psych unit 4 (correct)

Internal Locus of Control

The belief that one controls their own fate and outcomes through personal effort and decisions.

External Locus of Control

The belief that outside forces, luck, or other people determine one's outcomes.

Mere Exposure Effect

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

Social Comparison

The process of evaluating one's own opinions and abilities by comparing oneself to others.

Relative Deprivation

The perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself.

Cognitive Load

The amount of mental effort being used in working memory at any given time.

Prejudice

An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members.

Discrimination

Unjustified negative behavior toward a group or its members.

Implicit Attitudes

Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect behavior and decisions without conscious awareness.

Just-World Phenomenon

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

Belief Perseverance

The tendency to cling to one's initial beliefs even after receiving contradictory evidence.

Cognitive Dissonance

The discomfort felt when holding two contradictory cognitions, motivating attitude change.

Social Influence Theory

The theory explaining how individuals change their behavior to meet the demands of a social environment.

Normative Social Influence

Conforming to gain social approval or avoid rejection, even if one privately disagrees.

Informational Social Influence

Conforming because one looks to others for guidance in uncertain situations, believing they know better.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

Attitude change that occurs when people are influenced by superficial cues rather than careful reasoning.

Conformity

Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to match a group standard.

Persuasion

The process of changing attitudes or beliefs through communication and argument.

Central Route Persuasion

Attitude change that occurs through careful consideration of arguments and evidence.

Groupthink

The tendency of a cohesive group to make poor decisions due to pressure to conform and avoid dissent.

Diffusion of Responsibility

The tendency for individuals to feel less responsible for taking action when others are present.

Social Loafing

The tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.

Social Facilitation

Improved performance on well-learned tasks and impaired performance on difficult tasks in the presence of others.

Individualism

A cultural orientation that emphasizes personal goals and independence over group goals.

Collectivism

A cultural orientation that emphasizes group goals, harmony, and interdependence over individual goals.

Multiculturalism

The recognition and appreciation of cultural diversity within a society.

Group Polarization

The tendency for group discussion to strengthen the dominant position held by individual group members.

Prosocial Behavior

Positive actions done to benefit others, such as helping, sharing, or cooperating.

Altruism

Unselfish concern for the welfare of others, helping without expectation of personal gain.

Social Responsibility Norm

The expectation that people will help those who depend on them or need assistance.

The Bystander Effect

The tendency for any given individual to be less likely to help in an emergency when other people are present.

Personality

An individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Psychodynamic Theory

Freud's theory that behavior is driven by unconscious conflicts, desires, and memories.

Id

The unconscious part of the personality containing basic drives and instincts, operating on the pleasure principle.

Ego

The largely conscious part of the personality that mediates between the id and superego, operating on the reality principle.

Projective Tests

Personality assessments that present ambiguous stimuli to reveal unconscious thoughts and feelings.

Preconscious

Thoughts and memories that are not currently in awareness but can be easily brought into consciousness.

Unconscious

The largest part of the mind containing thoughts, memories, and desires that are outside conscious awareness.

Humanistic Psychology

A perspective emphasizing human growth potential, free will, and the importance of self-concept.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Complete acceptance and support of a person regardless of what they say or do.

Self-Actualizing Tendency

The innate drive to fulfill one's potential and become the best version of oneself.

Social-Cognitive Theory

Bandura's theory that personality develops through the interaction of personal, behavioral, and environmental factors.

Reciprocal Determinism

Bandura's concept that behavior, personal factors, and the environment all interact and influence each other.

Self-Concept

One's overall sense of who they are, including beliefs about one's own attributes and identity.

Self-Efficacy

One's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish particular tasks.

Self-Esteem

One's overall sense of self-worth and personal value.

Traits

Characteristic patterns of behavior or dispositions to feel and act in certain ways.

The Big Five Theory

The theory that personality can be described using five broad dimensions: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Agreeableness

A Big Five personality trait characterized by being cooperative, trusting, and good-natured.

Openness to Experience

A Big Five trait reflecting creativity, curiosity, and willingness to explore new ideas.

Extraversion

A Big Five trait characterized by sociability, assertiveness, and positive emotionality.

Conscientiousness

A Big Five trait reflecting organization, dependability, and self-discipline.

Emotional Stability

A Big Five trait (opposite of Neuroticism) reflecting calmness, resilience, and emotional control.

Personality Inventories

Standardized questionnaires used to assess personality traits through self-reported responses.

Factor Analysis

A statistical method used to identify clusters of related items that measure a common underlying trait.

Drive-Reduction Theory

The theory that physiological needs create arousal (drives) that motivate organisms to satisfy those needs.

Arousal Theory

The theory that people are motivated to maintain an optimal level of stimulation or arousal.

Optimal Level of Arousal

The degree of mental stimulation at which a person performs best.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

The principle that performance peaks at moderate levels of arousal, with a curve that varies by task difficulty.

Self-Determination Theory

Deci and Ryan's theory that motivation is highest when basic needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness are met.

Intrinsic Motivation

The desire to perform an activity for its own inherent satisfaction rather than for external rewards.

Extrinsic Motivation

The desire to perform an activity to earn a reward or avoid punishment from an external source.

Instincts

Fixed, unlearned response patterns that are biologically programmed and species-specific.

Lewin's Motivational Conflicts Theory

The theory describing three types of motivational conflict: approach-approach, approach-avoidance, and avoidance-avoidance.

Approach-Approach Conflict

A conflict in which one must choose between two desirable but mutually exclusive options.

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

A conflict in which a single goal has both desirable and undesirable aspects.

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

A conflict in which one must choose between two equally undesirable options.

Sensation-Seeking Theory

Zuckerman's theory that some individuals are motivated by the need for novel, intense, and varied experiences.

Hypothalamus

A brain structure that regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature, and other basic biological drives.

Pituitary Gland

The master endocrine gland, regulated by the hypothalamus, that releases hormones controlling other glands.

Emotion

A response involving physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience.

Broaden-and-Build Theory

Fredrickson's theory that positive emotions broaden awareness and build lasting personal resources.