Social Psychology

Question 1

Attribution theory

Answer 1

Theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the persons disposition 
Ex. Julie never talks in class which means she must be shy.

Question 2

Fundamental attribution error

Answer 2

Tendency for observers, when analyzing others behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation or overestimate the impact of personal disposition 
Ex. Julie never talks in class so she is shy, but we are wrong bc at the game she is cheering and is not the same

Question 3

Attitude

Answer 3

Feeling, often by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events
Ex, feel someone threatening us -> feel fear/anger, act defensive

Question 4

Peripheral route persuasion

Answer 4

Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speakers attractiveness
Ex. Perfume ad lure us with images of famous ppl in love
Old guy, lazy won’t follow through

Question 5

Central route persuasion

Answer 5

Occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
Ex. Environmental advocates show evidence of rising temperatures
Lower taxes

Question 6

Foot in the door phenomenon

Answer 6

Tendency for ppl who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
(Get ppl to agree to something big, start small and build)
Ex. US prisoners of war wrote communist things each day starting small and growing bigger, returned home and were convinced communism was a good thing.

Question 7

Role

Answer 7

Set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave

Question 8

Cognitive dissonance theory

Answer 8

Theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent.
Ex. When we become aware that our attitudes and actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing out attitudes
Attitudes don’t match with actions
Shocking persuasion - mil gram

Question 9

Conformity

Answer 9

Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide w/ a group standard

Question 10

Normative social influence

Answer 10

Influence resulting from a persons desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval
Ex. Violating a norm

Question 11

Informational social influence

Answer 11

Influence resulting from ones willingness to accept others opinions about reality
Ex. Going to Japan and eating sushi. Excepting it.

Question 12

Social facilitation

Answer 12

Improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others
Ex. Home basketball games

Question 13

Social loafing

Answer 13

Tendency in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable
Ex. Pulling a tight rope by yourself vs with others (80% energy instead of 100%)

Question 14

Deindividuation

Answer 14

Loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
Ex. Ku klux klan (faces hidden, more violent)

Question 15

Group polarization

Answer 15

Enhancement of a groups prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group

Question 16

Groupthink

Answer 16

Mode of thinking occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
Ex. Contributed to watergate cover up, felt overconfident and too conformed

Question 17

Culture

Answer 17

Enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, & traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

Question 18

Norm

Answer 18

Understood rule for accepted behavior.

Norms prescribe “proper” behavior

Question 19

Prejudice

Answer 19

Unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Generally involved stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discrimatory action.
Ex. Attitude, discriminatory is an act
Stereotype to prejudice to discriminatory

Question 20

Stereotype

Answer 20

Generalized (sometimes accurate but often over generalized) belief about a group of ppl

Question 21

Discrimination

Answer 21

Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members

Question 22

In group vs out group

Answer 22

In- “is” PPP with whom we share a common identity

Out- “them” those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup

Question 23

Ingroup bias

Answer 23

Tendency to favor our own group

Question 24

Scapegoat theory

Answer 24

Theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame

Question 25

Other-race effect

Answer 25

Tendency to recall faces of ones own race more accurately than faces of other races
Also called cross-race effect or the own-race bias

Question 26

Social script

Answer 26

Culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations

Question 27

Aggression

Answer 27

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy

Question 28

Frustration-aggression principle

Answer 28

Principle that frustration- the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal- creates anger, which can generate aggression

Question 29

Mere exposure effect

Answer 29

Phenomenon that repeated expose to novel stimuli increases liking of them
Ex. More likely to marry someone whose first and last name resembles our own

Question 30

Passionate love

Answer 30

Aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship

Question 31

Companionate love

Answer 31

Deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined

Question 32

Equity

Answer 32

Condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give.
Ex. Promoting & caring about each other’s welfare

Question 33

Self-disclosure

Answer 33

Revealing intimate aspects of oneself

Question 34

Altruism

Answer 34

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others

Question 35

Bystander effect

Answer 35

Tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present

Question 36

Social exchange theory

Answer 36

Theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
Ex. Pondering to donate blood, weigh cost of doing so (discomfort, time) against the benefits ( reduced guilt, social approval). If rewards exceed cost, you’ll help

Question 37

reciprocity norm

Answer 37

Expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them

Question 38

Social responsibility norm

Answer 38

Expectation that ppl will help those needing there help

Question 39

Conflict

Answer 39

Perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas

Question 40

Social trap

Answer 40

Situation where the conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest rather than the good of the group, become caught in mutually destructive behavior

Question 41

Mirror-image perceptions

Answer 41

Mutual views often help by conflicting people, as when each side sees itself ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive.
Ex. Juan believes Ally is annoyed with him, he may snub her, causing her to act in ways that justify his perception

Question 42

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 42

Belief that leads to its own fulfillment

Question 43

Social psychology

Answer 43

The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Question 44

Subordinate goals

Answer 44

Shared goals that override differences among ppl and require their cooperation

Question 45

GRIT

Answer 45

Graduated & Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction
- a strategy designed to decrease international tensions