The Interplay Between Social Psychology and Individual Differences

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and methodologies discussed in the lecture on social psychology and individual differences.

Social Psychology

The study of human behavior in a social context, focusing on how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.

Individual Differences

Enduring characteristics that distinguish one organism from another, stable over time and across situations; includes cognitive, affective, behavioral, and genetic traits.

Narcissism

A personality trait characterized by grandiosity, entitlement, dominance, and inflated self-views; involves both grandiose and vulnerable dimensions.

Eysenck’s Personality Dimensions

Three dimensions of personality proposed by Eysenck: psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism, used to categorize individual differences.

Big Five Personality Traits

A model describing five broad dimensions of personality: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness to Experience.

Laboratory Experiments

Experiments conducted in controlled environments where independent variables are manipulated to measure effects on dependent variables.

Field Experiments

Experiments conducted in real-world settings, where the researcher manipulates independent variables without the control of a laboratory.

Correlational Studies

A non-experimental method that assesses the relationship between two or more variables without manipulating them, thus not allowing for cause-and-effect conclusions.

Qualitative Methods

Research methods that focus on understanding meanings, experiences, and insights through non-numeric data, such as interviews and thematic analysis.

Thematic Analysis

A qualitative method used to identify and analyze themes within qualitative data, often applied in understanding participant experiences.

Right-Wing Authoritarianism

A personality trait that involves submission to established authorities, aggression toward outgroups, and support for traditional values.

Social Dominance Orientation

A personality trait reflecting a preference for inequality among social groups, often associated with prejudice.

Dark Triad

A group of three negative personality traits: Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, and Narcissism, which share a common core of selfishness and interpersonal strategy.

Self-esteem

A person's overall self-evaluation of self-worth, which can be high (positive) or low (negative), influencing one's self-perception and social behavior.

Self-construal

The way individuals define themselves in relation to others; can be categorized as independent (more common in Western cultures) or interdependent (more common in non-Western cultures).