Module 4.3 Flashcards
Psychology of Social Situations
Social norms
define expectations and roles a society may have for its members in individual and social situations
Social influence theory
proposes that social pressure to behave or think in certain ways can be normative or informational
Persuasion
refers to the techniques applied to convince the self or others of particular ideas, actions, or beliefs
Elaboration likelihood model
a theory of persuasion postulating that attitude change occurs on a continuum of elaboration and thus, under certain conditions, may be a result of relatively extensive or relatively little scrutiny of attitude-relevant information
Central route persuasion
the process by which attitudes are formed or changed as a result of carefully scrutinizing and thinking about the central merits of attitude-relevant information
Peripheral route persuasion
the process by which attitudes are formed or changed as a result of using peripheral cues rather than carefully scrutinizing and thinking about the central merits of attitude-relevant information
Halo effect
a rating bias in which a general evaluation (usually positive) of a person, or an evaluation of a person on a specific dimension, influences judgments of that person on other specific dimensions.
Foot-in-the-door
a two-step procedure for enhancing compliance in which a minor initial request is presented immediately before a more substantial target request. Agreement to the initial request makes people more likely to agree to the target request than would have been the case if the latter had been presented on its own.
Door-in-the-face
a two-step procedure for enhancing compliance in which an extreme initial request is presented immediately before a more moderate target request. Rejection of the initial request makes people more likely to accept the target request than would have been the case if the latter had been presented on its own
Conformity
the adjustment of one’s opinions, judgments, or actions so that they become more consistent with (a) the opinions, judgments, or actions of other people or (b) the normative standards of a social group or situation. Conformity includes temporary outward acquiescence (compliance) as well as more enduring private acceptance
Obedience
behavior in compliance with a direct command, often one issued by a person in a position of authority. Examples include a child who cleans their room when told to do so by a parent and a soldier who follows the orders of a superior officer.
Individualism
a social or cultural tradition, ideology, or personal outlook that emphasizes the individual and their rights, independence, and relationships with other individuals
Collectivism
the tendency to view oneself as a member of a larger (family or social) group, rather than as an isolated, independent being
Multiculturalism
the quality or condition of a society in which different ethnic and cultural groups have equal status and access to power but each maintains its own identity, characteristics, and mores
Group polarization
the tendency for members of a group discussing an issue to move toward a more extreme version of the positions they held before the discussion began. As a result, the group as a whole tends to respond in more extreme ways than one would expect given the sentiments of the individual members prior to deliberation.
Groupthink
a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome
Diffusion of responsibility
the diminished sense of responsibility often experienced by individuals in groups and social collectives
Social loafing
the reduction of individual effort that occurs when people work in groups compared to when they work alone
Deindividuation
an experiential state characterized by loss of self-awareness, altered perceptions, and a reduction of inner restraints that results in the performance of unusual and sometimes antisocial behavior. It can be caused by a number of factors, such as a sense of anonymity or submersion in a group
Social facilitation
the improvement in an individual’s performance of a task that often occurs when others are present. This effect tends to occur with tasks that are uncomplicated or have been previously mastered through practice
False consensus effect
the tendency to assume that one’s own opinions, beliefs, attributes, or behaviors are more widely shared than is actually the case. A robustly demonstrated phenomenon, the false-consensus effect is often attributed to a desire to view one’s thoughts and actions as appropriate, normal, and correct
Superordinate goals
serve to unite disparate groups under a common goal and help reduce negative affect and stereotyping among groups
Social traps
a social dilemma in which individuals, groups, organizations, or whole societies initiate a course of action or establish a set of relationships that lead to negative or even lethal outcomes in the long term, but that once initiated are difficult to withdraw from or alter
Industrial-organizational (IO) psychologists
the branch of psychology that studies human behavior in the work environment and applies general psychological principles to work-related issues and problems, notably in such areas as personnel selection, personnel training, employee evaluation, working conditions, accident prevention, job analysis, job satisfaction, leadership, team effectiveness, and work motivation
Altruism
an apparently unselfish behavior that provides benefit to others at some cost to the individual. In humans, it covers a wide range of behaviors, including volunteerism and martyrdom, but the degree to which such behaviors are legitimately without egoistic motivation is subject to debate
Social reciprocity norm
the social standard that people who help others will receive equivalent benefits from them in return. The expectation of reciprocity is common in many interpersonal encounters and relationships
Social responsibilities norm
the socially determined standard that one should assist those in need when possible
bystander effect
a phenomenon in which people fail to offer needed help in emergencies, especially when other people are present in the same setting
Situational variables
things like the presence of others make it less likely that someone will intervene
Attentional variables
we have to notice that there is an emergency in order to move toward taking responsibility and helping; happy people help more
