Psychology 2e – Chapter 12: Social Psychology

Vocabulary flashcards covering major concepts, theories, and terms from Social Psychology (Psychology 2e, Chapter 12).

Social Psychology

The scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the real or imagined presence of others.

Intrapersonal Topics

Areas within social psychology that focus on emotions, attitudes, the self, and social cognition.

Interpersonal Topics

Areas within social psychology that focus on helping, aggression, prejudice, attraction, and group processes.

Situationism

The view that behavior is determined primarily by the immediate environment or situation.

Dispositionism

The view that behavior is determined by internal factors such as personality traits and temperament.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overemphasize internal factors and underestimate situational factors when explaining others’ behavior.

Actor-Observer Bias

Attributing other people’s actions to dispositional causes while attributing our own actions to situational causes.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute successes to internal factors and failures to external factors to protect self-esteem.

Attribution

A belief about the cause of an outcome, often described by locus, stability, and controllability.

Just-World Hypothesis

The belief that the world is fair and people get the outcomes they deserve, leading to victim blaming.

Social Role

A pattern of behavior expected of a person in a given setting or group (e.g., student, parent, guard).

Social Norm

A group’s expectation regarding appropriate thoughts and behaviors of its members.

Script

A schema for the sequence of events expected in a specific setting (e.g., restaurant etiquette).

Stanford Prison Experiment

Zimbardo’s 1971 study demonstrating the powerful influence of social roles, norms, and scripts in a mock prison.

Attitude

A positive or negative evaluation of a person, idea, or object, consisting of affective, behavioral, and cognitive components.

Affective Component (of Attitude)

The emotional or feeling segment of an attitude.

Behavioral Component (of Attitude)

The way an attitude influences how we act or behave.

Cognitive Component (of Attitude)

The beliefs or knowledge one has about a person, idea, or object.

Cognitive Dissonance

Psychological discomfort caused by holding two or more inconsistent cognitions or behaviors.

Justification of Effort

The tendency to increase liking for something we have worked hard to attain (e.g., difficult initiation effect).

Persuasion

The process of changing attitudes through communication.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Theory stating that persuasion occurs via a central (logic-based) or peripheral (cue-based) route.

Central Route (Persuasion)

Path of persuasion that relies on logic, facts, and careful analysis, leading to lasting attitude change.

Peripheral Route (Persuasion)

Path of persuasion that uses superficial cues (emotion, celebrity) and produces temporary attitude change.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

Persuasive strategy in which compliance with a small request increases the likelihood of agreeing to a larger request later.

Conformity

Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to align with a group standard.

Asch Effect

The influence of a group majority on an individual’s judgments, demonstrated in Solomon Asch’s line study.

Normative Social Influence

Conforming to group norms to gain approval or avoid disapproval.

Informational Social Influence

Conforming because one believes the group is competent and has correct information, especially in ambiguous situations.

Obedience

Changing behavior in response to a directive from an authority figure.

Milgram Experiment

Study showing that 65 % of participants were willing to administer lethal shocks when instructed by an authority.

Groupthink

A mode of thinking in which the desire for harmony or conformity in a decision-making group overrides realistic appraisal.

Group Polarization

The tendency for group discussion to strengthen the dominant positions held by individual members.

Social Facilitation

Improved performance on simple or well-practiced tasks in the presence of others.

Social Loafing

Reduced effort by individuals when their performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group.

Prejudice

A negative attitude toward an individual based solely on group membership.

Stereotype

A generalized belief about a group of people.

Discrimination

Negative or harmful action toward a person based on group membership.

Racism

Prejudice and discrimination against individuals based on race.

Dual Attitudes Model

Distinction between explicit (conscious) and implicit (unconscious) attitudes.

Ageism

Prejudice and discrimination against individuals based on age, typically older adults.

Homophobia

Prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Sexism

Prejudice and discrimination based on a person’s sex or gender.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Expectation about a person that leads that person to behave in ways that confirm the expectation.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to seek, interpret, and remember information that confirms preexisting beliefs.

In-Group

A group with which an individual identifies and feels membership.

Out-Group

A group perceived as distinctively different from one’s own.

In-Group Bias

Preferring and privileging one’s own group over others.

Scapegoating

Blaming an out-group for in-group’s frustrations or failures.

Aggression

Behavior intended to harm or injure another person.

Hostile Aggression

Aggression driven by anger with the intent to cause pain.

Instrumental Aggression

Aggression as a means to achieve a goal, not necessarily to cause pain.

Frustration-Aggression Theory

Theory that aggression is caused by blocking a person’s efforts to achieve a goal.

Evolutionary Theory of Aggression

View that aggression has evolved to secure resources, mates, and status, especially among males.

Bullying

Repeated negative treatment of another person over time, including physical, verbal, or psychological harm.

Cyberbullying

Bullying through electronic communication, often involving repeated psychological harm.

Bystander Effect

The tendency for individuals to be less likely to help a victim when other people are present.

Diffusion of Responsibility

Reduction in feelings of personal responsibility in the presence of others, contributing to the bystander effect.

Prosocial Behavior

Voluntary actions intended to benefit others.

Altruism

Helping others with no expectation of personal reward, even at a cost to oneself.

Empathy

The capacity to understand and share another person’s feelings and perspective.

Proximity (in Relationships)

Physical closeness, which increases likelihood of friendship or romantic relationships.

Similarity (in Relationships)

Tendency to form relationships with people who share backgrounds, attitudes, and interests.

Homophily

The preference for associating with others who are similar to oneself.

Reciprocity (Relationships)

Mutual exchange of benefits and favors in a relationship.

Self-Disclosure

Sharing personal information with another, fostering intimacy.

Matching Hypothesis

The idea that people pair with others who are similar in physical attractiveness and social desirability.

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love

Model proposing intimacy, passion, and commitment as three components of love yielding seven love types.

Intimacy

Emotional closeness and sharing in a relationship.

Passion

Physical attraction and sexual desire in a relationship.

Commitment

The decision to maintain a relationship over time.

Consummate Love

According to Sternberg, love that combines intimacy, passion, and commitment; viewed as the ideal form.

Social Exchange Theory

Theory that relationship satisfaction is determined by a cost-benefit analysis; relationships are maintained when benefits outweigh costs.