U4a: Social Psychology

Prisoner's Dilemma

A game theory scenario where two individuals must choose between cooperation and betrayal, showcasing the tension between individual self-interest and collective benefit.

Social Psychology

Scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Attitudes

Sets of beliefs and feelings that influence how we think and act.

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon where repeated exposure to something increases liking for it.

Central Route

A method of persuasion that involves careful and thoughtful consideration of the content of the message.

Peripheral Route

A method of persuasion that relies on superficial cues such as the attractiveness of the speaker or emotional appeals.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Theory stating that people experience discomfort when their attitudes and behaviors are inconsistent, leading to an alteration of attitudes.

Foot-in-the-door Phenomenon

A compliance strategy where a small request is followed by a larger request.

Door-in-the-face Phenomenon

A compliance strategy that starts with a large request likely to be rejected, followed by a smaller, more reasonable request.

Norms of Reciprocity

The social expectation to return favors or kindnesses bestowed upon us by others.

Attribution Theory

A framework for understanding how individuals determine the causes of behavior they observe.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overemphasize dispositional attributes and underestimate situational influences when explaining others' behaviors.

Individualistic Cultures

Cultures that prioritize personal goals and achievements over group goals.

Collectivistic Cultures

Cultures that prioritize group goals and community well-being over individual goals.

False Consensus Effect

The tendency to overestimate how much others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute successes to internal factors and failures to external factors.

Stereotype

An overgeneralized belief about a group of people.

Prejudice

An undeserved negative attitude toward a group of people.

Discrimination

Behavior that results from prejudice; it is an action against a group.

Just World Phenomenon

The belief that the world is fair, which leads to rationalizing social inequalities.

Scapegoat Theory

The theory suggesting that prejudice arises from the need to blame others for our problems.

Ingroup Bias

The tendency to favor one's own group over others.

Contact Theory

The idea that contact between hostile groups can reduce animosity when they work toward a common goal.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A prediction that causes itself to be true due to changing behavior to fulfill the prediction.

Social Facilitation Theory

The idea that the presence of others can enhance performance on easy tasks and impair performance on difficult tasks.

Conformity

Adjusting behavior or thinking to align with group standards.

Milgram's Study of Obedience

A study investigating how far individuals would go in obeying an authority figure, even to the extent of causing harm.

Double Think

The ability to hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously.

Social Loafing

The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort toward a common goal than when working individually.

Group Polarization

The tendency for groups to make more extreme decisions than individuals would.

Groupthink

A phenomenon where group members suppress their reservations about ideas supported by the group to maintain harmony.

Instrumental Aggression

Aggression as a means to achieve a specific goal.

Hostile Aggression

Aggression driven by anger and aimed at harming someone.

Bandura’s Modeling

The theory that behavior can be learned through the observation of others.

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

The theory that frustration can lead to aggressive behavior.

Bystander Effect

The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when other people are present.

Pluralistic Ignorance

When individuals rely on cues from others to determine appropriate behavior in a situation.

Asch's Results

Demonstrated that around 1/3 of people conformed consistently in group settings; 70% conformed at least once.

Informational Social Influence

Accepting others' opinions about reality when making decisions.

Normative Social Influence

The influence of others that leads us to conform in order to be accepted by them.

Ethical Issues in Research

Concerns related to the moral implications and potential harm of psychological studies.

IRB (Institutional Review Board)

A committee established to review and approve research involving human subjects to ensure ethical standards are met.

External Influences on Behavior

Factors outside of an individual that can impact their actions and decisions.

Internal Attitudes

Personal beliefs and feelings that drive behavior.