Social Psychology Flashcards
What is it called when an individual distorts facts in order to maintain their self esteem?
Self-serving bias
NS
Define Group Polarisation
The strengthening of attitudes in individuals when they are in groups of people who hold similar attitudes
ZW
What is Social Facilitation?
Improved performance due to the presence of others
ZW
_____ _________ can be defined as the social influence from peers to think, feel or behave in certain ways
Peer pressure
NS
what is social psychology?
the scientific study of the way in which people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours are influenced by the presence of others.
BH
Define a group.
two or more people who interact and are interdependent in the sense that their needs and goals cause them to influence each other.
BH
what is conformity
the changing of behaviour in response to group pressure
BP
why do people join groups
accomplish objectives more readily
basic needs for belonging
identity formation
BP
Which researcher created the Visual Judgement Task?
a) Smith
b) Sherif
c) Milgram
d) Asch
d) Asch
NS
When we conform to group standards in order to be apart of a group and be accepted by the group, we are experiencing…
Normative social influence
NS
what are 2 types of influence?
informational and normative influence
BP
what are the 2 causes of conformity?
- private acceptance
- public compliance
BH
what are the factors affecting conformity?
- group size
- social loafing
- cultural background
- deindividuation
- perception of the value of the source of information
- normative influence
- whether or not the group members are unanimous in their views
BH
Define obedience
Changing a behaviour in response to instruction or direct request by an authority figure
NS
Milgram’s study was derived from his interest in why _______________________________________
The Nazi SS officers obeyed orders, from their superior officres, to gas millions of Jews
NS
what are the conclusions reasons psychologist think people obey authority
.belief in legitimate authority
.commitment to successful achievement to the experiment
.lack of disobedient role models
.lack of personal responsibility
BP
what are the ethical issues surrounding Milgram’s study?
- it was a deception therefore debriefing was needed at the end of the study
- only males involved (gender bias)
BH
what are the conclusions reasons psychologist think people obey authority
.belief in legitimate authority
.commitment to successful achievement to the experiment
.lack of disobedient role models
.lack of personal responsibility
Zimbardo’s study received renewed publicity because of its relevance to…
a) German guards at the Abu Ghraib during a military campaign in Iraq
b) Nazi SS officers gassing millions of Jews
c) US guards at Abu Ghraib during the US military campaign in Iraq
d) Guards in Abu Ghraib during World War 2 in Germany
e) It was his birthday
c) US guards at Abu Ghraib during the US military campaign in Iraq
NS
In Zimbardo’s study _________ where locked up and ________ quickly abused their status and power
In Zimbardo’s study “PRISONERS” where locked up and “GUARDS” quickly abused their status and power
NS
What were some criticisms pertaining Zimbardo’s experiment? (4)
- Sample and selection methods were biased, hence results cannot be generalised
- Guards may have been following stereotypes and role-playing, rather than being evil
- Experimenter Bias
- No clear hypothesis
ZW
How did Zimbardo’s guards display Deindividuation?
- Abandoned usual restraints of an individual to join in group behaviour
- Sense of anonymity and external norms created by their uniforms and each other
ZW
what are the two attributions that explain the causes of behaviour proposed by Heider?
- personal attributions
- situational attributions
BH
what is a limitation of Kelley’s theory?
lacks distinction between intentional and unintentional behaviours.
BH
Explain the Fundamental Attribution Error.
A strong bias towards making dispositional attributions to explain people’s behaviour, as opposed to situational attributions to explain people’s behaviour, as opposed to situational attributions.
ZW
Define ‘Self-serving Bias’
The distortion of facts/ any cognitive processes to make situational attributions, in order to maintain self-esteem.
ZW
What is it called when an individual distorts facts in order to maintain their self esteem?
Self-serving bias
NS
What does Kelly’s general model of attribution consist of?
Antecedents
Attributions
Consequences
NS
three ways to resolve cognitive dissonance
change thoughts
change behaviour
add thoughts
what does changing thoughts, changing behaviours
and adding thoughts help resolve
cognitive dissonance
Which of the following BEST describes Cognitive Dissonance?
a) when an individual experiences discomfort when they have to opposing beliefs
b) when an individual experiences tension because hold three beliefs that are in conflict or behave in a way that doesn’t align with that belief
c) when two beliefs are in conflict a person feels very uncomfortable so tried to fix it
d) when an individual experiences discomfort or psychological tension due to holding two beliefs that are in conflict or act in a way that is inconsistent with that belief
d) when an individual experiences discomfort or psychological tension due to holding two beliefs that are in conflict or act in a way that is inconsistent with that belief
NS
Who coined the term “Cognitive Dissonance”?
Leon Festinger
NS
Why are we motivated to restore consistency in cognitive dissonance?
- Gets in the way of finding the truth
- Physical discomfort
ZW
Define Cognitive Dissonance
The psychological tension and physical discomfort as a result of having conflicting beliefs, thoughts or attitudes.
ZW
define post-decisional dissonance
when there is cognitive dissonance between your choice and the belief that it was the right choice
BH
how do we reduce PDD?
we make justifications that we have made the right choice
BH
define post-decisional dissonance
when there is cognitive dissonance between your choice and the belief that it was the right choice
BH
how do we reduce PDD?
we make justifications that we have made the right choice
BH
