Myers' Psychology for the AP® Course, 4e, Unit 4, English

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and definitions from Myers' Psychology for the AP® Course.

Person Perception

How we form impressions of ourselves and others, including attributions of behavior.

Attribution Theory

The theory explaining behavior by crediting either the situation (situational attribution) or the person’s stable traits (dispositional attribution).

Fundamental Attribution Error

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

Actor-Observer Bias

The tendency for actors to attribute their behavior to external causes, while observers attribute others’ behavior to internal causes.

Prejudice

An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members, often involving negative emotions and discriminatory action.

Stereotype

A generalized belief about a group of people, which can be accurate or overgeneralized.

Discrimination

Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members.

Just-World Phenomenon

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

Social Identity

The part of our self-concept derived from our group memberships.

Ingroup

The group of people with whom we share a common identity.

Outgroup

Those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup.

Ingroup Bias

The tendency to favor our own group.

Scapegoat Theory

The theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.

Other-Race Effect

The tendency to recognize faces of one’s own race more accurately than faces of other races.

Attitudes

Feelings that predispose us to respond in particular ways to objects, people, and events.

Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon

The tendency for people who have agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.

Role

A set of expectations about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

The theory that we act to reduce discomfort when our thoughts are inconsistent.

Persuasion

Changing people’s attitudes, potentially influencing their actions.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness.

Central Route Persuasion

Occurs when people’s thinking is influenced by considering evidence and arguments.

Norms

Society's understood rules for accepted and expected behavior.

Conformity

Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Normative Social Influence

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

Informational Social Influence

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

Obedience

Complying with an order or command.

Social Facilitation

Improved performance on simple tasks in the presence of others.

Social Loafing

The tendency for people to exert less effort in a group than when individually accountable.

Deindividuation

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

Group Polarization

The enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclinations through discussion.

Groupthink

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

Culture

Enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group.

Tight Culture

A place with clearly defined and reliably imposed norms.

Loose Culture

A place with flexible and informal norms.

Aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone.

Frustration-Aggression Principle

The principle stating that frustration creates anger, which can lead to aggression.

Social Script

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

Mere Exposure Effect

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

Passionate Love

An intense positive absorption in another, typically at the start of a romantic relationship.

Companionate Love

The deep affection we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.

Equity

A state where people receive a proportional return from their relationship.

Altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.

Bystander Effect

The reduced likelihood of helping when other bystanders are present.

Social Exchange Theory

The theory stating our social behavior is an exchange process aimed at maximizing benefits.

Reciprocity Norm

An expectation that people will help those who have helped them.

Social-Responsibility Norm

An expectation that people will help those needing assistance.

Conflict

A perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.

Social Trap

A situation where two parties self-destructively pursue their self-interest.

Mirror-Image Perceptions

Mutual views held by conflicting parties; each sees itself as ethical and the other as evil.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment.

Superordinate Goals

Shared goals that override differences and require cooperation.

GRIT

A strategy designed to decrease international tensions.

Personality

An individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Psychodynamic Theories

Theories focusing on the unconscious mind and childhood experiences.

Psychoanalysis (Theory)

Freud's theory attributing thoughts and actions to unconscious motives.

Unconscious

A reservoir of unacceptable thoughts and memories according to Freud.

Free Association

A method in psychoanalysis of exploring the unconscious by expressing thoughts freely.

Id

The reservoir of unconscious psychic energy striving for immediate gratification.

Ego

The conscious part of personality mediating between the id and reality.

Superego

The part of personality representing internalized ideals and standards.

Defense Mechanisms

The ego’s methods of reducing anxiety by distorting reality.

Repression

The defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts from consciousness.

Collective Unconscious

Jung’s concept of a shared inherited reservoir of memory traces.

Terror-Management Theory

A theory of death-related anxiety exploring emotional responses to death reminders.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective test where people express inner feelings through stories about ambiguous scenes.

Projective Test

A personality test that triggers projection of inner dynamics through ambiguous images.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A projective test seeking to identify inner feelings through inkblot interpretation.

Humanistic Theories

Theories focusing on the potential for healthy personal growth.

Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's levels of human needs visualized as a pyramid.

Self-Actualization

The motivation to fulfill one's potential after basic needs are met.

Self-Transcendence

The striving for meaning and purpose beyond oneself.

Unconditional Positive Regard

A nonjudgmental attitude believed to foster self-acceptance.

Self-Concept

All our thoughts and feelings about ourselves in response to 'Who am I?'

Trait

A characteristic pattern of behavior assessed by self-report inventories.

Personality Inventory

A questionnaire designed to gauge a range of feelings and behaviors.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

A widely used personality test originally developed to identify emotional disorders.

Empirically-Derived Test

A test created by selecting items that discriminate between groups.

Big Five Factors

Five traits describing personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Social-Cognitive Perspective

The view of behavior as influenced by the interaction between traits and social context.

Behavioral Approach

Focuses on learning effects on personality development.

Reciprocal Determinism

The interacting influences of behavior, cognition, and environment.

Self

The center of personality, organizing thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Spotlight Effect

Overestimating others' noticing our appearance and behaviors.

Self-Esteem

Feelings of high or low self-worth.

Self-Efficacy

Our sense of competence and effectiveness.

Self-Serving Bias

A readiness to perceive ourselves favorably.

Narcissism

Excessive self-love and self-absorption.

Individualism

A cultural pattern emphasizing personal goals and attributes.

Collectivism

A cultural pattern prioritizing group goals over individual ones.

Motivation

A need or desire that energizes and directs behavior.

Instinct

A complex behavior rigidly patterned throughout a species and unlearned.

Physiological Need

A basic bodily requirement.

Drive-Reduction Theory

The idea that a physiological need creates an aroused state (drive) that motivates behavior.

Homeostasis

The tendency to maintain a balanced internal state.

Incentive

A positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Performance increases with arousal up to a point, beyond which it decreases.

Affiliation Need

The need to build and maintain relationships and feel part of a group.

Self-Determination Theory

The theory that motivation comes from satisfying needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.

Intrinsic Motivation

The desire to perform behavior for its own sake.

Extrinsic Motivation

The desire to perform behavior to receive rewards or avoid punishment.