Social Psychology Key Concepts and Techniques

What is social psychology?

The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Schizo and Phrenia

Schizo means split and phernia means mind

Dissociative Disorders

A person’s conscious awareness dissociates (separates) from painful memories, thoughts, and feelings (separates to protect the person from the brain), which causes dissociative fugue state

Dissociative fugue state

Sudden loss of memory or change in identity

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls involuntary bodily functions and physiological arousal

Sympathetic Division

Mobilizes your body for action during crisis (real or imagined) - creates and conserves energy

Parasympathetic Division

Gradually calms the body after the crisis passes

Hormones gradually leave your bloodstream and the processes are reversed

Tend and befriend response

Tend: Provide support to others

Befriend: Seek support from others

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in the presence of others

The group causes arousal and anonymity

Amygdala

Constantly assesses sensory stimuli

Sends output to other part of the brain

Alerts the brain when reaction is necessary

Prefrontal Cortex

Full conscious experience of emotions

Deliberate and planned behaviors

Receives input from the amygdala and somatosensory cortex

Acute Stress

A short-term state of arousal, in response to a perceived threat or challenge that has a definite endpoint

Chronic Stress

A continuous state of arousal, in which demands are perceived as greater than the inner and outer resources available for dealing with them

Frustration

Unpleasant tension, anxiety, and heightened sympathetic activity resulting from a blocked goal

Cataclysmic Events

Stressors that occur suddenly and generally affect many people simultaneously

General Adaptation Syndrome

The body’s adaptive response to stress in three phases - alarm, resistance and exhaustion

Alarm - Sudden activation of sympathetic nervous system

Rapid arousal increase

Resistance - Body tries to defend against, and adapt to, the stressor

Arousal remains high

Exhaustion - Resources are very limited

Ability to resist may collapse

Optimism

Generalized tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things

Ingroup vs Outgroup

Ingroup: Group you identify with and feeling belonging to

Outgroup: Group you don’t belong to (often with dislike towards them)

Scapegoat Theory

How people redirect frustration and blame for their own failures or societal problems onto an innocent individual or group to maintain self-esteem or group cohesion.

Other-race effect

Tendency for people to recognize and recall faces of their own race better than faces from other races

Availability heuristic

A mental shortcut where you judge an event’s likelihood by how easily examples come to mind

The Robber’s Cave Experiment

Experiment dividing groups of boys and they were put to compete against each other for limited resources which made them dislike each other but cooperation was able to reduce it

Aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

Aversion stimuli (stimuli you want to avoid such as pain or hunger) can cause this

Catherine “Kitty” Genovese

A woman who was raped, stabbed, and robbed while 37 people who watched did not call the police (bystander effect)

Diffusion of Responsibility

When a person takes less responsibility for something or is less likely to act in a situation due to the presence of others

Clusters of Personality Disorders

Cluster A: Odd/Eccentric includes Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal

Cluster B: Dramatic/Emotional/Erratic includes Antisocial, Borderline

Cluster C: Anxious/Fearful includes Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive

Physiological Reponses

Emotional states accompanied with physiological changes

Theories of Emotion

Common sense: Perception - Emotions - Physiological changes

James-Lange: Perception - Physiological changes - Emotions

Cannon-Bard: Perception - Physiological changes/Emotions (goes at the same time)

Two-factor: Physiological arousal - cognitive labelling (labelling what state you are in) - emotions

Facial Feedback Hypothesis: Perception - facial expression - emotions

Persuasion Tactics

Door in the face: Make a large request first, followed by a smaller request

Foot in the door: Make a small request first, followed by a larger request

Conformity

Adjusting behavior or thinking to be like a group

Obedience

Change of behavior due direct commands

Milgram Experiment

The participant is placed in a room with the experimenter and who they believe to be another participant. The participant is then told to shock the other “participant” with more and more voltage for every question they get wrong.

Social Facilitation

Psychological phenomenon where individuals perform better on simple or well learned tasks and worse on complex or new tasks in the presence of others.

What is an attribution in social psychology?

An explanation for the cause of behavior or events.

What is internal attribution?

Inferring that a particular behavior was due to dispositional causes.

What is external attribution?

Inferring that an individual's behavior was caused by some other factor.

What is the Fundamental Attribution Error?

The tendency for observers to underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the impact of personal disposition when analyzing others' behavior.

What are the two routes to persuasion according to the dual processes model?

Central route (focuses on informational content) and Peripheral route (focuses on surface aspects of the argument).

What is the Door-in-the-Face technique?

A persuasion tactic where a large request is made first, followed by a smaller request.

What is the Foot-in-the-Door technique?

A persuasion tactic where a small request is made first, followed by a larger request.

What does Cognitive Dissonance Theory state?

We act to reduce discomfort when there is a lack of consistency between our thoughts and behaviors. (They don’t align, so we change one to make them align.)

What is social loafing?

The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward a common goal than when individually accountable.

What is group polarization?

The enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group.

What is groupthink?

A mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.

What is a stereotype?

A generalized belief about a group of people.

What is prejudice?

An unjustifiable attitude toward a group and its members.

What is discrimination?

Unjustifiable negative behavior directed at a group or its members.

What is the contact hypothesis?

Under certain conditions, direct contact between members of rival groups will reduce discrimination.

What is the Bystander Effect?

The tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if others are present.

What is social exchange theory?

Social behavior is an exchange process aimed at maximizing benefits and minimizing costs.

What is the mere exposure effect?

The phenomenon where people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them.

What is passionate love?

An aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a romantic relationship.

What is companionate love?

A deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our life is intertwined.

What is the Frustration-Aggression Principle?

The principle that frustration can lead to aggression.

What is altruism?

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.

What is the just world phenomenon?

The tendency to believe that the world is just and that people get what they deserve.

What is the availability heuristic?

A mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision.

What is the irony of thought suppression?

The phenomenon where attempts to suppress unwanted thoughts can lead to an increase in those thoughts.

What are anxiety disorders?

A group of disorders characterized by excessive fear and anxiety and related maladaptive behaviors.

What are the four types of symptoms associated with anxiety disorders?

Somatic, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive symptoms.

What characterizes Panic Disorder?

Marked by unpredictable, minutes-long episodes of intense dread, often followed by worry over a possible next attack.

What are possible biological causes of Panic Disorder?

Genetics and the Suffocation False Alarm Theory.

What is a specific phobia?

A persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object, activity, or situation.

What types of specific phobias exist?

Animal, natural environment, blood/injection/injury, and situational phobias.

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Intense fear and avoidance of social situations.

What is Agoraphobia?

Intense fear or avoidance of situations in which escape might be difficult.

What behaviorist theory explains the acquisition of phobias?

Phobias are acquired through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning.

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Persistent, uncontrollable, and free-floating non-specified anxiety with difficulties controlling worries.

What are the emotional symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder?

Depressed mood and anhedonia (reduced interest in activities you normally enjoy)

What are the physical symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder?

Somatic complaints, motor retardation, sleep disturbances, and weight loss.

What characterizes Bipolar Disorder?

Experiences of the overexcited state of mania and usually periods of depression.

What are the cognitive symptoms of mania in Bipolar Disorder?

Distractibility and goal-directed behavior.

What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, social withdrawal, and insomnia that lingers after a traumatic experience.

What are the key features of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

Characterized by unwanted and repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and actions (compulsions).

What is the Diathesis-Stress Model?

A model suggesting that biological predisposition and stress can lead to the onset of mental disorders.

What are the positive symptoms (an added or excess experience beyond normal functioning) of Schizophrenia?

Delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized speech.

What are the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia?

Diminished emotional expression and lack of motivation.

What is Antisocial Personality Disorder?

A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others.

What characterizes Borderline Personality Disorder?

Pervasive pattern of instability in mood, self-image, and interpersonal relationships.

What is the biopsychosocial approach to classifying disorders?

An approach that considers biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding mental disorders.

What are the issues of classification in mental disorders?

Helps with treatment decisions and communication but can hinder understanding due to stigma and biases.

What is Panic Disorder?

Unpredictable, minutes-long episodes of intense dread, often followed by worry over a possible next attack.

What are some possible biological causes of Panic Disorder?

Genetics and Suffocation False Alarm Theory (essentially, the brain is tricked into thinking there is a lack of air, which causes panic.)

What is Social Anxiety Disorder characterized by?

Characterized as intense fear and avoidance of social situations.

According to behaviorism, how are phobias acquired?

Through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning.

What is Schizophrenia characterized by?

Characterized by illusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and/or diminished emotional expression.

What are the two types of symptoms in Schizophrenia?

Positive symptoms and negative symptoms.

What are Personality Disorders characterized by?

Enduring inner experiences or behavior patterns that differ from cultural norms and cause distress or impairment.

What are some symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder?

Instability in mood, self-image, and interpersonal relationships; marked impulsivity.

What characterizes Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

Pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy.

What is a common treatment approach for Personality Disorders?

Mainly psychological or psychosocial interventions focused on reducing interpersonal conflict and stabilizing psychosocial functioning.

What are some possible causes of Personality Disorders?

Temperament, Diathesis-Stress Model, childhood trauma, and disturbances in early attachment formation.