AP psychology 4.2 (attitude formation & change)

Prejudice

An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members.

Stereotypes

generalized beliefs about a group of people

Ethnocentrism

to judge another culture based on the standards of one’s own culture.

Implicit Prejudice

unconscious negative attitudes toward a particular group

attitude

a feeling influenced by beliefs

Generalized

to assume something is true in all or most cases

Explicit Prejudice

a negative attitude against a specific group that is consciously held, even if it’s not expressed publicly

Discrimination

Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.

Just-World Hypothesis

a tendency to believe that the world is just (fair) and that people usually get what they deserve

Groups

Dividing the world into “us” and “them” can lead to conflict, racism, and war, but it also provides the benefits of being connected to a group.

In-Group

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

Out-Group

“Them”—people who are perceived as different or apart from our ingroup

In-group Bias:

 the tendency for humans to be more helpful and positive towards members of their own group over members of an out-group.

Outgroup Homogeneity Bias

the tendency to assume that the members of other groups are very similar to each other.

Scapegoat Theory

the theory that, when things go wrong, finding someone to blame can provide a target for negative emotions

Attitudes

Attitudes influence our reactions to objects, people, and events.

Actions Affect Attitudes

Attitudes follow behavior. What you actually do impacts what you believe.

Attitudes Affect Actions

Our attitude towards a person, situation, or idea can affect how we react to it

Cognitive Dissonance

The discomfort (dissonance) felt when we realize we have inconsistent or contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or actions.

Belief Perseverance

Is the tendency to maintain a belief even AFTER the evidence supporting it has been discredited.

Confirmation Bias

Is the tendency to search for, interpret, & remember information that confirms one’s preexisting beliefs while ignoring or dismissing contradictory evidence.