Social Psych Exam 2

Question 1

What is Self-Concept?

Answer 1

The overall set of beliefs that people have about their personal attributes

Question 2

What is Rudimentary self-concept?

Answer 2

-Some primates
-Humans 18-24 months

Question 3

What is child’s self-concept?

Answer 3

-concrete
-references to characteristics like age, sex, neighborhood, and hobbies

Question 4

What is maturing self-concept?

Answer 4

-Less emphasis on physical characteristics
-More emphasis on psychological states and how other people judge us

Question 5

Independent view of the self

Answer 5

-defines self through own internal thoughts, feelings, and actions and not other peoples
-Independence and uniqueness valued
-Held in many western cultures

Question 6

INTERdependent view of the self

Answer 6

-defines self through relationships to others
-recognizes that others’ thoughts, feelings, and actions affect one’s behavior
-connectedness, interdependence valued
-uniqueness frowned upon
-held in many Asian and non-western cultures

Question 7

4 main functions of self

Answer 7

1. self-knowledge - the way we understand who we are and organize this information
2. Self-control - the way we make plans and execute decisions
3. Impression management - The way we present ourselves to others and get them to see us as we want to be seen
4. Self-esteem - the way we maintain positive views of ourselves

Question 8

Introspection

Answer 8

Looking inward and examining our own thoughts, feelings, and motives
- useful but not perfect
- not always pleasant to think about ourselves

Question 9

Self-awareness theory

Answer 9

the idea that when people focus their attention on themselves, they evaluate and compare their behavior to their internal standards and values

Question 10

Escaping the self

Answer 10

-self focus can be aversive
-some dangerous ways to turn off one’s “internal spotlight”
(alcohol abuse, binge eating, sex)

Question 11

Nonaversive use of self focus

Answer 11

-can be pleasant (experiencing success)
-can remind you of your sense of right and wrong

Question 12

Self-perception theory

Answer 12

Theory that when our attitudes and feelings are uncertain or ambiguous, we infer these states by observing our behavior and the situation in which it occurs

Question 13

two-factor theory of emotion

Answer 13

the idea that emotional experience is the result of a two-step self perception process in which people:
- first experience physiological arousal
-then seek an appropriate explanation for it

Question 14

Misattribution of arousal

Answer 14

-Making mistaken inferences about what is causing them to feel the way they do
-arousal from one source (exercise or fright) can enhance the intensity of how the person interprets other feelings (like attraction to someone)

Question 15

**Intrinsic motivation

Answer 15

engage in an activity because of enjoyment or interest, not external rewards or pressures

Question 16

***Extrinsic motivation

Answer 16

engage in an activity because of external reasons, not because of enjoyment or interest

Question 17

Overjustification effect

Answer 17

Tendency for people to view their behavior as caused by compelling extrinsic reasons, making them underestimate the extent to which it was caused by intrinsic reasons

Question 18

Task contingent rewards

Answer 18

rewards given for performing a task, regardless of how well the task is done (participation trophy)

Question 19

Performance-contingent rewards

Answer 19

rewards based on how well we perform a task
-less damaging to intrinsic interest

Question 20

Fixed mindset

Answer 20

the idea that we have a set amount of an ability that cant change

Question 21

Growth mindset

Answer 21

the idea that achievement is the result of working hard, trying new strategies, and seeking input from others

Question 22

Social comparison theory

Answer 22

The idea that we learn about our own abilities and attitudes by comparing ourselves to other people

Question 23

****upward social comparison

Answer 23

to know the top level to which we can aspire
-comparing to people who are better with regard to a particular trait or ability

Question 24

**Downward social comparison

Answer 24

to feel better about ourselves
-comparing to people who are worse with regard to a particular trait or ability

Question 25

self-control

Answer 25

the ability to subdue immediate desires to achieve long term goals

Question 26

Impression management

Answer 26

the attempt by people to get others to see them as they want to be seen

Question 27

Ingratiation

Answer 27

flattering, praising, and generally trying to make ourselves likeable to another person, often of higher status

Question 28

Self-handicapping

Answer 28

-creating obstacles and excuses for ourselves
-if we do poorly on a task we can avoid blaming ourselves

Question 29

Behavioral self-handicapping

Answer 29

-acting in ways that reduce the likelihood of success
-if we fail, we blame it on obstacles rather than ability
-pulling an all nighter before a test

Question 30

reported self-handicapping

Answer 30

-devising ready made excuses in case we fail
ex. complaining about not feeling well before a test

Question 31

desire to manage image we present

Answer 31

culturally universal

Question 32

Kinds of images we want to present
ex. “saving face” is important in asian cultures

Answer 32

cultural differences

Question 33

***Cognitive dissonance

Answer 33

discomfort that people feel when two cognitions (beliefs, attitudes) conflict, or when they behave in ways that threaten their self-esteem

Question 34

**Ways to reduce dissonance

Answer 34

1. change behavior
2. justify behavior by changing one of the dissonant cognitions
3. justify behavior by adding new cognitions

Question 35

Postdecision dissonance

Answer 35

dissonance aroused after making a decision
-typically reduced by enhancing the attractiveness of the chosen alternative and devaluating the rejected alternatives

Question 36

Justification of effort

Answer 36

the tendency for individuals to increase their liking for something they have worked hard to attain
-especially if they have freely chosen to exert the effort

Question 38

counterattitudinal behavior

Answer 38

acting in a way that runs counter to one’s private beliefs

Question 39

**External justification

Answer 39

-explaining a counterattitudinal behavior as due to something about the situation or environment
-ex. believing the behavior was justified by a large reward

Question 40

***Internal justification

Answer 40

-the reduction of dissonance by changing something about oneself
ex. one’s attitude or behavior

Question 41

Ben Franklin effect

Answer 41

doing a favor for someone we dislike will make us like them more
behavior is dissonant with attitude

Question 42

Dissonance example

Answer 42

1. conscience says it’s wrong to cheat
2. but you will get poor grade if you don’t cheat

Question 43

Discouraging temptation

Answer 43

harsh punishment or the threat of it doesn’t work long-term
-only teaches people not to get caught

Question 44

Severe punishment

Answer 44

-provides strong external justification
-encourages temporary compliance
-but prevents real attitude change

Question 45

Self-affirmation theory

Answer 45

the idea that people can reduce threats to their self-esteem by affirming themselves in areas unrelated to the source of the threat

Question 46

Narcissism

Answer 46

the combination of excessive self-love and a lack of empathy toward others

Question 47

Terror management theory

Answer 47

self-esteem serves as a buffer, protecting people from terrifying thoughts about their own mortality

Question 48

***Explicit attitudes

Answer 48

attitudes that we consciously endorse and can easily report

Question 49

**Implicit attitudes

Answer 49

attitudes that are involuntary, uncontrollable, and at times unconscious

Question 50

Subjective norms

Answer 50

people’s beliefs about how others they care about will view the behavior in question

Question 51

Perceived behavioral control

Answer 51

intentions influenced by the ease with which people believe they can perform the behavior

Question 52

Subjective norms

Answer 52

people’s beliefs about how others they care about will view the behavior in question

Question 53

perceived behavioral control

Answer 53

intentions influenced by the ease with which people believe they can perform the behavior

Question 54

How do attitudes change?

Answer 54

it’s often due to social influence

Question 55

***Peripheral route to persuasion

Answer 55

-when people do not pay attention to the arguments but are instead swayed by surface characteristics
-persuaded by things peripheral to the message

Question 56

***Central route to persuasion

Answer 56

-when people are motivated and have the ability to pay attention to the arguments in the communication
-most persuaded by logically compelling facts

Question 57

**Lowball technique

Answer 57

buy something but need to buy add ones for full experience

Question 58

Foot in the door technique

Answer 58

our deal is done but now im gonna go for a second deal

Question 59

door in the face technique

Answer 59

im gonna ask you for something ridiculous asking for $3.99 instead of $200 bc it seems cheaper but still not worth the price

Question 60

Introspection could lead to what?

Answer 60

self actualization

Question 61

through time we develop a sense of self that has the ability to be modified by what

Answer 61

-upward and downward
-internal vs external rewards