Social Psychology Glossary

Question 1

Actor-Observer Effect

Answer 1

In casual attribution, the tendency for the observer to over-estimate the effects of dispositional factors when making attributions about an actor’s behavior but to overestimate the effects of situational factors when making self-attributions

Question 2

Attitude Inoculation

Answer 2

A method of reducing the effectiveness of a persuasive message that is based on the medical model. It involves giving the recipient of the message arguments against his own position and weak counterarguments (refutations against those arguments).

Question 3

Autokinetic Effect

Sherif

Answer 3

a perceptual phenomenon in which a stationary point of light appears to move in a dark room. Used to study conformity to group norms.

Question 4

Balance Theory

Answer 4

uses principle of cognitive consistency to explain attitude change and focuses on the relations among 3 entities: (P)erson, (O)ther person, and a third person, object or event (X). Relations may be balanced or not depending on the pattern of likes or dislikes among the entities.

Question 5

Barnum Effect

Answer 5

tendency to accept vague, general descriptions of one’s self (e.g. horoscope) to be accurate.

Question 6

Base Rate Fallacy

Answer 6

tendency to underutilize or ignore relevant statistical (base rate) data and rely on irrelevant information when making probabilistic judgements about an event or characteristic.

Question 7

Bases of Social Power

French and Raven

Answer 7

6 bases of social power that induce compliance in another person: 1) coercive 2) reward 3) expert 4) legitimate 5 referent 6) informational

Question 8

Bystander Apathy

Answer 8

tendency of people to not intervene emergency situations when other people are present. 3 Factors; 1)social comparison 2) evaluation apprehension 3) diffusion of responsibility

Question 9

Catharsis Hypothesis

Answer 9

predicts that an act of aggression reduces an individual’s arousal level which then decreases the likelihood that he will act aggressively again in the near future. Not backed by research.

Question 10

Characteristics of the Communicator

Answer 10

research on attitude has confirmed that credible communicators are more persuasive and that 1 factor that contributes to credibility is trustworthiness (e.g., if the person is arguing agains his best interest he may seem more trustworthy).

Question 11

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Festinger

Answer 11

purposes that inconsistencies in cognition that produce discomfort (dissonance) that motivates the individual to reduce the dissonance by changing his cognitions.

Question 12

Confirmation Bias

Answer 12

tendency to seek or pay attention to information that confirms one’s hypothesis or current beliefs and to ignore disconfirming information.

Question 13

Deindividuation Model

Answer 13

state of relative anonymity that allows an individual to feel unidentifiable. Associated with higher levels of anti-social behavior because the deindividuated person’s behavior is no longer controlled by guilt, fear or evaluation, or other inhibitory controls.

Question 14

Effects of Crowding

Answer 14

Crowded conditions tend to enhance positive experiences and increase the unpleasantness of negative experiences. Men seem to be more stressed by crowded conditions than women and are more likely to react with increased aggressiveness. apparently because men require more personal space.

Question 15

Effects of Media Violence

Answer 15

research generally confirms that viewing media violence increases aggression by providing viewers with models for aggressive behaviors. Impacts attitude as well; frequent viewing of violent media linked to overestimating the likelihood that one will be a victim.

Question 16

Effects of Pornography

Answer 16

exposure to mild erotica may reduce aggressiveness; exposure to violent themes tends to increase aggressive behaviors towards women as well as increase acceptance of rape myths and the adoption of callous attitudes towards sexual violence.

Question 17

Elaboration Likelihood Model

ELM

Answer 17

cognitive theory of attitude change that distinguishes between 2 information processing routes: Central & Peripheral. Use of Central Route is likely when listener is motivated and has ability to process the information contained in the message and the listener is neutral or slightly negative in mood. Peripheral is used when listener is unmotivated and lacks ability to process the information, and or is in a positive mood.

Question 18

Emotion-in-Relationship Model

Answer 18

provides an explanation for the experience of strong emotions in close relationships and proposes that there is an innate mechanism that generates emotion in response to unexpected events that disrupts ongoing sequences of behaviors.

Question 19

Epinephrine Studies

Singer & Schachter

Answer 19

supported the predictions of self-perception theory by confirming > when internal cues are insufficient or difficult to interpret, people acquire information about themselves by observing their external behaviors and/or the context in which those behaviors occur.

Question 20

Equity Theory

Answer 20

predicts that motivation (i.e. motivation to remain in a relationship) is affected by a comparison of the input/outcome ratios of oneself and one’s partner.

Question 21

Field Theory

Lewin

Answer 21

describes human behavior as being a product of interdependent factors in the person and his physical and social environment.

Question 22

Fundamental Attribution Bias

Answer 22

the tendency for an observer to overestimate dispositional causes and underestimate situational causes when making attributions about an actor’s behavior.

Question 23

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

Answer 23

aggression is motivated by by frustration, and predicts that frustration leads to aggression in the presence of aggressive cues.

Question 24

Gain-Loss Effect

Answer 24

predicts that people tend to be most attracted to individuals who show increasing for liking them and tend to be least attracted to individuals who show decreasing liking for them.

Question 25

Gender Differences in Affiliation

Answer 25

research shows women generally spend more time than men engaged in conversation; are more likely to talk to people of the same gender; may affiliate more than men do in public places.

Question 26

Hardiness

Kobassa et al.

Answer 26

personality trait of hardiness acts as a protective factor against stress and has 3 primary characteristics: 1) commitment (sense of purpose and involvement in one’s life events/relationships) 2) Challenge (openness to new experiences and change) 3) Control (belief that one has the ability to control or manage life’s events)

Question 27

Heuristics

Answer 27

are short mental shortcuts people use when making attributions and other social judgements and include: representativeness, availability, simulation, anchoring and adjustment heuristics. May result in errors.

Question 28

Intraindividual Conflict

Lewin & Miller

Answer 28

4 motivational conflicts: 1) approach-approach 2) avoidance-avoidance 3) approach-avoidance 4) double approach-avoidance. Double approach-avoidance (having to choose between 2 goals both having positive and negative affects) is most difficult.

Question 29

Jigsaw Method

Answer 29

method of learning in which assignments must be completed by teams when each team member is assigned a different part of the project. Improves intergroup relations / self-esteem / cooperation / and academic achievement esp for members of minority groups.

Question 30

Law of Attraction

Byrne

Answer 30

we are attracted to others who have similar attitudes because interacting with those individuals is more rewarding than interacting with people who have dissimilar attitudes. Therefore, more likely to generate positive effect.

Question 31

Levels of Racism

Answer 31

to understand the effects of racism, it is necessary to recognize that it operates on multiple levels. Cultural/ Institutional / Interpersonal & Internalized

Question 32

Minority Influence

Answer 32

Research shows that a minority can influence the majority by maintaining a consistent (but not dogmatic) position.

Question 33

Misery Loves Miserable Company

Schachter

Answer 33

people like to affiliate with others who are in similar circumstances

Question 34

Obedience to Authority

Milgram

Answer 34

famous studies that people would obey direct order or command from person in authority even at risk of harming others

Question 35

Overjustification Hypotheisis

Answer 35

predicts that when people are externally rewarded for a task they previously found intrinsically interesting, their intrinsic interest in the task will decrease

Question 36

Prison Study

Zimbardo

Answer 36

Simulation study demonstrated that people alter their behaviors to fit their assigned roles.

Question 37

Pseudo Patient Study

Rosenhan

Answer 37

demonstrated the effects of social context on impression formation. Once admitted to a mental hospital, the pseudo patients were viewed, especially by hospital staff, as being schizophrenic without demonstrating any of the symptoms or abnormal behaviors.

Question 38

Psychological Reactance

Answer 38

tendency to resist being influenced or manipulated by others. Usually by doing the opposite of what is requested or expected. DJ Request.

Question 39

Robber’s Cave Study

Sherif

Answer 39

research with boy’s summer camp demonstrated that the most effective way to reduce group hostility is having members of the group cooperate to achieve a mutual (superordinate) goal.

Question 40

Schemata

Answer 40

Schemata (Schemas) are cognitive structures that organize past information into a framework for processing and understanding new information and experiences.

Question 41

Self-Monitoring

Answer 41

refers to need for and ability to manage the impression that others form of us. High self-monitors most concerned about their “public self” - strive to match attitudes and behaviors to the situation. Low self-monitors are guided by their own beliefs and values; attempt to alter situation to match their “private-self”

Question 42

Self-Perception Theory

Answer 42

predicts that people make attributions about their own attitudes and behaviors on the basis of observations of their behaviors and other external cues.

Question 43

Self-Serving Bias

Answer 43

tendency to attribute our own successes to dispositional (internal) factors and failures to situational (external) factors.

Question 44

Self-Verification Theory

Answer 44

predicts that people prefer to receive feedback from others that is consistent with their own self-evaluations.

Question 45

Social Comparison Theory

Answer 45

predicts that people use other (similar people) as sources of comparison to evaluate their own attitudes and behaviors.

Question 46

Social Exchange Theory

Answer 46

predicts that a person’s decision to leave a relationship depends on the costs and rewards i.e. person is likely to stay int a relationship when rewards outweigh the costs.

Question 47

Social Learning Theory

Answer 47

predicts that learning can occur simply by observing the behavior of a model. it has been used to explain acquisition of aggressive behaviors. i.e. media violence

Question 48

Social Judgement Theory

Answer 48

predicts that people have 3 categories of judgement by which they evaluate persuasive messages; 1) a latitude of acceptance 2) a latitude of non-acceptance 3) latitude of rejection. People are likely to be persuaded when the message is within their latitude of acceptance.

Question 49

Superordinate Goals

Answer 49

can only be achieved when members of different groups work together cooperatively and have been found useful (the goals) in reducing intergroup conflict.

Question 50

Symbolic Racism

Sears et al.

Answer 50

Symbolic (modern) racism has taken the place of “old-fashioned” racism. Symbolic racists believe that African American and other minorities such American values as: individualism, self-reliance, and work ethic. They also deny their prejudice and attribute the social economic problems of minority group members to internal factors (lack of effort /discipline/ etc.)

Question 51

Theory of Planned Behavior

Answer 51

predicts that attitudes are predictors of behavior when the attitude measure all 3 components of behavioral intention: 1) personal attitude towards the behavior 2) what the person believes other people thinks he should do 3) person’s perceived behavior control

Question 52

Zeigarnik Effect

Answer 52

tendency to remember interrupted and unfinished tasks better than completed ones; especially in non-stressful situations.