Social Psychology

Situationism

Behavior is strongly influenced by situations.

Attribution

Explanation for behavior or events.

Internal Attribution

Explaining behavior through personality or traits.

External Attribution

Explaining behavior through situations.

Fundamental Attribution Error

Overestimating personal causes and underestimating situational causes.

Self-Serving Bias

Taking credit for success while blaming failures on external factors.

Actor-Observer Bias

Explaining own behavior situationally but others’ behavior dispositionally.

Cognitive Dissonance

Discomfort caused by conflicting beliefs and behaviors.

Central Route Persuasion

Persuasion using logical arguments.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

Persuasion using superficial cues.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

Gaining compliance through small requests first.

Door-in-the-Face Technique

Large request followed by smaller request.

Conformity

Adjusting behavior to match group norms.

Normative Social Influence

Conforming to gain approval.

Informational Social Influence

Conforming because others are viewed as correct.

Groupthink

Desire for harmony leading to poor decisions.

Social Facilitation

Improved performance in the presence of others.

Social Loafing

Reduced effort in group settings.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in groups.

Diffusion of Responsibility

Reduced personal responsibility when others are present.

Bystander Effect

Reduced likelihood of helping when others are around.

Stereotype

Generalized belief about a group.

Discrimination

Unfair behavior toward a group.

Implicit Bias

Unconscious attitudes affecting behavior.

Ingroup

Group one identifies with.

Outgroup

Group viewed as different.

Ingroup Bias

Favoring one’s own group.

Scapegoat Theory

Blaming others for problems caused by frustration.

Aggression

Behavior intended to harm others.

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

Frustration increases aggression.

Prosocial Behavior

Actions intended to help others.

Altruism

Helping others without expecting reward.

Reciprocity Norm

Expectation that favors will be returned.

Social Responsibility Norm

Belief people should help those in need.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Expectations causing behaviors that make expectations come true.

Halo Effect

Positive impressions influencing overall judgments.

Stereotype Threat

Fear of confirming stereotypes affecting performance.