Social Psychology Definitions Flashcards
Conformity
a form of social influence which results from exposure to opinions of the majority, often used negatively.
Dispositional Attribution
When we attribute the cause of our own or someone else’s behaviour to factors that are under direct control..
Determinism
The theory that everything that happens must happen as it does and couldn’t happen any other way, pre determined.
Controlled Laboratory Method
An experiment which takes place in a controlled and monitored environment.
Obedience
A type of social influence whereby somebody acts in response to a direct order from another person.
Defiant Participant
A participant who refuses to continue taking part in the experiment.
Ecological Validity
The degree to which behaviours are observed and recorded in a study reflect the behaviours that actually occur in a natural setting.
Agentic State
A state of mind from a person who will pass on responsibility for one consequence of their behaviour to the person telling them what to do.
Demand Characteristics
Results of an experiment are biased because participants perform as expected due to experimenters expectancies.
Situational Attributes
When a persons behaviour is due to situational factors.
Self-Selected Sampling
Individuals volunteer themselves to take part in an experiment.
Ethical Issues
Duty to respect human rights and participants dignity, meaning they should follow the correct rules.
Pilot Study
An initial run through of the procedure to be used in an experiment.
Whistle Blowing
A person who raises concern about a wrong doing in their workplace because they believe it goes against their morals.
Psychometric Tests
Any standardised procedure for measuring sensitivity, memory, intelligence etc.
Situational Hypothesis
Supports the idea that behaviour is caused by the situation or environment a participant finds themselves in.
Dispositional Hypothesis
A hypothesis the idea that behaviour is caused by an individuals personality.
Disobedience
Refusal to obey rules from someone in authority.
Religiosity
Strong religious beliefs or ideas.
Social Values
A belief or idea a social group holds.
Ethics Committee
An ethics committee is a body responsible for ensuring that medical experimentation and human research are carried out in an ethical manner in accordance with national and international law
Sensory Deprivation
A process by which someone is deprived of normal external stimuli such as sight or sound.
