4.3: Psychology of Social Situations

Attitude Follow Behavior Principle

If we act a certain way even if we don’t originally believe it, attitude will change in a way that we believe in it

Social Norms

Rules or expectations that govern behavior within a group or society.

Cognitive Dissonance

We become aware that our actions and attitude don’t coincide, resulting in uncomfortable mental state

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

We act to reduce the dissonance that we feel when attitude and actions don’t match

Conformity

Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to match the group standard.

Obedience

Following orders or directions from an authority figure, even when it may conflict with personal beliefs.

Social Influence Theory

The idea that one’s belief, attitude, behavior can results from interaction with others, depending on the strength, immediacy, and number of people in a group affecting an individual.

Normative Influence

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

Informational Influence

Influence that occurs when people accept evidence about reality provided by others because they believe others are correct.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

A theory of persuasion that proposes two routes to persuasion.

Central Route to Persuasion

Persuasuion based on the content and quality of the arguments, leading to more lasting attitude change.

Peripheral Route to Perusasion

Persuasion based on superficial cues such as attractiveness, emotions, or status, leading to temporary attitude change.

Halo effect

Our overall impression of someone influences how we feel and think about his or her character

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

A persuasion strategy involving getting a person to agree to a small request first to increase the chances they'll agree to a larger request later.

Door-in-the-Face Technique

A persuasion strategy involving making a large request that is likely to be refused, then following up with a smaller, more reasonable request.

Group Polarizaiton

The tendency for a group's prevailing attitudes to become stronger and more extreme after group discussions.

Groupthink

A phenomenon where a group prioritizes harmony and consensus over critical thinking, often leading to poor decisions.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.

Diffusion of Responsibility

The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to take action when responsibility is shared among many people.

Social Loafing

The tendency for individuals to put less effort into a task when they are working in a group compared to when they work alone.

Social Facilitiation

Improved performance on simple tasks when in the presence of others.

False Consensus Effect

The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Superordinate Goals

Shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation.

Social Traps

Situations in which pursuing self-interest leads to collective harm for everyone involved.

Altruistic Act

A selfless act intended to help others without expecting anything in return.

Prosocial Behavior

Actions intended to benefit others, such as helping or cooperating.

Social Debt

when people act in a prosocial way because they have been helped by others in the past (paying it forward) or by feeling responsible for the common good of society (doing my part)

Social Reciprocity Norm

The expectation that people will help those who have helped them.

Social Responsibility Norm

an expectation that people will help those dependent upon them or those who need assistance even if doing so may not offer any visible reward

Bystander Effect

The tendency for individuals to be less likely to help a victim when other people are present.

Industrial Organizational Psychologists

Professionals who study behavior in the workplace to improve employee performance and well-being.