AP Psychology Unit 9: Social Psychology Key Concepts and Biases

Social Psychology

The study of how groups and cultures shape our perceptions, attitudes, and behavior.

Attributions

The explanations individuals give for the causes of behaviors and events.

Dispositional Attributions

Internal attributions that assign the cause of behavior to inherent qualities, traits, or characteristics of the individual.

Situational Attributions

External attributions that assign the cause of behavior to external factors or circumstances beyond the individual's control.

Explanatory Style

How people habitually explain the causes of events, which can be optimistic or pessimistic.

Optimistic Explanatory Style

A way of thinking that views setbacks as temporary and solvable.

Pessimistic Explanatory Style

A way of thinking that blames negative events on internal factors and expects them to continue indefinitely.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overemphasize dispositional factors and underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behaviors.

Actor/Observer Bias

The tendency for individuals to attribute their own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to dispositional factors.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute successes to internal factors and failures to external factors, enhancing self-esteem.

Locus of Control

An individual's belief about the extent to which they have control over the events that affect their lives.

Internal Locus of Control

Individuals believe they have significant control over the outcomes of their actions.

External Locus of Control

Individuals believe that external forces primarily influence the outcomes of their actions.

Mere Exposure Effect

The psychological phenomenon where individuals develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A phenomenon where an individual's expectations about another person influence their behavior, leading to the expected outcome.

Social Comparison Theory

The theory that individuals determine their social and personal worth based on how they stack up against others.

Upward Comparison

Comparing oneself to others who are better off to evaluate abilities and motivate improvement.

Downward Comparison

Comparing oneself to others who are worse off to enhance self-esteem and satisfaction.

Relative Deprivation

The perception that one is worse off relative to others with whom they compare themselves.

Attitude

Learned predispositions to respond in a favorable or unfavorable way to a specific object, person, or event.

Stereotype

A generalized belief or false assumption about a particular group, which can be positive or negative and often arises from overgeneralizing traits or behaviors observed in a few individuals.

Stereotype Threat

The risk of confirming negative stereotypes about one's group, which can affect self-esteem and social interactions.

Prejudice

A preconceived opinion or attitude about an individual or group, typically based on stereotypes and often without a factual basis.

Discrimination

Behavior or action(s), often negative, directed towards an individual or group based on prejudice, involving unfair treatment.

Implicit Attitudes

Unconscious beliefs or feelings towards a group that can influence behavior without the individual's conscious awareness.

Just-world Phenomenon

Cognitive bias that leads individuals to believe that the world is fair and that people get what they deserve.

Out-Group Homogeneity Bias

The tendency to view members of an out-group as more similar to each other than members of one's in-group.

In-Group Bias

The preference for and favoritism towards one's own group over out-groups, enhancing group cohesion but fostering prejudice.

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture, judging other cultures by the standards of one's own.

Belief Perseverance

The tendency to maintain a belief even after the evidence supporting it has been discredited.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms one's preexisting beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.