Psych 42,43 Flashcards
What is prejudice? How do explicit and implicit prejudice differ?
Prejudice is an unjustifiable, usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice’s three components are beliefs (often stereotypes), emotions, and predispositions to action (discrimination). Prejudice may be explicit (overt), or it may be implicit—an unthinking knee-jerk response operating below conscious awareness. Implicit prejudice can cause discrimination even when people do not consciously intend to discriminate.
What groups are frequent targets of prejudice?
Prejudice involves explicit and implicit negative attitudes toward people of a particular racial or ethnic group, gender, or sexual orientation. In the United States, frequently targeted groups include Black Americans, women, and LGBTQ people.
What are some social, emotional, and cognitive roots of prejudice, and what are some ways to reduce prejudice?
We tend to favor our own group (ingroup bias) as we divide ourselves into “us” (the ingroup) and “them” (the outgroup).
Prejudice can also be a tool for protecting our emotional well-being, as when we focus our anger by blaming events on a scapegoat.
The cognitive roots of prejudice grow from our natural ways of processing information: forming categories, remembering vivid cases, and believing that the world is just (and that our own and our group’s ways of doing things are the right ways). Monitoring our feelings and actions, as well as developing new friendships, can help us free ourselves from prejudice.
How does psychology’s definition of aggression differ from everyday usage?
In psychology’s more specific meaning, aggression is any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally. Biology influences our threshold for aggressive behaviors at three levels: genetic (inherited traits), neural (activity in key brain areas), and biochemical (such as alcohol or excess testosterone in the bloodstream). Aggression is a complex behavior resulting from the interaction of biology and experience.
What psychological and social-cultural factors may trigger aggressive behavior?
Frustration (the frustration-aggression principle), previous reinforcement for aggressive behavior, and observing aggressive role models all contribute to aggression. Media violence provides social scripts that children learn to follow. Viewing sexual violence contributes to greater aggression toward women. Playing violent video games can increase aggressive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Why do we befriend or fall in love with some people but not others?
Proximity increases liking, in part because of the mere exposure effect—exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of those stimuli. Physical attractiveness increases social opportunities and improves the way we are perceived. Similarity of attitudes and interests greatly increases liking, especially as relationships develop. We also like those who like us.
How does romantic love typically change as time passes?
Intimate love relationships start with passionate love—an intensely aroused state. Over time, the strong affection of companionate love may develop, especially if enhanced by an equitable relationship, intimate self-disclosure, and positive support.
What is altruism? When are people the most and least likely to help/
Altruism is unselfish regard for the well-being of others. We are most likely to help when we notice an incident, interpret it as an emergency, and assume responsibility for helping. Other factors, including our mood and our similarity to the victim, also affect our willingness to help. We are least likely to help if other bystanders are present (the bystander effect).
How do social exchange theory and social norms explain helping behavior?
Social exchange theory is the view that we help others because it is in our own self-interest; in this view, the goal of social behavior is maximizing personal benefits and minimizing costs. Others believe that helping results from socialization, in which we are taught guidelines for expected behaviors in social situations, such as the reciprocity norm and the social-responsibility norm.
How do social traps and mirror image perceptions fuel social context
Social traps are situations in which people in conflict pursue their own individual self-interest, harming the collective well-being. Individuals and cultures in conflict also tend to form mirror-image perceptions: Each party views the opponent as untrustworthy and evil-intentioned, and itself as an ethical, peaceful victim. Perceptions can become self-fulfilling prophecies.
What can we do to promote peace
Peace can result when individuals or groups work together to achieve superordinate (shared) goals. Contact, cooperation, communication, and conciliation—such as the help promote peace.
