Unit 9

Attribution Theory

Attribution Theory

explaining someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation (external circumstances) or the person's disposition (internal characteristics)

Fundamental Attribution Error

we tend to overestimate the personality traits (dispositions) and underestimate the influence of the situation when explaining other behavior

Central Route to Persuasion

present info with strong arguments, facts, and logic

Peripheral Route to Persuasion

emphasize emotional appeal, positive feelings and traits

Elaboration Likelihood Model

a dual process theory describing the change of attitudes

Foot-in-the-door

complying with a smaller request then leads to going along with a larger request

Door-in-the-face

a large request is turned down which then leads them to comply with a smaller, more reasonable request

Reciprocity Norm

if people do something nice for you, you feel obligated to do something nice in return

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

psychological discomfort, tension, guilt (dissonance) occurs when our behaviors threaten our beliefs about ourselves. We reduce this dissonance by changing our attitudes OR changing our behaviors

Conformity

adjusting one's behavior to coincide with a group standard

Normative Social Influence

conforming to group pressure out of a need for approval and acceptance

Informational Social Influence

conforming because of a need for information and direction

Social Facilitation

improved performance of well known tasks in the presence of others

Social Impairment (aka Social Inhibition)

tendency to perform worse (on difficult tasks) with an audience

Social Loafing

tendency for people to exert less effort in a group than when they are individually accountable

Deindividuation

the loss of self-restraint when group members feel anonymous, being in a crowd reduces guilt and self-awareness

Group Polarization

the phenomenon in which group interaction reinforces the majority's point of view and shifts that view to a more extreme position

Groupthink

Faulty decision making that occurs when a highly cohesive group strives for agreement and avoids critical thinking and inconsistent of information

Prejudice

an unjustifiable attitude toward a group of people (prejudgment)

Ethnocentrism

belief that one’s culture (sometimes included in race or national heritage) is superior to others

Discrimination

when one acts on ones prejudice (behaviors)

In-group

people whom we share a common identity with

Outgroup

people perceived as different or not part of the group

In-group Bias

tendency to favor our own group

Scapegoat Theory

prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone else to blame

Just World Phenomenon (aka just world belief)

the idea that people get what they deserve; tendency to blame victim and say what goes around comes around

Outgroup Homogeneity

judging members of the ingroup as more diverse than members of the outgroup

Contact Theory

contact between hostile groups will reduce animosity if the two groups are made to work toward a superordinate goal

Superordinate Goals

shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation

Frustration-Aggression Principle

frustration, the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal, creates anger which generates aggression

Instrumental Aggression

premeditated, used as a means to an end

Hostile Aggression

impulsive behavior that is motivated by a desire to hurt someone

Passionate Love

intense longing for each other; early stages of love; intense possession obsession with another person

Companionate Love

deep affectionate attachment; long-lasting (trust, friendship); self-disclosure

Mere Exposure Effect

the more you see something or someone familiarity occurs, which breeds acceptance

Altruism

unselfish giving

Social Exchange Theory

social behavior (helping) is an exchange process - aim is to maximize benefits and minimize costs

Social Responsibility Norm

the socially determined standard that one should assist those in need when possible

Social Trap

a situation in which the conflicting parties, each pursuing their own self-interests, become caught in mutually destructive behavior

Prisoner’s Dilemma

Bystander Effect (aka bystander intervention)

tendency for bystanders to be less likely to give aid the larger the amount of bystanders that are present. This is known as a diffusion of responsibility

Diffusion of Responsibility

the phenomenon such that when there are multiple people present, each individual feels less of a responsibility for the situation

Pluralistic Ignorance

Situation where people say nothing and each person falsely assumes that everyone else has a different, perhaps better informed opinion