FINAL EXAM TERMS AND CONCEPTSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Social Psychology

An individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are influenced by social situations.

Intrapersonal Topics

Emotions and attitudes, the self, and social cognition

Interpersonal Topics

Helping behavior, aggression, prejudice and discrimination, attraction and close relationships, and group processes.

Situationism

The view that our behavior and actions are determined by our immediate environment and surroundings (external)

Dispositionism

The view that our behavior is determined by internal factors such as personality traits and temperament. (internal)

Attributions

Evaluation of our feelings toward a person, idea, or object —> gives explanations about other people’s behaviorand influences our perceptions and interactions.

Attribution Processes

The methods by which individuals interpret and explain the behavior of themselves and others. This involves assessing situational and dispositional factors to understand actions. Can create biases!

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overemphasize internal factors as explanations/attributions for the behavior of other people

Just-World Hypthesis

The belief that people get the outcomes they deserve.

Actor-Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute other people’s behaviors to internal factors (dispositional) and attribute our own behaviors to external forces (situational)

eg: evident when subjects explain their own reasons for liking a girl (personality) versus their impressions of others’ reasons for liking a girl (her money)

Self-Serving Bias

Tendency to take credit by making dispositional aka internal attributions for positive outcomes but situational aka external attributions for negative outcomes

eg: i got a good grade because i’m smart and hard working '/ i got a bad grade because the test was hard/teacher sucks

Social Role

A pattern of behavior that is expected of a person in a given setting or groupthat influences how they are perceived and interacts with others.

Social Norm

A group’s expectation of what is appropriate and acceptable behavior for its members.

Script

The sequence of events expected in a specific setting

Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment

Demonstrated the power of social roles, social norms, and scripts. Ended early (after 6 days)

3 components of attitude

Cognitive, Behavioral, and Affective componentsrepresent the different ways individuals respond to objects, people, or events.

Cognitive Dissonance

Psychological discomfort arising from holding two or more inconsistent attitudes, behaviors, or cognition (eg: believing cigarettes are bad for your health but smoking them anyways)

Persuasion

Processes of changing our attitudes toward something based on some kind of communication

Foot-In-The-Door Technique

Persuader gets a person to agree to a large request after having them agree to a modest request first

Freedman and Fraser (1966)

Participants who agreed to put a small sign in their yard or sign a petition were more likely to agree to put a large sign in their yard than people who declined the first request.

Conformity

The change in a person’s behavior to go along with the group, even if they do not agree with the group

Factors that make a person more likely to conform

The size of the majority, the presence of another dissenter, and the public or private nature of the responses

Asch Effect

The influence of the group majority on an individual’s judgement

Obedience

The change of an individual’s behavior to comply with a demand by an authority figure

Stanley Milgram

Conducted a Study that highlighted the power of authority in influencing human behavior and raised important ethical concerns about psychological experiments (Shocking “students”)

Groupthink

The modification of the opinions of members of a group to align with what they believe is the group consensus

Group Polarization

The strengthening of an original group attitude after the discussion of views within a group

Factors Influencing Attraction

Proximity, Similarity, and Homophily

Proximity

The people with whom you have the most contactS

Similarity

People who are similar to us in background, attitudes, and lifestyle

Homophily

The tendency for people to form social networks with others who are similar

Matching Hypothesis

People tend to form relationships with those they view as their equal in physical attractiveness and social desirability

Reciprocacy

The give and take in relationships, We contribute to relationships but expect to receive benefits in return

Self-Disclosure

The sharing of personal information, leads to more intimate connections

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love

7 types of love can be described by combinations of 3 components, Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment

Intimacy

Sharing details and intimate thoughts and emotions

Passion

Physical attraction

Commitment

Standing by the person

Consummate Love

Intimacy + Passion + Commitment

Social Exchange Theory

People keep track of the costs and benefits of forming and maintaining a relationship

Prosocial Behavior

Voluntary behavior with the intent to help other people

Altruism

People’s desire to help others even if the costs outweigh the benefits of helping

Industrial Psychology

Matches job characteristics and applicant characteristics, focuses on hiring and maintaining employees

Organizational Psychology

Focuses on interactions of workers, and effects of interactions on productivity. Goal is to improve overall health and well-being of an individual to increase the overall health of the organization

Human Factors Psychology

How workers interact with the tools of work/ How to design tools to optimize workers’ productivity, safety, and healthE

Ergonomic

Relating to or designed for efficiency and comfort in the working environment

Robert Yerkes

Developed the Army Alpha/Beta Test

Army Alpha Test

Measured mental/intellectual abilities of soldiers or individuals who potentially join the military

Army Beta Test

The non-verbal complement version of the Army Alpha Test (could be administered to illiterate and non-english speaking draftees)

Hawthorne Effect

The increase in performance of individuals who are noticed, watched, and paid attention to by researchers or supervisors

Job Analysis

Accurately describing the task/job

Task-Oriented Analysis

Lists in detail the tasks that will be performed for the job

Worker-Oriented Analysis

Describes characteristics required of the worker to successfully perform the job (eg: knowledge, skills, abilities)

Laws Passed by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Equal Pay Act (1963)

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964)

Pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978)

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

Douglas McGregor (1960)

Combined scientific management and human relations into the notion of management behavior

Scientific Management

A theory of management that analyzes workflows with goal of improving economic efficiency (eg labor productivity) (2 different styles, x & y)

Theory X (Scientific Management)

Manager assumes workers dislike work and not innately self directed, Managers must have control of the workers

Theory Y (Scientific Management)

Manager assumes that most workers seek to inner satisfaction and fulfillment from their work, managers and workers can find creative solutions to problems

Transactional Leadership

Focus on supervision, organizational goals achieved through a system of rewards and punishment

Transformational Leadership

Charismatic role models, inspirational, intellectually stimulating, and considerate and seek to change and improve the organization

Stress Stimulus Based Definition

A demanding or threatening event or situation, a stimulus that causes certain reactions

Response Based Definition of Stress

Emphasizes physiological responses that occur in response to demanding or threatening situations

Eustress

Stress that can be positive and motivate us to do things in our best interests, Associated with positive feelings, optimal health, and high performance

Distress

Bad stress, causes people to feel burned out and worsen performance

Lazarus and Folkman (1984)

Believed stress is a process whereby an individual perceives and responds to events they appraise as overwhelming or threatening to their well being

Primary Appraisal

Judgement about the degree of potential harm/threat to well-being that a stressor might entail

Threat

Stressor that could lead to harm/loss/negative consequences

Challenge

Stressor that carries the potential for gain/personal growth

Secondary Appraisal

Judgement of the options available to cope with a stressor, and perceptions of how effective such options will be

Coping/Problem Solving

A treat is less stressful if we believe something can be done about it

Walter Cannon

First to identify the body’s physiological reactions to stress, articulated the fight or flight response

Fight or Flight Response

Set of physiological reactions that occur when an individual encounters a perceived threat produced by activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine system

Hans Seyle (1940)

Noticed that prolonged exposure to stressors caused rats to show the series of physiological responses

Discovered General Adaptation Syndrome

General Adaptation Syndrome

The body’s nonspecific response physiological response to stress

Components of General Adaptation Syndrome

Alarm Reaction, Stage of Resistance, and Stage of Exhaustion

Alarm Reaction

The body’s immediate reaction upon facing a threatening situation or emergency

Stage of Resistance

The body has adapted to the stressor but remains alert and prepared to respond

Stage of Exhaustion

The person can no longer adapt to the stressor. Physical wear takes its toll on the body’s tissues and organs

Holmes and Rahe (1960s)

Hypothesized that life events requiring significant change are stressful, whether they are desirable or undesirable

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

Scores each life change from 11-100, representing the perceived magnitude of life change they involve

Sympathetic Nervous System

Triggers arousal in response to a stressor via the release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands

HPA Axis

Hypothalamic - Pituitary - Adrenal

Stress detected by Hypothalamus

Creates CRH

CRH is received by Pituitary Gland

Creates ACTH

ACTH stimulates Adrenal Glands

Creates Cortisol

Cortisol

A stress hormone that helps provide a boost of energy when we first encounter a stressor, preparing us to flight, flight, or flee

Chronic Stress

Continuous elevated levels of cortisol that weakens the immune system

Type A Personality

Characterized by a pattern of behavior marked by competitiveness, high ambition, impatience, a sense of urgency, and often aggression

Type B Personality

Defined as more relaxed, patient, and easy going behavior pattern. Individuals with this personality type are generally less stressed, more adaptable, and take a calm approach to life and work.

Friedman and Rosenman (1974)

Found that individuals who are type a personality are prone to heart disease

Heart Disease

General term that includes many types of heart problems (cardiovascular disorder)H

Hypertension

High blood pressure and risk for heart disease

Cardiovascular System

Composed of the heart and blood circulation system. Plays key role in stress response.

Problem-Focused Coping

Individuals attempts to manage or alter the problem that is causing them to experience stress (more likely to be used when the stressor is perceived as controllable)

Emotional-Focused Coping

Efforts to change or reduce the negative emotions associated with stress (more often used for stressors we feel powerless to change the problem)

Learned Helplessness

An acquired belief that one is powerlessness to do anything about a situation

Martin Seligman Experiment 1967

Dogs placed in a chamber with electric shocks which they could not escape from, when later given the opportunity to escape they seemed to give up/not try

Exercise

Used as a Stress Reduction Technique: Reduces stress and increases resistance to adverse effects of stress

Meditation and Relaxation

Stress Reduction Technique

Biofeedback

Uses electronic equipment to measures a person’s involuntary activity and provide feedback to help the person gain a level of voluntary control over these processes