Social Psychlogical Theories Flashcards
Attribution theory
This theory concerned with the ways in which people explain the behavior of others, through:
Situational- blaming an incident on the external factors (usually used on people we know or favor)
Or
Dispositional- blaming incident on the individual’s internal traits (usually used on people we don’t know or dislike)
Drive reduction theory
A theory that explains motivation as being based on the goal of eliminating uncomfortable internal states.
Primary: Starvation(Food), Dehydration(Water), Horny(Sex),Homeless (Shelter)
Secondary: everything else.
Arousal Theory
A theory of motivation that states there is a particular level of arousal required to perform optimally.
*Yerkes-Dodson law and Social Facilitation.
Conflict theory
There are many groups in society, but resources are scarce and competition is high. This leads to a society of hierarchy. Leads to power being the core of society.
Expectancy-value theory
The amount of motivation needed to reach a goal is the result of both expectation of success to reach the goal and degree to which reaching the goal is valued.
Rational choice theory. What is another theory that is similar?
Individual making a choice by weighing out harms and benefits.
Exchange theory is the same thing but for interactions in groups.
Functional Attitude theory
That Attitude serve four functions: knowledge, ego expression, adaptation, and ego defense.
Implicit personality theory
How we perceive others is shaped by our beliefs about how personality is organized
Malthusian Theory
Theory of demographic transition that focuses on how population growth can outpace food supply growth and lead to social degradation and disorder.
Racial formation theory
Theory that racial is fluid and only dependent on political, economic, and social factors.
Social interactionist theory
The theory that language acquisition is driven by the desire to communicate. Includes both biological and social process.
Theory of mind.
The ability to sense how another’s mind work?
