Unit 14

Question 1

attribution theory

Answer 1

the theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition

Question 2

fundamental attribution error

Answer 2

the tendency for observers, when analyzing another’s behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

Question 3

attitude

Answer 3

feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events

Question 4

central route persuasion

Answer 4

attitude change path in which interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts

Question 5

peripheral route persuasion

Answer 5

attitude change path in which people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness

Question 6

foot-in-the-door phenomena

Answer 6

tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request

Question 7

role

Answer 7

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

Question 8

cognitive dissonance theory

Answer 8

the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when our awareness of our attitudes and of our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing out attitudes.

Question 9

conformity

Answer 9

adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Question 10

normative social influence

Answer 10

influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval

Question 11

informational social influence

Answer 11

influence resulting from one’s willingness to accept other’s opinions about reality

Question 12

social facilitation

Answer 12

stronger responses on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others

Question 13

social loafing

Answer 13

the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable

Question 14

deindividuation

Answer 14

the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity

Question 15

group polarization

Answer 15

the enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group

Question 16

groupthink

Answer 16

the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives

Question 17

culture

Answer 17

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

Question 18

norm

Answer 18

an understood rule for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe “proper” behavior

Question 19

personal space

Answer 19

the buffer zone we like to maintain around our bodies

Question 20

prejudice

Answer 20

an unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.