Untitled Flashcards Set

Attribution Theory

How we explain causes of behaviors and events.

Dispositional Attribution

Blaming things on others based on who they are as people.

Situational Attribution

Attributing behavior to external factors or circumstances.

Fundamental Attribution Error

Overemphasizing personal characteristics while underestimating situational factors when judging others.

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

An expectation that leads to its own fulfillment.

Locus of Control

The degree to which individuals believe they have control over events affecting them.

Internal Locus of Control

Belief that personal choices and efforts determine outcomes.

External Locus of Control

Belief that fate, luck, or external circumstances determine outcomes.

Defensive Attribution Theory

Tendency to blame victims to distance ourselves from their suffering.

Person Perception

How we form impressions of others and ourselves.

Attitudes

Evaluations or feelings people have towards objects, people, events, or ideas.

Aggression

Behavior intended to harm another person.

Reward Theory of Attraction

A theory stating that individuals are attracted to those who provide them with rewards.

Proximity Effect

The tendency to form relationships with those who are physically close.

Frustration Aggression Principle

A principle stating that frustration leads to anger, which may lead to aggression.

Normative Social Influence

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

Informational Social Influence

Influence resulting from one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality.

Just World Phenomenon

The belief that the world is fair and that good is rewarded while evil is punished.

Foot in the Door Phenomenon

Persuasion technique that involves getting a person to agree to a small request to increase the likelihood of agreeing to a larger request later.

Door in the Face Phenomenon

Persuasion technique where an unreasonable request is followed by a more reasonable one.

Cognitive Dissonance

The discomfort felt when holding two or more conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or values.

Social Roles

Expected behaviors and attitudes associated with a social position.

Bystander Effect

The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when there are other witnesses present.

Social Facilitation

The tendency to perform better on simple tasks when in the presence of others.

Altruism

Selfless behavior intended to help others.

Self-Esteem

How one views oneself.

Self-Actualization

The realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potential.

Id

The part of the mind in which innate instinctive impulses and primary processes are manifest.

Superego

The part of the personality that represents the conscience and the moral standards.

Ego

The part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious.

Ego Defense Mechanisms

Strategies used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety or social sanctions.

Denial

Refusal to accept reality or facts.

Repression

The action of subduing someone or something by force.

Sublimation

Redirecting unacceptable urges into socially acceptable activities.