recall faces of one’s own race more accurately than faces of other races
frustration-aggresion principle
the principle that frustration - the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal - creates anger, which can generate aggression
social script
culturally modelled guide for how to act in various situations
mere exposure effect
the phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them (people tend to marry someone who lives or works nearby)
passionate love
an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship
compassionate love
the deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined
equity
a condition in which people receive from a relationship s proportion to what they give to it
self-disclosure
the act of revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others
altruism
unselfish regard for the welfare of others
bystander effect
the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present
social exchange theory
the theory that our social behaviour is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
ex: if you are deciding whether to donate blood or not, you may weight the costs of doing so (time, discomfort, anxiety) agains the benefits (reduced guilt, social approval, good feeling) If the rewards exceed the costs, you will help
reciprocity norm
an expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them
social-responsibility norm
an expectation that people will help those needing their help
conflict
a perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas
social trap
a situation in which the conflicting parties, by each pursuing their self-interest rather than the good of the group, caught in mutually destructive behaviour
mirror-image perceptions
mutual views often held by conflicting people, as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and view the other side as evil and aggressive
ex: as we see “them” as untrustworthy with evil intentions - so “they” see us
self-fulfilling prophecy
a belief that leads to its own fulfillment
superordinate goals
shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation
GRIT
graduated and reciprocated initiatives in tension-reduction - a strategy designed to decrease international tensions
