Social Psychology: Attribution, Conformity, Aggression, and Helping

It explains a person's behaviors as caused by their internal dispositions or external situations.

attribution theory

A person is kind because they have a caring soul.

internal disposition

A person is yelling because they're in extreme distress.

external situation

The tendency for observers to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition.

fundamental attribution error

Attribution may cause us to incorrectly characterize someone based on a first impression or situation.

How can attribution affect views of others?

An organization asking for a signature on a petition before later coaxing into donating.

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

Asking someone to volunteer daily for two weeks, then later asking for a moderate request like volunteering for 30 minutes.

door-in-the-face technique

Why is it easier to change attitudes than behavior in cognitive dissonance?

Changing behavior requires more effort than just a mental state.

Participants picked a line out of three, influenced by actors who said the wrong answer.

Solomon Asch conformity experiment

Why is a group of at least 3 people needed to conform?

Three is the baseline; the more people, the more likely you are to conform.

Influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval.

normative social influence

People may give more generously after observing others' generosity.

informational social influence

What percentage of participants delivered the maximum shock in Milgram's experiment?

68%

The tendency for people to perform differently in the presence of others.

social facilitation

When being an expert pool player makes more shots around others.

social facilitation helpful

When a bad pool player makes fewer shots around others.

social facilitation not helpful

Exerting less effort in a team event because individuals feel less accountable.

social loafing

Why were women in hoods more likely to administer higher shocks?

They were deindividuated due to arousal and anonymity.

What happens when groups of high prejudice people discuss racial issues?

Their beliefs and attitudes grow stronger and they become more prejudiced.

When people do not speak up to maintain harmony, as seen in the Bay of Pigs invasion.

groupthink

An unjustifiable negative attitude towards a group of people.

prejudice

A generalized belief about a group of people.

stereotype

Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group of people.

discrimination

The belief that people get what they deserve.

just-world phenomenon

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally.

aggression

What is the connection between identical twins and aggression?

If one twin has a violent temper, the other often admits the same.

What hormone increases aggression when injected?

testosterone

Frustration blocks attempts to achieve goals, creating anger that can lead to aggression.

relationship between frustration and aggression

How does ostracization relate to aggression?

Isolation leads to increased frustration and aggression.

Isolation leads to increased frustration and aggression

A situation where two parties become caught in mutually destructive behavior by pursuing self-interest.

social trap

During COVID, people hoarded toilet paper, leaving shelves empty for others.

example of social trap

The tendency for repeated exposure to increase liking of stimuli.

mere exposure effect

He risked his life to save over 1,000 refugees during the Rwandan genocide.

Paul Rusesabagina demonstrating altruism

Bystanders are less likely to help if others are present.

bystander effect

The theory that social behavior is an exchange process to maximize benefits and minimize costs.

social exchange theory

A goal that requires cooperation between conflicting groups, like restoring a camp water supply.

superordinate goal