Social Psychology Flashcards
Social Cognition
mental processes associated with how we receive and react to others
Social Context
activities and interactions that take place among people and settings which behavior occurs and expectations and social norms governing behavior in a given setting
Situational View
environmental conditions influence people’s behavior as much as or more than their personal disposition
Dispositional View
internal factors (genes, traits, characteristics) influence our behavior more than the situation we are in
Fundamental Attribution Error
tendency to over attribute behavior of others to internal factors such as personality traits and minimizing situational influences
Self Serving Bias
an error in the way we look at and interpret ourselves and the situations we find ourselves in. We judge ourselves by a double standard, success due to internal factors, failure to external factors
Attitudes
Beliefs & Feelings that predispose our reactions to objects, people, and events
1) Cognitive - set of beliefs about attributes of objects
2) Affective - feelings about object
3) Behavioral - way people act toward object
Central Route Persuasion (Direct)
Attributes change when interested people focus on scientific evidence/arguments and responses
Peripheral Route Persuasion
Attitude changes when people make judgements based on incidental cues & attractiveness of speaker
Psychology of Attraction
1) Proximity
2) Mere Exposure Effect
3) Similarity
4) Physical Attractiveness
Expectancy Value Theory
People decide to pursue a relationship by weighing the potential value of the relationship against their chances of succeeding in the relationship. We try to have relationships with the most attractive people we think will probably like us in return to minimize the risk of failure.
Reward Theory of Attraction
we like those who give us maximum rewards or benefit at minimum costs
Intimate Relationships
1) Passionate love: arousal state of positive physical absorption
2) Compassionate love: deep, affectionate, intimate attachment marked by mutual concern
Social Norms
a group’s expectations regarding what is appropriate and acceptable for its members’ attitudes and behaviors for its members in given situations
Broad Guidelines
political, religious views of quiet specific areas (silence in a library)
Guide Behavior
what is acceptable to discuss, define dress-code, unwritten roles
Conformity
tendency for people to adapt their behaviors, attitudes, & opinions to fit the action of other members of a group
Line Experiment
Solomon Asch
test levels of conformity, identified 3 factors that influence whether a person will yield to group pressure
3 Factors that affect conformity
1) size of the majority
2) Presence of a partner who dissented from the majority
3) Size of the discrepancy between correct answer and majority’s opinion
Conformity increases when
You feel incompetent In a group of 3 or more Impressed by status Made no prior commitment to a response Observed by others
Normative Social Influence
Desire to avoid rejection, gain social approval
Informative Social Influence
Group may provide valuable information, want to accept opinion of others
Copliance
adjusting one’s behavior to implicit or explicit request
Obedience
change in behavior in response to a command by someone of authority
1) prestige
2) presence of others who disobey
3) personality
Social Dilemma
situation in which selfish behavior that benefits individuals in short time causes disaster for group in long term
Social Facilitation
improved performance on a task in presence of others, generally because of heightened state of awareness
Social Loafing
People in group exert less effort than individually
Deindividualization
Loss of self awareness & self restraint in group situations that foster arousal & anonymity. Less responsible in big group
Group Think
mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision making group overrides a realistic view of alternatives
Factors that Promote Group Think
1) High Croup Cohesiveness
Directive leadership, homogeneity of members social background, high stress from external threats
Group Polarization
If members of a group have similar, but not identical views about a topic and discuss them, their opinions become more extreme and pronounced. If a group is like minded, discussions with strengthen its attitudes
Prejudice
having negative thoughts, emotions, attitudes or feelings towards and individual based on his/her membership in a particular group
Discrimination
act taken against a person because of his/her membership in a group
Components of Prejudice
1) Beliefs
2) emotions
3) Pre-disposition to act
Causes of Prejudice
Social inequalities
social divisions
though patterns
scapegoating theory
Social Identities
in group - people with whom you share identity
out group - those perceived as different from your group
in group bias - favor one’s own group
Cognitive Roots of Prejudice
Categorize people by stereotyping them
Tendency to believe world is just and people get what they deserve and deserve what they get - just world phenomenon
Conflict
perceived incompatibility of action, goals or ideas
can cause destructive cycle with social traps - pursue our own personal interests at cost of collective well being
Mirror Image Perception
We see others as untrustworthy, they see us as untrustworthy
Self Fulfilling Prophecy
Behave towards others in ways that influence them in ways to justify our beliefs about them
Aggression
Physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy whether reactive or out of hostility or proactively as calculated means to an end
Genetic Influences - in men linked to Y-chromosome
Neutral Influence - some centers in brain especially limbic system and frontal love involved with aggression
Stages of Aggression
- Frustration: aggressive principle, principle in which frustration creates anger which can create aggression
- Excitation transfer: arousal from one experience may carry over to independent situation
Altruism
unselfish regard for others
Social Exchange Theory
people help in order to reduce unpleasant arousal (feelings) caused by another person’s distress yet attempt to minimize cost of doing hte deed
Reciprocity Norm
expectation we should return help not harm to those who have helped us
Socio Responsibility
largely learned, tell us to help others when they need us even though they may not pay us in kind
Influence in social exchange theory
1) Clarity for need of help - in dire need will help most of the time
2) Presence of others
3) Personality of Helper
4) Other environmental factors: (being in a small town, not being in a rush, nice weather, just seeing someone else helped)
Bystander Effect
Number of people present increase, likelihood that one person will help decrease
Diffusion of Responsibility
If more are present, the responsibility for helping spreads amongst all present
