Chapter 7 Vocab

Question 1

Social learning

Answer 1

The capacity to learn from observing others.

We learn many behaviors and tasks by watching others model those behaviors.

Question 2

Chameleon Effect

Answer 2

The tendency to mimic unconsciously the nonverbal mannerisms of someone with whom you are interacting.

Question 3

Injunctive norm

Answer 3

A belief about what behaviors are generally approved of or disapproved of in one’s culture.

Question 4

Descriptive norm

Answer 4

A belief about what most people typically do.

Question 5

Social Contagion

Answer 5

The phenomenon whereby ideas, feelings, and behaviors seem to spread across people like wildfire.

Question 6

Focus theory of normative conduct

Answer 6

Emphasizes the important role that salience plays in enhancing the influence of norms. Think of the example of petrified wood.

Question 7

Conformity

Answer 7

The phenomenon whereby an individual alters his or her beliefs, attitudes, or behavior to bring them in accordance with those of a majority.

Question 8

Autokinetic effect

Answer 8

The false perception of movement. Think of the study where participants looked at a light in the dark.

Question 9

Public compliance

Answer 9

Conforming only outwardly to fit in with a group without changing private beliefs.

Question 10

Private compliance

Answer 10

Conforming by altering private beliefs as well as public behavior.

Question 11

Informational Influence

Answer 11

Occurs when we use others as a source of information about the world.

Question 12

Normative influence

Answer 12

Occurs when we use others to know how to fit in.

Question 13

Reference group

Answer 13

A group with which an individual strongly identifies. They are a general source of both information and normative influence. Think of the study where students went to a liberal college.

Question 14

Minority influence

Answer 14

The process by which dissenters (or numerical minorities) produce attitude change within a group, despite the extraordinary risk of social rejection and disturbance of the status quo.

Question 15

Conversion theory

Answer 15

The explanation that people are influenced by a minority’s distinctive position better captures their attention.

Question 16

Minority slowness effect

Answer 16

Occurs when people who hold the minority position take longer to express their opinions.

Question 17

Foot in the door effect

Answer 17

Phenomenon whereby people are more likely to comply with a moderate request after having initially complied with a smaller request.

Question 18

Norm for social commitment

Answer 18

Belief whereby once we make a public agreement, we tend to stick to it even if circumstances change.

Question 19

Lowballing

Answer 19

Occurs when after agreeing to an offer, people find it hard to break that commitment even if they later learn of some extra cost to the deal.

Question 20

Door in the face effect

Answer 20

Phenomenon whereby people are more likely to comply with a moderate request after they have first been presented with and refused to agree to a much larger request.

Question 21

Social proof

Answer 21

A tendency to conform to what we believe respected others think and do.

Question 22

Charismatic leader

Answer 22

An individual in a leadership role who exhibits boldness and self-confidence and emphasizes the greatness of the ingroup.

Question 23

How can the minority successfully sway the majority?

Answer 23

Self-confidence, consistency, flexible, open-minded, identifying with the other person as well as getting members of the majority to cross over and adopt your way of thinking.

Question 24

Are chameleon effects are not limited to casual, nonverbal behaviors? Explain.

Answer 24

Studies show that people shift their attitudes toward what they think another person’s opinions might be, especially when they are motivated to get along with that person.

Question 25

in what ways can Media-Inspired Social Learning be harmful?

Answer 25

Media portrayals of celebrity suicides are associated with subsequent increases in suicides and car accidents among the general public.

Feature films can also inspire unfortunate examples of social learning.

Question 26

What are some example of Social contagions?

Answer 26

Yawns
Laughter
Applause
Obesity study

Question 27

Social construction of reality

Answer 27

As we mature, educational, religious, and social institutions further reinforce our own culture’s way of viewing the world.

From this cultural worldview, we learn scripts for how to behave in different situations and different social roles.

Question 28

Culturally Defined Social Situations

Answer 28

How would you be expected to behave in these social situations?
A football game
A library
A funeral
A movie theater
A live concert

How do you know what is expected?

Question 29

Sherif Conformity Studies on Norm Formation

Answer 29

Autokinetic effect

Question 30

Asch Conformity Studies

Answer 30

Normative influence

Question 31

Schacter study (1955) (dont need to know details just results)

Answer 31

Found that nonconformers may even risk social rejection and ostracism.

Showed that when one confederate planted in a group stubbornly disagrees with the unanimous opinion of the group, that person is taunted, verbally attacked, and rejected

Question 32

What Personality and Situational Variables Influence Conformity?

Answer 32

Little is known about the personality characteristics of those who tend to conform as opposed to those who do not.

Those who are less likely to conform tend to have:
A high need to achieve
A propensity to be leaders
Greater self awareness
High self-esteem

Question 33

effect of diminishing returns for group size

Answer 33

Milgram’s “looking up” experiment

The effect of diminishing returns for group size is also more apparent with more subtle behaviors.

there is a point where group size has its largest impact.