Social Psychology Flashcards

Flashcards on Social Psychology concepts.

Social Psychology

The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another, focusing on social influences that explain why the same person acts differently in different situations.

Attribution Theory

Theory used to explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition.

Dispositional Attribution

Attributing behavior to internal causes like traits, motives, or attitudes.

Situational Attribution

Attributing behavior to external causes operating within the situation.

Fundamental Attribution Error

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

Attitudes Affect Actions

Principles indicating that attitudes follow behavior; situational factors can override the attitude-behavior connection when external influences are minimal, and when the attitude is stable, specific to the behavior, and easily recalled.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

A persuasion method that uses attention-getting cues to trigger speedy, emotion-based judgments.

Central Route Persuasion

A persuasion method that offers evidence and arguments to trigger careful thinking, working best for people who are naturally analytical or involved in an issue.

Norms

Rules for expected and acceptable behavior.

Culture

Behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next, which preserves innovation and enables division of labor.

Tight Cultures

Places with clearly defined and reliably imposed norms.

Loose Cultures

Places with flexible and informal norms.

Individualistic Culture

Focus on “me” as an independent, separate self (commonly found in Western European and English-speaking countries).

Collectivistic Culture

Situations focus on “we,” on meeting group standards and accommodating others (commonly found in Asian, African, and Latin American countries).

Conformity

Complying with social pressures, often displayed through natural mimicry, suggestibility, and mood linkage .

Normative Social Influence

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

Informational Social Influence

Influence resulting from a person’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality.

Groupthink

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

Social Facilitation

Increased arousal which amplifies dominant behavior; one does better at what one is already good at, or worse at what one finds difficult, when others are present.

Social Loafing

Diminished feelings of responsibility when not individually accountable; decreased effort in group projects.

Deindividuation

Reduced self-awareness and lowered self-restraint fostered by group settings that induce arousal and anonymity.

Prejudice

Unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members, involving negative emotions, stereotypes, and a predisposition to discriminate.

Explicit Prejudice

Prejudice that is clear and consciously expressed.

Implicit Prejudice

An unthinking, knee-jerk response of prejudice that operates below the radar of awareness.

Just-World Phenomenon

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

Ingroup

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

Outgroup

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

Ingroup Bias

The tendency to favor our own group.

Scapegoat Theory

Proposes that when things go wrong, finding someone to blame can provide a target for our negative emotions.

Aggression

Includes any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone, whether done out of hostility or as a calculated means to an end.

Frustration-Aggression Principle

States that frustration creates anger, which can spark aggression.

Social Scripts

A culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations.

Mere Exposure Effect

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

Passionate Love

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

Companionate Love

Deep, affectionate attachment.

Altruism

Unselfish concern for the welfare of others.

Bystander Effect

Tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.

Social Exchange Theory

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

Reciprocity Norm

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

Social-Responsibility Norm

An expectation that people will help those needing their help.

Conflict

Involves perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.

Social Traps

Involve the right to pursue personal well-being versus responsibility for the well-being of all.

Mirror-Image Perceptions

When each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment.