Unit 3 vocab

2025 CED

obedience

compliance with an order, request, or law, or submission to another's authority

Milgram “shock” study

a series of experiments conducted by psychologist Stanley Milgram to measure the willingness of participants to obey authority figures, even when asked to perform actions conflicting with their personal conscience; showed that we will obey authority, even to the point of killing people, despite moral objections

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

a psychological tactic where a small request is made first to gain eventual compliance with a larger request

door-in-the-face phenomenon

a psychological tactic where a large request is made initially, which is expected to be refused, followed by a smaller request that is more likely to be accepte

conformity

the tendency to align attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors with those of a group or social norm

Asch study

a series of experiments conducted by Solomon Asch in the 1950s to investigate the extent to which social pressure from a majority group could affect a person’s willingness to conform

dissenters

individuals who disagree with or challenge social norms or group consensus

normative social influence

influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disaproval, leading them to conform to group norms

informational social influence

infleunce resulting from one’s willingness to accept other’s opinions about reality, especially in situations where the correct answer is uncertain

groupthink

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

attribution

the process of explaining the causes of behavior or events, often distinguishing between internal and external factors

dispositional attribution

the tendency to explain someone's behavior based on their personality or character traits, rather than situational factors

situational attribution

the tendency to explain someone's behavior based on external circumstances or situational factors, rather than their personality traits

self-serving bias

the tendency to attribute positive outcomes to internal factors and negative outcomes to external factors

fundamental attribution error

the tendency to overemphasize personal characteristics and underestimate situational influences when explaining others' behavior

actor-observer bias

the tendency to attribute one's own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to their personality traits

stereotypes

a generalized, oversimplified belief about a group of people

prejudice

an unjustifiable attitude towards a group and its members involving stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and predisposition to discriminatory action

discrimination

unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members based on their perceived characteristics

explicit attitude

a clearly stated belief or preference regarding a particular group, consciously held and easily articulated

implicit attitude

an unconscious or automatic belief or preference regarding a particular group, often influencing behavior without conscious awareness

in-group bias

the tendency to favor our own group over others, often leading to preferential treatment or positive evaluations of members within the group

out-group homogenity bias

the perception that members of an out-group are more similar to each other than they are to members of the in-group

just-world phenomenon

the tendency for people to believe that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get

self-fulfilling prophecy

the phenomenon where a belief or expectation about a person or event leads to its fulfillment by influencing actions and outcomes

individualism

a social theory that prioritizes personal goals and success over group interests and emphasizes independence

collectivism

a social theory that prioritizes group goals over individual success and emphasizes interdependence among members

multiculturalism

a social theory that values and promotes the coexistence of diverse cultural groups within a society, encouraging mutual respect and understanding

ethnocentrism

the belief that your own ethnic group is superior and others are inferiorspc

upward social comparison

the process of comparing oneself to others who are perceived to be better off, leading to feelings of inadequacy or motivation to improve

downward social comparison

the process of comparing oneself to others who are perceived to be worse off, which can enhance self-esteem or provide a sense of comfort

relative deprivation

the perception that one is worse off compared to others, leading to feelings of discontent or injustice

cognitive dissonance

the mental discomfort experienced when holding two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes, often leading to an alteration in one of the conflicting elements

mere-exposure effect

the tendency to develop a preference for stimuli simply because they are familiar, leading to positive feelings towards them

elaboration likelihood model

a theory that describes the change of attitudes by focusing on two routes: the central route, which involves careful consideration of message content, and the peripheral route, which relies on superficial cues

central route to persuasion

the process of attitude change that occurs when a person carefully analyzes the arguments presented in a message, resulting in lasting changes in beliefs and intentions

peripheral route to persuasion

the process of attitude change that occurs when a person is influenced by superficial cues rather than the content of the message, often leading to temporary changes in beliefs

halo effect

the cognitive bias in which an individual's overall impression of a person influences their feelings and thoughts about that person's character or properties

false-consensus effect

the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs, values, and behaviors, leading to a skewed perception of consensus

group polarization

the phenomenon where members of a group tend to adopt more extreme positions after discussing an issue together, leading to heightened views

social trap

a situation in which individuals or groups act in their own self-interest, leading to a collective negative outcome, often due to a lack of communication or cooperation

superordinate goals

shared objectives that promote cooperation and help reduce conflict between groups

social loafing

the tendency for individuals to put in less effort when working in a group than when working independently

social facilitation

the tendency for individuals to perform better on simple tasks when in the presence of others

deindividuation

the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint that occurs in group situations which fost arousal and anonymity

altruism

the tendency to help others who are in need without expecting anything in return

bystander effect

the phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present, often due to diffusion of responsibility

diffusion of responsibility

the tendency for individuals to feel less accountable to act when others are present, believing someone else will take responsibility

social reciprocity norm

a social norm that maintains that individuals should respond to others’ actions with similar or equivalent actions, rewarding positive contributions and punishing negative ones

social responsibility norm

the belief that individuals, especially those in power, should assist others in need without the expectation of anything in return

cultural differences

variations in norms, beliefs, and values across different cultures