Social Processes, Attitudes, and Behavior Flashcards
Social action
Actions and behaviors that individuals are conscious of and performing because others are around
Social facilitation
The tendency of people to perform better on simple tasks when in the presence of others.
Yerkes-Dodson Law of Social Facilitation
States that being in the presence of others will significantly increase arousal, enhancing the ability to perform tasks one is already good at (simple tasks), and hinders the performance of less familiar tasks (complex tasks)
Deindividuation
A social phenomenon that takes place when individuals are in large group settings. Individual behavior can be dramatically different in social environments, due to a large group providing anonymity and causing a loss of individual identity.
Antinormative behavior
Behavior against the norm
Bystander effect
A phenomenon that occurs in social groups wherein individuals do not intervene to help victims when others are present
Social loafing
The tendency of individuals to put in less effort when in a group setting than when individually
Peer pressure
The social influence placed on an individual by a group of people or another individual
Peers
Individuals who are equal within a social group
Identity shift effect
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. Mechanism of peer pressure. Cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance
The simultaneous presence of two opposing thoughts/opinions/behavior. Results in discomfort that is received by changing, adding to, or minimizing one of these dissonant thoughts.
Social interaction
Explores the ways in which two or more individuals can both shape each other’s behavior
Group polarization
Describes the tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the individual ideas and inclinations of the members within the group
Choice shift and polarization
Tendency for groups to make decisions that appear more extreme than the decisions group members would have made on their own. Polarization is the individual level, choice shift is the group
Groupthink
A social phenomenon in which desire for harmony or conformity results in a group of people coming to an incorrect or poor decision. Members begin to solely focus on ideas generated within the group.
Illusion of invulnerability
Creation of optimism and encouragement of risk-taking. Groupthink indicator
Collective rationalization
Ignoring warning against the ideas of the group. Groupthink indicator
Illusion of morality
The belief that the group’s decisions are morally correct. Groupthink indicator
Excessive stereotyping
The construction of stereotypes against outside opinions. Groupthink indicator
Pressure for conformity
The pressure put on anyone in the group who expresses opinions against the group, viewing opposition as disloyal. Groupthink indicator
Self-censorship
The withholding of opposing views. Groupthink indicator
Illusion of unanimity
The false sense of agreement within the group. Groupthink indicator
Mindguards
The appointment of members to the role of protecting against opposing views. Groupthink indicator
Fad
A behavior that is transiently viewed as popular and desirable by a large community. Example of groupthink
Mass hysteria
Refers to a shared, intense concern about the threats to society. Many features of groupthink-collective rationalization, illusions of morality, excessive stereotyping, and pressure for conformity in particular-lead to a shared delusion that is augmented by distrust, rumors, propaganda, and fear mongering
Culture
The beliefs, behaviors, actions, and characteristics of a group or society of people
Culture shock
When traveling outside one’s own society, and the cultural difference seems dramatic
Cultural assimilation
The process by which an individual group’s behavior and culture begin to resemble that of another group. Usually uneven merging of cultures into homogeneity; a melting pot
Ethnic enclaves
Locations (usually neighborhoods) with a high concentration of one ethnicity (e.g. Little Italy, Chinatown)