Unit 9: Social Psychology

Attribution

Explains how people interpret the causes of events and behaviors.

Dispositional Attribution

Attributing behavior to internal characteristics or personality traits.

Situational Attribution

Attributing behavior to external factors or situations.

Optimistic Explanatory Style

A tendency to attribute positive outcomes to internal and stable causes.

Pessimistic Explanatory Style

A tendency to attribute negative outcomes to internal and stable causes.

Actor-Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute one's own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to dispositional factors.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences on others' behavior.

Self-Serving Bias

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

Internal Locus of Control

The belief that one controls their own fate and outcomes.

External Locus of Control

The belief that one's life is controlled by external circumstances or fate.

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon where increased exposure to a stimulus leads to increased liking.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment due to the influence of expectations.

Social Comparison

The process of comparing oneself to others to assess one's own abilities and opinions.

Relative Deprivation

The perception of being worse off compared to others.

Stereotype

A generalized belief or expectation about a group of people.

Cognitive Load

The total amount of mental effort being used in working memory.

Prejudiced Attitudes

Negative attitudes toward individuals based solely on their group membership.

Discriminatory Behavior

Actions or behaviors that treat people unfairly based on their group membership.

Implicit Attitudes

Attitudes that are automatic and unconscious.

Just-World Phenomenon

The belief that the world is fair and people get what they deserve.

Out-Group Homogeneity Bias

The tendency to perceive members of out-groups as more similar to each other than they are.

In Group Bias

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

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the superiority of one's own culture or ethnic group.

Belief Perseverance

The tendency to hold on to one's beliefs even when evidence contradicts them.

Social Norms

Expected standards of behavior within a group.

Normative Social Influence

Influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid rejection.

Informational Social Influence

Influence resulting from accepting information provided by others.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

A theory outlining how persuasive messages lead to attitude changes.

Central Route to Persuasion

Persuasion that employs logical arguments and factual evidence.

Peripheral Route to Persuasion

Persuasion that relies on superficial cues, such as attractiveness or emotions.

Halo Effect

The tendency for an impression created in one area to influence opinion in another area.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique to Persuasion

A technique where a small request is made followed by a larger request.

Door-in-the-Face Technique to Persuasion

A technique where a large request is made and then followed by a smaller request.

Conformity

The adjustment of one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Obedience

Following the commands of a person in authority.

Individualism

A social pattern that emphasizes personal goals and individual rights.

Collectivism

A social pattern that emphasizes group goals and interdependence.

Multiculturalism

The presence of, or support for, multiple cultural identities within a society.

Group Polarization

The tendency for group discussion to amplify group members' preexisting tendencies.

Groupthink

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

Diffusion of Responsibility

The tendency for individuals to feel less responsible for actions when others are present.

Social Loafing

The phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone.

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations.

Social Facilitation

The increased performance on tasks in the presence of others.

Social Inhibition

The decreased performance on tasks in the presence of others.

False Consensus Effect

The tendency to overestimate the degree to which others agree with one's beliefs or behaviors.

Superordinate Goals

Goals that require cooperation between parties that typically oppose each other.

Social Trap

A situation where individuals or groups act in their own self-interest, leading to collective harm.

Industrial Organizational Psychology

The scientific study of human behavior in organizations and the workplace.

Altruism

The selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Prosocial Behavior

Voluntary behavior intended to benefit others.

Social Debt

The idea that individuals owe others for social favors or assistance.

Social Responsibility Norm

An expectation that people will help those dependent upon them.

Social Reciprocity Norm

The expectation that people will respond to each other in kind.

Bystander Effect

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