ap psych: social psych

Attribution Theory

We explain others' behavior by attributing it to either internal causes (personality) or external causes (situation).

Fundamental Attribution Error

Tendency to overestimate personality and underestimate the situation when judging OTHERS' behavior.

Dispositional Attribution

Blaming behavior on internal traits like personality or character.

Situational Attribution

Blaming behavior on external circumstances or environment.

Actor-Observer Bias

We blame others' bad behavior on personality but our own on the situation.

Self-Serving Bias

Taking credit for successes (internal) but blaming failures on external factors.

Internal Locus of Control

Belief that you control your own fate through effort and choices.

External Locus of Control

Belief that outside forces (luck, fate, others) control your life.

Mere Exposure Effect

The more we are exposed to something/someone, the more we tend to like it.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Expectations cause behavior that makes the expectation come true.

Attraction

Factors that draw people together — proximity, similarity, physical attractiveness.

Stereotype

A generalized belief about a group of people.

Prejudice

An unjustified attitude (usually negative) toward a group — a FEELING.

Discrimination

Unjustified BEHAVIOR or action toward a group.

Just-World Phenomenon

Belief that the world is fair and people get what they deserve (leads to victim-blaming).

In-Group

"Us" — the group you identify with.

Out-Group

"Them" — those perceived as different from your group.

In-Group Bias

Favoring your own group over others.

Scapegoat Theory

Prejudice provides an outlet for anger by blaming a target group for problems.

Belief Perseverance

Clinging to your beliefs even when given evidence against them.

Confirmation Bias

Seeking out information that supports what you already believe; ignoring contradicting info.

Cognitive Dissonance

Mental discomfort when actions don't match beliefs — you change beliefs to reduce discomfort (Festinger).

Social Norms

Unwritten rules about acceptable behavior.

Social Influence Theory

How others' presence and actions affect our behavior.

Normative Social Influence

Conforming to fit in, be liked, or avoid rejection.

Informational Social Influence

Conforming because you think others know more than you, especially in unfamiliar situations.

Peripheral Route to Persuasion

Persuasion through surface cues — attractiveness, emotion, celebrity endorsement.

Central Route to Persuasion

Persuasion through logic, evidence, and strong arguments.

Halo Effect

One positive trait (e.g., good looks) makes us assume other positive traits.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

Get someone to agree to a small request first, then they're more likely to agree to a bigger one.

Door-in-the-Face Technique

Make a huge unreasonable request first; when refused, follow with a smaller one that seems reasonable.

Conformity

Adjusting your behavior or thinking to match a group standard (Asch's line study).

Obedience

Following direct orders from an authority figure (Milgram's shock experiment).

Group Polarization

Group discussion strengthens the group's pre-existing leanings, making views more extreme.

Groupthink

Desire for harmony in a group leads to bad decisions because dissent is suppressed.

Diffusion of Responsibility

In a group, individuals feel less personal responsibility to act.

Social Loafing

People exert less effort in a group than when working alone.

False Consensus Effect

Overestimating how much others share your beliefs and behaviors.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations that promote anonymity (mob behavior).

Social Facilitation

Performing better on simple/well-learned tasks in front of others; worse on hard tasks.

Superordinate Goals

Shared goals that require cooperation between groups, reducing conflict (Robbers Cave study).

Social Trap

A situation where individuals pursuing self-interest lead to collective harm (e.g., overfishing).

I/O Psychologist

Industrial/Organizational psychologist — applies psychology to workplaces (productivity, hiring, well-being).

Altruism

Selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Social Reciprocity Norm

Expectation that we should return help to those who help us.

Bystander Effect

The more people present in an emergency, the less likely any one person is to help (Kitty Genovese).