Social Psychology and Person Perception Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering person perception, social attribution, biases, and societal influences as discussed in the lecture notes.

Person Perception

The mental processes used to think about and evaluate other people.

Social Categorisation

The process of classifying people into different groups on the basis of common characteristics.

Internal Attribution

An explanation of behaviour due to the characteristics of the person involved such as their personality, ability or mood.

External Attribution

An explanation of behaviour due to factors associated with the situation the person is in.

Fundamental Attribution Error

When explaining someone's behaviour, the tendency to overestimate the influence of personal factors and underestimate the impact of situational factors.

Actor-observer bias

The tendency to attribute one's own behaviour to external or situational factors, while attributing others behaviour to internal or personal factors.

Self-serving bias

When judging ourselves, the tendency to take the credit for our successes (internal factors) and attribute failures to external factors.

Attitude

An evaluation a person makes about an object, person, group, event or issue.

Tri-Component Model

An explanation of attitudes, in terms of three related components - affective, behavioural and cognitive that comprise any attitude.

Cognitive Dissonance

An unpleasant psychological state that occurs when people become aware that there is inconsistency among their various beliefs.

Stereotype

A generalisation about the personal characteristics of the members of a social group regardless of individual differences among members of that group.

Social Stigma

The negative attitudes and beliefs held in the wider community that lead people to discriminate against people with a disorder.

Cognitive Bias

A mistaken way of thinking that leads to systematic errors of judgement and faulty decision-making.

Halo Effect

The tendency to allow an overall positive impression of a person or a specific quality to influence beliefs and expectations about the person in other qualities.

Prejudice

A negative attitude towards another person or social group formed in advance of any experience with that person or group.

Discrimination

When a person or a social group is treated differently than others as unfairly.

Sexism

Prejudice or discrimination based on sex or gender.

Intergroup Contact

Contact between members of different groups that can reduce prejudice when conditions are appropriate.

Extended Contact

Prejudice can be reduced when someone knows that a member of their group has a positive relationship with an outgroup member.

Mutual Independence

Groups depend on each other to achieve their goals or meet their needs.

Superordinate Goals

Shared goals that require members of different groups to cooperate.

Equality of Status

Different groups interact as equals, without one group having greater power or status.

Cognitive Interventions

Strategies that challenge and change inaccurate or biased thinking.

Confirmation Bias

Looking for or interpreting information in ways that support existing beliefs.

Dunning-Krunger Effect

When someone with limited knowledge or understanding overestimates their own knowledge or ability.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts used to make quick judgments.

Availability Heuristic

Judging something based on examples that easily come to mind.

Representative Heuristic

Judging someone based on how closely they match a stereotype of their group.

Affect Heuristic

Making judgments based on emotional reactions.

Social Influence

The way other people affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Social Groups

Groups of people who share a sense of belonging or interact with each other.

Obedience

Following a direct command from someone perceived to have authority.

Legitimacy of Authority Figures

People are more likely to obey someone they believe has legitimate authority.

Group Pressure

Pressure from others to behave according to group expectations.

Conformity

Changing behaviour or opinions to match those of a group.

Unanimity

Conformity is stronger when everyone else in the group appears to agree.

Normative Influence

Conforming because we want to be accepted and avoid rejection.

Influences of media on behaviour

Media can influence people's attitudes, beliefs and behaviours.

Anti-conformity

Deliberately rejecting the attitudes or behaviours of a group.