Chapter 8: Social Processes, Attitudes, and Behavior

Question 1

What is social facilitation and how does Yerkes-Dodson’s Law relate to this?

Answer 1

People may naturally exhibit a performance response when they know they are being watched. Yerkes-Dodson law says that the presence of others will significantly raise arousal and enhance ability to do simple tasks and hinder performance of complex tasks

Question 2

What is groupthink?

Answer 2

Social phenomenon in which desire for harmony or conformity results in a group of people coming to an incorrect or poor decision. The group beings to ignore outside ideas and see their own ideas as correct without question.

Question 3

What is the difference between assimilation and multiculturalism?

Answer 3

Assimilation: merging of cultures, melting pot
Multiculturalism: celebration fo coexisting cultures, mosaic

Question 4

What are mores?

Answer 4

Widely observed social norms. They are not law but they provide a mechanism for regulating the behavior of individuals and groups.

Question 5

What are folkways?

Answer 5

Norms that refer to behavior that is considered polite in particular social interactions, such as shaking hands after a sports match.

Question 6

What is social stigma?

Answer 6

Extreme disapproval or dislike of a person or group based on perceived differences from the rest of society (ex. people with HIV, dwarfism, obesity)

Question 7

What is labeling theory?

Answer 7

Labels given to people affect not only how others respond to that person but also the person’s self image

Question 8

What is the difference between internalization and identification?

Answer 8

Internalization: changing one’s behavior to fit with a group while also privately agreeing with the ideas of the group.

Identification: outward acceptance of others’ ideas without personally taking on these ideas.

Question 9

What is foot-in-the-door technique?

Answer 9

A small request is made and after gaining compliance, a larger request is made.

Question 10

What is door-in-the-face technique?

Answer 10

A large request is made at first and if refused, a second, smaller request is made. Often the smaller request is the actual goal of the requester.

Question 11

What are the three components of attitude?

Answer 11

Affective, Behavioral, Cognitive

Question 12

What is the difference between affective, behavioral, and cognitive attitude?

Answer 12

Affective: emotional response, feelings
Behavioral: action
Cognitive: the way an individual thinks about something, which is usually the justification for the other two components

Question 13

What is social cognitive theory?

Answer 13

Postulates that people learn how to behave and shape attitudes by observing the behaviors of others. Behavior develops due to direct observation and replication of actions of others. Behavior is not learned by trail-and-error.

Question 14

What is the difference between central route processing and peripheral route processing?

Answer 14

Central: scrutinizing and analyzing the content of persuasive information
Peripheral: focusing on superficial details of persuasive information (appearances, slogans)

Question 15

What is the social construction model of emotion?

Answer 15

There is no biological basis for emotion. Emotion is based on experiences and situational context alone.

Question 16

What is deindividuation?

Answer 16

Individual behavior is dramatically different in large groups that provide anonymity. This can lead to behaviors against the norm, such as a violent behavior in a crowd.

Question 17

What is social loafing?

Answer 17

Tendency of individuals to put in less effort when in a group setting than individually (ex. group project).

Question 18

What is the identity shift effect?

Answer 18

When an individual’s state of harmony is disrupted by a threat of social rejection, the individual will often conform to the norms of the group. Upon doing so the person will experience internal conflict and their shift identity to adopt the standards of the group.

Question 19

What is cognitive dissonance?

Answer 19

The simultaneous presence of two opposing thoughts or opinions. This leads to internal discomfort and may manifest as anxiety, fear, anger, or confusion. Individuals will reduce this by changing, adding to, or minimizing these dissonant thoughts.

Question 20

What is group polarization?

Answer 20

Tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the individual ideas of the members of the group. Leads to riskier or more cautious decisions.

Question 21

What is the difference between a fad and mass hysteria?

Answer 21

A fad is a behavior that is transiently viewed as popular and desirable by a large community. Mass hysteria is shared, intense concern about the threats to society.

Question 22

What is an ethnic enclave?

Answer 22

Locations (usually neighborhoods) with a high concentration of one specific ethnicity.

Question 23

What is the difference between subculture and counterculture?

Answer 23

Subculture refers to groups of people within a culture that distinguish themselves from the primary culture to which they belong, usually by clothing or music.

Counterculture is a subculture group that gravitates towards an identity that is at odds with the majority culture and deliberately opposes social norms.

Question 24

What is the difference between primary and secondary socialization?

Answer 24

Primary socialization occurs during childhood when we initially learn acceptable actions and attitudes in society.

Secondary socialization is the process of learning appropriate behavior within smaller sections of society (such as at school, at a new job)

Question 25

What is the differential association theory?

Answer 25

If associations with people engaging in deviant behavior are more numerous or intense than those engaging in normative behavior, the individual begins to gravitate toward deviant behavior themself.

Question 26

What is strain theory?

Answer 26

A natural reaction to the disconnect betweens social goals and social structure. Example: stealing in order to achieve the american dream (pg. 304).

Question 27

What is the lowball technique of compliance?

Answer 27

The requestor will get an initial commitment from an individual and then raise the cost of the commitment (ex. accepting a group leader position that requires 5 hours worth of meetings a month but then later you learn that you must also prepare a presentation and monthly reports)