Unit 4 - Social Psychology

Question 1

Define person perception

Answer 1

How we form impressions of ourselves and others including attributions (attributes) of behaviour

Question 2

What is the attribution theory

Answer 2

The theory that we explain someone’s behaviour by crediting either the situation (a situational attribution) or the persons stable, enduring traits (a dispositional attribution)

Question 3

What is the fundamental attribution error

Answer 3

The tendency for observers when analyzing others behaviour, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

Question 4

What is the actor observer bias

Answer 4

The tendency for those acting in a situation to attribute their behaviour to external causes, but for observers to attribute other’ behaviour to internal causes. This contributed to the fundamental attribution error (which focuses on our explanations for others behaviour)

Question 5

Define stereotype

Answer 5

A generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people

Question 6

Define prejudice

Answer 6

An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude towards a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves negative emotions, stereotyped beliefs and a predisposition to discriminatory action

Question 7

Define discrimination

Answer 7

Unjustifiable negative behaviour toward a group or its members

Question 8

What is the just-world phenomenon

Answer 8

The tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get that they deserve and deserve what they get

Question 9

Define social identity

Answer 9

The “we” aspect of our self concept; the part of our answer to “who am I?” That comes from our group l memberships

Question 10

Define the ingroup

Answer 10

“Us” —people with whom we share a common identity

Question 11

Define the outgroup

Answer 11

“Them” —those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup

Question 12

What is ingroup bias?

Answer 12

The tendency to favour our own group

Question 13

What is the scapegoat theory

Answer 13

The theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame

Question 14

What’s the other race effect

Answer 14

The tendency to recall faces of one’s own race more accurately than faces of other races. Also called the cross race effect and the own race bias

Question 15

Define attitudes

Answer 15

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

Question 16

What is the foot in the door phenomenon

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Define role

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What is the cognitive dissonance theory

Answer 18

The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. Ex. Even we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes

Question 19

Define persuasion

Answer 19

Changing people’s attitudes, potentially influencing their actions

Question 20

What is peripheral route persuasion

Answer 20

Occurs when people are influenced by incidental (more unconscious) cues, such as speakers attractiveness

Question 21

Define central route persuasion

Answer 21

Occurs when interested peoples thinking is influenced by considering (consciously) evidence and arguments

Question 23

Define norms

Answer 23

A society’s understood rules for accepted and expected behaviour. They describe “proper” behaviour in an individual and social institutions

Question 24

Define conformity

Answer 24

Adjusting our behaviour or thinking to coincide with a group standard

Question 25

Define normative social influence

Answer 25

Influence resulting form a persons desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval

Question 26

Define informational social influence

Answer 26

Influence resulting from a persons willingness to accept others opinions about reality

Question 27

What is the Chameleon effect

Answer 27

the unconscious tendency to mimic the nonverbal behaviors, such as facial expressions and body language, of those around us

Question 28

Define obedience

Answer 28

Complying with an order or command

Question 29

Define social facilitation

Answer 29

In the presence of others, improved performance on simple or well learned tasks, and worsened performance on difficult tasks

Question 30

Define social loafing

Answer 30

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 31

Define deindividuation

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Define group polarization

Answer 32

The enhancement of a groups prevailing inclinations through discussion within their group

Question 33

Define groupthink

Answer 33

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

Question 34

Define culture

Answer 34

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

Question 35

Define a tight culture

Answer 35

A place with clearly defined and reliably imposed norms

Question 36

Define a loose culture

Answer 36

A place with flexible and informal norms

Question 37

Define aggression

Answer 37

Any physical or verbal behaviour intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

Question 38

What’s the frustration-aggression principle

Answer 38

The principle that frustration - the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal - creates anger which can generate aggression

Question 39

Define the mere exposure effect

Answer 39

The tendency for repeated exposure to novel stimuli to increase our liking of them

Question 40

Define passionate love

Answer 40

An aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a romantic relationship

Question 41

Define companionate love

Answer 41

The deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined

Question 42

Define equity

Answer 42

A condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it

Question 43

Define self disclosure

Answer 43

The act of revealing intimate aspects of ourselves to others

Question 44

What is the Social exchange theory

Answer 44

The theory that our social behaviour is an exchange process the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs

Question 45

Define altruism

Answer 45

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others

Question 46

What’s the bystander effect

Answer 46

The tendency for any given bystander to be less lonely to give aid if other bystanders are present

Question 47

Define the reciprocity norm

Answer 47

An expectation that people with help, not hurt, those who have helped them

Question 48

What is the social responsibility norm

Answer 48

An expectation that people will help those needing their help

Question 49

Define conflict

Answer 49

A perceived incompatibility of actions goals or ideas

Question 50

What’s a social trap

Answer 50

A situation in which two parties by each pursuing their self interest rather than the good of the group, become caught in mutually destructive behaviour

Question 51

Define mirror image perceptions

Answer 51

Mutual views often held by conflicting parties as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive

Question 52

What is a self fulfilling prophecy

Answer 52

A belief that lead to its own fulfillment

Question 53

What’s supergiant goal

Answer 53

Shared goals that override differences amount people and require their cooperation

Question 54

Define grit

Answer 54

passion and perseverance for achieving long-term goals.

Question 55

Define personality

Answer 55

An individuals characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

Question 56

Define personality psychology

Answer 56

the scientific study of personality and it's development, structure, traits, processes, variations and disordered forms

Question 57

define social psychology

Answer 57

the scientifics study of how we think about, inluence and rlate to one another

Question 59

What are psychodynamic (or analytic) theories?

Answer 59

Theories that view personality with a focus on the unconscious mind and the importance of childhood experiences

Question 60

What is psychoanalysis

Answer 60

Freuds theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions

Question 61

Define free association

Answer 61

In psychoanalysis, a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing

Question 62

Define id

Answer 62

A reservoir of in unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basically sexual and aggressive drives. The Id operates on the pleasure principle demanding immediate gratification

Question 63

Define ego

Answer 63

The partly conscious, “executive part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the Id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain

Question 64

Define superego

Answer 64

The partly conscious part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgement (the conscience) and for future aspirations

Question 65

What are defence mechanisms

Answer 65

In psychoanalytic theory, the egos protective methods of reducing anxiety but unconsciously distorting reality

Question 66

What is repression

Answer 66

In psychoanalytic theory, the basic defence mechanism that vanishes from consciousness anxiety arousing thoughts, feelings and memories

Question 67

What are Freudian slips

Answer 67

When the unconscious seeps through and reveals an anxiety

Question 68

What is the collective unconscious

Answer 68

Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history

Question 69

What is the terror-management theory?

Answer 69

A theory of death related anxiety; people’s emotional and behavioural responses to reminders of their impending death

Question 71

What is a projective test, what are the two types?

Answer 71

A personality test, such as the TAT or Rorschach, that provides ambiguous images designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics and explore the pre conscious and unconscious mind Two types are thematic apperception test and Rorschach inkblot test

Question 73

What’s a thematic apperception test (TAT)

Answer 73

A projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes

Question 74

What’s a Rorschach inkblot tests

Answer 74

A projective test designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing how they interpret 10 ink blots

Question 75

what are humanistic theories

Answer 75

theories that view personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth

Question 76

what is ths the hierachy of needs

Answer 76

maslow's level of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs. Often visulized as a pyrmaid, with needs near the base taking priority until they are satisfied

Question 77

define self-actualization

Answer 77

according to maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physicl and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one's potential

Question 78

define self-transcendence

Answer 78

according to maslow the striving for identity, meaning, and purpose beyond the self. "enlightenment"

Question 79

define an unconditonal positive regard

Answer 79

a caring, accepting, nonjudgemental attitude which carl rogers believed would help people develop self-awareness and self-acceptance (also known as unconditional regard)

Question 80

What's a self concept?

Answer 80

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves in answer to the quesstion, "who am i?"

Question 81

define traits

Answer 81

a charectaristic pattern of behaviour or a disposition to feel an act in certain ways, as asessed by self-report inventories and peer reports

Question 82

What is a personality inventory

Answer 82

a questionnaire (often with true, false or agree, disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviours; used to assess selected personality traits

Question 83

what is the minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (MMPI)

Answer 83

the most widely researched and clincially used of all personalty tests. ORiginally developed to identify emotional disorders (still conidred its most appropriate use), this test is now used for many other screening purposes

Question 84

what is the empirically derived test

Answer 84

a test (such as the MMPI) created by selecting from a pool of items those that discriminate between groups

Question 85

what are the big five factors, what else is it called

Answer 85

five traits--openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism--- that describe personality (also called the five-factor model)

Question 86

what is the social-cognitive perspective

Answer 86

a view of behaviours influenced by the interaction between people's traits (including their thinking) and their social context

Question 87

what is the behavioural approach

Answer 87

focuses on the effects of learning on our personality development

Question 88

what is the reciprocal determinism

Answer 88

the interacting influences of behaviour, internal cognition, and environment

Question 89

define self

Answer 89

in modern psychology, assymed to be the center of personality, the organizer of our thoughts, feelings and actions

Question 90

what's the spotlight effect

Answer 90

overestimating others noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance and blunders (as if we presume a spotlight shines on us)

Question 91

define self-esteem

Answer 91

our feelings of high or low self-worth

Question 92

define self-efficacy

Answer 92

our sense of competence and effectiveness

Question 93

what's a self-serving bias

Answer 93

a readiness to perceive ourselves favorably

Question 94

define narcissism

Answer 94

excessive self-love and self-absorption

Question 95

What is the Dunning-Kruger effect

Answer 95

when someone's overconfidence causes the ignorance of one's own ignorance

Question 96

define individualism

Answer 96

a cultural pattern that emphasizes people's own goals over group goals and defines identity mainly in terms of unique personal attributes

Question 97

Define motivation

Answer 97

a need or desire that energizes and directs a behaviour

Question 98

define instinct

Answer 98

a complex behaviour that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned

Question 99

what's a physiological need

Answer 99

a basic bodily requirement

Question 100

what's the drive-reduction theory

Answer 100

the idea tht a physiological need creates an aroused state (a drive) that motivates an orgnism to satisfy the need

Question 101

define homeostasis

Answer 101

the tendancy to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any body chemistry, such as blood glucose around a particular level

Question 102

define incentive

Answer 102

a positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behaviour

Question 103

what's the yerkes-dodson law

Answer 103

the principle that performance increases with arousal only up to a point, beyond which performance decreases

Question 104

What is the affiliation need

Answer 104

the need to build and maintain relationships and to feel part of a group

Question 105

what is the self-determination theory

Answer 105

the theory that we feel motivated to stisfy our needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness

Question 106

define intrinsic motivation

Answer 106

the desire to perform a behaviour effectively for its own sake

Question 107

define extrinsic motivation

Answer 107

the desire to performa a behaviour to recieve promised rewards or avoid threatended punishment

Question 108

What is achievement motivation

Answer 108

a desire for significant accomplishment for mastery of skills or ideas, for control, and for attaining a high standard

Question 109

Define grit

Answer 109

in psychology, passion and preservance in the pursuit of long-term goals

Question 110

Define glucose

Answer 110

the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the majour source of energy for body tissues. When it's level is low, we feel hunger

Question 111

what is a set point

Answer 111

the point at which the "weight thermostat" may be set. When the body falls below this weight, increased hunger and a lowered metablic rate may combine to restore lost weight

Question 112

define Obesity

Answer 112

defined as a bmi of 30 or higher which is calculated from our weight to hieght ratio.

Question 113

emotion

Answer 113

a response of the whole organim, involving physciacl arousal, expressive be haviours, and, most importantly, concioous experience resulting from one's interpretations.

Question 114

What' s a polygraph

Answer 114

a machine used in attempts to detect lies; measures emotion-linked changes in perspiration, heart rate, and breathing

Question 115

define the facial feedback effect

Answer 115

the tendancy of facial muscle states to trigger corresponding feelings such as fear, anger or happiness

Question 116

define the behaviour feedback effect

Answer 116

the tendancy of behaviour to influence our own and others thoughts, feelings, and actions