📘 QUIZLET DECK 2 ❗ CONTENT NOT PREVIOUSLY COVERED (FULL SATURATION)

What is positivism?

The belief that knowledge should be derived from observable, measurable phenomena.

Why is positivism criticised in social psychology?

It reduces complex social experience to numbers.

What is ecological validity?

The extent to which findings generalise to real-world settings.

Why is experimental research criticised in social psychology?

It often uses artificial environments.

What is discourse analysis?

A method examining how language constructs social reality.

Why is language important in social psychology?

Social reality is created through language use.

What is feminist social psychology?

An approach highlighting gender bias and challenging male norms.

Why is gender binary criticised in psychology?

It ignores non-binary and diverse gender identities.

What does WEIRD bias limit?

Generalisation of psychological findings.

What are patient-centred concepts?

Concepts focusing on lived experience (e.g. empowerment, bereavement).

Why can vulnerability be problematic as a concept?

It can obscure power relations and promote blame.

According to Katz et al., why is vulnerability criticised?

Its vagueness limits discussion of structural change.

What is conceptual applied methodology?

Using concepts to understand meaning across social contexts.

Why are concepts described as epistemological vessels?

They retain meaning across different contexts.

What is social loafing?

Reduced effort when working in a group.

What is audience inhibition?

Failure to help due to fear of embarrassment.

What is pluralistic ignorance?

Misinterpreting others’ inaction as indicating no help is needed.

What is the bystander calculus model?

A cost–benefit analysis used to decide whether to help.

Who proposed the bystander calculus model?

Piliavin et al. (1981).

Which type of helping involves personal cost?

Altruism.

When is altruism most likely to occur?

When a person can easily walk away without consequences.

What evolutionary explanation of helping exists?

Helping kin increases genetic survival.

What is empathy–arousal theory?

Helping occurs to reduce personal distress.

What weakens the bystander effect?

High danger situations.

What group composition weakens the bystander effect?

All-male groups.

What type of helping weakens the bystander effect?

Physical helping.

What is the reciprocity norm?

Helping because others have helped us.

What is the social responsibility norm?

Helping those in need without expectation of return.

What is volunteering behaviour influenced by?

Egoism and altruism.

What is a martyr in social psychology?

Someone who sacrifices their life for beliefs.

What is social stratification theory?

Society categorises people into hierarchical groups.

According to Blundell, what defines stratification?

Socially structured inequality reproduced across generations.

Is stratification universal?

Yes, but it varies across societies.

What is social comparison theory?

Evaluating oneself relative to others.

Who proposed social comparison theory?

Festinger (1954).

What happens in upward social comparison?

Motivation but distress.

What happens in downward social comparison?

Increased self-esteem but reinforced stereotypes.

What legitimises social hierarchies?

Status symbols and material cues.

What is identity threat?

A threat to one’s social identity due to devaluation.

What is stereotype threat?

Anxiety about confirming negative stereotypes.

What theory explains ingroup favouritism?

Social identity theory.

Why do majority groups sometimes show weaker group effects?

Group membership is less salient.

What is group mind theory?

Groups develop a collective consciousness.

Who proposed group mind theory?

McDougall (1920).

Why do one-size-fits-all interventions fail?

People differ in personality, culture and motivation.

What did Hakulinen et al. (2015) find about smokers?

They were more extraverted and neurotic and less conscientious.

Which trait predicts difficulty quitting smoking?

High neuroticism. smoking

Which trait predicts successful quitting?

Low neuroticism.

Why must interventions be tailored?

Different personalities respond to different strategies.

What personality type benefits from structured plans?

High conscientiousness.

What personality type benefits from emotional reassurance?

High neuroticism.

What is cultural tailoring in health psychology?

Adapting interventions to cultural values.

What are cultural meaning systems?

Shared beliefs shaping health behaviour.

Why may individualistic messaging fail?

It conflicts with collectivist values.

What is implicit social support?

Comfort gained without discussing problems.

What is explicit social support?

Actively seeking advice and emotional comfort.

Which group benefits more from implicit support?

East Asian participants.

Which group benefits more from explicit support?

European Americans.

What physiological measure was used by Taylor et al.?

Cortisol.

What did Taylor et al. (2007) demonstrate?

Culture shapes stress responses.

What did Lu et al. (2021) examine?

Cultural differences in TPB pathways.

What predicted smoking intentions in Americans?

Attitudes.

What predicted smoking intentions in Kenyans?

Norms and subjective expectations.

What does this suggest about TPB?

It must be culturally adapted.

What is the psychodynamic explanation of aggression?

Aggression arises from death instinct (Thanatos).

Why is psychodynamic theory criticised?

It cannot be falsified.

What is evolutionary aggression theory?

Aggression evolved for survival and reproduction.

What is a limitation of evolutionary aggression theory?

It cannot explain context-specific aggression.

What did Hovland and Sears (1940) show?

Economic frustration linked to aggression.

What primes aggressive thoughts?

Weapons and violent cues.

What did Berkowitz and LePage (1967) demonstrate?

Weapons effect increases aggression.

What is excitation transfer?

Arousal carries over to later situations.

What role does alcohol play in aggression?

It increases aggression by reducing inhibition.

What did Taylor and Sears (1988) find?

Alcohol increased aggression even under low pressure.

How does temperature influence aggression?

Heat increases physiological arousal and aggression.

How does noise influence aggression?

It increases stress and deindividuation.

What is dehumanisation?

Viewing others as less human.

Why does dehumanisation increase aggression?

It legitimises harm.

When is dehumanisation strongest?

When supported by authority or institutions.

What is facial symmetry associated with?

Perceived genetic fitness.

What is facial averaging?

Average faces are rated as more attractive.

Who proposed facial averaging?

Langlois et al. (1994).

What is the halo effect?

Attractiveness leads to positive trait assumptions.

What did Dion et al. (1972) demonstrate?

Attractive people are judged more positively.

What did Feingold (1982) find?

Attractiveness does not predict intelligence or personality.

What does proximity predict?

Attraction through familiarity.

What did Festinger et al. (1950) show?

Physical closeness predicts friendship.

What role does anxiety play in attraction?

Shared anxiety increases affiliation.

What did Schachter (1959) demonstrate?

People seek others under threat.

What brain chemical is linked to passionate love?

Dopamine.

What brain area is active in romantic love?

Caudate nucleus.

What is compassionate love?

Enduring, selfless affection.

What happens to love over time?

Passionate love transitions to compassionate love.

What is self–other overlap?

Mental merging of self and partner.