[Social Psychology] Exam 1 Study Guide (2/11/26)

Social Psychology

The branch of science that explores how the presence of others influences our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

The Need to Belong

A fundamental human requirement for social relationships.

The "Wilson" Effect

Extreme isolation can lead people to personify inanimate objects to satisfy social needs.

Health Implications of Social Disconnection

Social disconnection is a primary driver of high stress levels (e.g., divorce or bereavement).

Levels of Analysis in Social Psychology

Understanding a phenomenon by looking at different 'depths': cultural/environmental, intermediate, individual, biological/micro.

Cultural/Environmental Analysis

Examination of social norms and physical settings.

Intermediate Analysis

Focuses on relationships and group dynamics.

Individual Analysis

Investigates personal behaviors and feelings.

Biological/Micro Analysis

Considers brain chemistry, genetics, and hormones.

Wilhelm Wundt

Focused on the systematic testing of theories in psychology.

Sigmund Freud

Emphasized the 'psyche' and subconscious motivations.

Kurt Lewin

Developed Field Theory (Behavior = Person + Environment).

Behaviorism

Psychological approach focusing only on observable actions, pioneered by B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson.

Laboratory Research

Research with high internal validity but potentially low external validity.

Field Research

Research that offers high realism but lacks environmental control.

Survey Research

Research method that gathers large data volumes, relying on self-reporting.

Archival Research

Analyzing existing records for patterns in social behavior.

The Replication Crisis

Period starting ~2010 where many psychological findings could not be reproduced.

Causes of the Replication Crisis

Small sample sizes, pressure to publish 'novel' findings, and p-hacking.

Transparency and Replication Studies

Solutions to the replication crisis, advocating for larger sample sizes and valuing replication.

Schemas

Mental blueprints or categories for information.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts used to simplify decision-making.

Representativeness Heuristic

Judging someone based on how much they match a schema.

Availability Heuristic

Judging frequency based on how easily an example comes to mind.

Implicit Association Test (IAT)

Measures unconscious biases based on response times to associations.

Automaticity

Unconscious behaviors, such as the Chameleon Effect.

Mood Congruent Memory

The tendency to recall memories that match our current emotional state.

Intrapersonal Functions of Emotions

Benefits to the individual that help in survival, like fear triggering a response.

Single-trial Learning

A strong emotional reaction ensuring future avoidance of the same stimuli.

Interpersonal Functions of Emotions

Benefits to relationships, like crying signaling a need for help.

Cultural Functions of Emotions

Society’s rules on when and how to express emotions.

Cultural Display Rules

Learned norms about emotional expression in specific contexts.

Broaden-and-Build Theory

Positive emotions broaden awareness and allow for building social resources.

Theory of Mind (ToM)

The ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions different from one’s own.

Sally-Anne Task

A test to determine if a child understands false beliefs.

Empathy Gym

The concept that empathy can be strengthened through practice and motivation.

Performance Gaps in Empathy

Differences in empathy levels often disappear when incentivized.

Informed Consent

Participants must agree to the study after being informed about its nature.

Privacy/Confidentiality

Ensuring protection of participant identity and data.

Deception in Research

Allowed only if scientifically necessary and must be explained during debriefing.

Debriefing

Post-study meeting to explain the true purpose of the experiment.