Social Psychology & Personality Flashcards
What is the Social Brain Hypothesis?
The size of a primate species’ social group is relative to the volume of their neocortex (the outer layer of the cerebral cortex).
What are in groups and out groups?
In groups: groups one belongs in
Out groups: groups one does not belong in
What is reciprocity and transitivity?
Reciprocity: people treat others as others treat them
Transitivity: people tend to have the same opinions as others
What is Out-group Homogeneity Effect?
The tendency to view the out-group as less than and viewing the in-group positively.
What is Social Identity Theory?
People not only identify with certain groups, but value and take pride in their membership.
What is In-Group Favoritism?
The increase of favors and willingness to forgive in-group members.
What is Group Polarization?
The tendency that if most group members are one way, for example cautious, then the group becomes even more cautious.
What is Groupthink?
An extreme form of polarization where bad decisions can be made.
What is Social Facilitation?
The idea that the presence of others enhances ones performance.
Presence of others —> arousal —> enhancement of the dominant response —> achieving either good or bad performance based on if the response is easy/well learned or difficult/not well learned.
What is Mere-Presence effect?
The idea that a person changes their behavior due to the presence of an audience.
What is Social Loafing?
When one doesn’t try or tries less in a group, therefore not having responsibility for the in-groups output.
What is Deindividuation?
Losing individuality when in a group due to lack of awareness and not prioritizing personal standards.
What is Normative Influence? (Conformity)
People go along with the crowd to fit in and avoid looking foolish. (THINK: Asch’s Line Experiment)
What is Informational Influence? (Conformity)
People look to others for cues about how to respond due to uncertainties or ambiguity about what’s correct, appropriate or expected.
What are Social Norms? (Conformity)
Expected standards of conduct.
What did Milgram’s experiment results show in terms of increased and decreased obedience?
Increase in obedience occurred when the increase of shocks were slow, the “victim” made protests later in the experiment, participants had a higher high-school status and the authorities figure seemed for serious.
Decreased obedience occurred when participants saw or touched the confederate and when they were given instructions on the phone.
What is aggression? What are factors that increase aggression?
Aggression is the intention to harm others.
Factors for increased aggression: observational learning, media violence, social rejection, heat**, negative emotions, testosterone (due to decreases in brain control of impulses), and disrupted serotonin (possibly from variations of the MAO enzyme which regulates serotonin and norepinephrine activity).
Factors for decreased aggression: superordinate goals (goals that require cooperation).
What is altruism?
Providing help when needed without any immediate reward.
What are examples of pro-social behaviors?
Favors, offering assistance or compliments.
What is Bystander Intervention effect? Why does this happen?
The failure to help someone in need when others are present. Because there’s a diffusion of responsibility, one has anonymity, one can be afraid of social blunders, one considers their own harm and benefits.
What is compliance?
The tendency to do something requested by others.
What is the Foot-In-The-Door effect?
If one agrees to a small request, they may comply with a large and undesired request.
What is Door-In-The-Face effect?
When one disagrees with a large request, they may agree to a small request.
What is low-balling?
Making the initial idea attractive, causing a person to accept, then making the idea less favorable.
