2.2 social psych

Social Psychology

The scientific study of how we think about influence and relate to one another.

Attribution Theory

Attributing others behavior to either internal dispositions or external situations.

Foot-in-the-door Phenomenon

A tendency for people to agree to a small action to later get them to comply with a larger one.

Cognitive dissonance theory

Theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent.

Asch’s Conformity Experiment

As a participant you arrive at experimental location and you take a seat at a table where 5 people are already seated, you are asked to see which line out of two matches a standard one, the right answer is obvious but everyone else around you says the wrong one making you doubt if you are seeing it correctly.

Conformity

Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Normative Social Infleunce

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.

Obedience

Being socially influenced by an authority figure who is giving clear-cut and direct orders.

Conditions that increase obedience

Legitimacy of authority, proximity of authority, gradual commitment, group cohesion

Social Facilitation

Stronger performance in others presence

Deindividuation

Abandoning normal restraints to the power of the group.

Group Polarization

The enhancement of a group’s prevailing attitudes through discussion within the group.

Groupthink

Mode of thinking that occurs when desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal for alternatives.

Social trap

Situation in which conflicting parties, by each rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.

Self-Serving Bias

A readiness to perceive yourself favorably.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

When a person unknowingly causes a prediction to come true, due to the simple fact that he or she expects it to come true.

Proximity

Geographic nearness

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon that repealed exposure to something increases liking of them.

Altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare for others.

Bystander Effect

The tendency of any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.

Social Exchange Theory

the theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of union is to minimize cost and maximize benefit

Prejudice

an unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude towards a group and its members, it includes stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings and a predisposition to discriminatory action

stereotype

a generalized (sometimes accurate but overgeneralized) belief about a group of people.

social inequalities

the existence of unequal opportunities and rewards for different social positions or statuses within a group or society, often based on factors like race, gender, or socioeconomic status.

in-group bias

“US” - people with whom one shares a common identity (a favoring of one’s own group)

out-group

“THEM”

• people perceived as different or outside one's own group, often subjected to stereotyping and discrimination.

just-world phenemon

the belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get, leading to the perception that social inequalities are justified. good is rewarded, evil is punished

door in the face

a compliance technique where a large request is followed by a smaller, more reasonable request, making the latter more likely to be accepted.

confederate

a person who is part of an experiment but acts as a participant to manipulate social situations.

dispositional attributions

(internal/personal) explanations for behavior that focus on the individual's traits, motives, or intentions rather than external circumstances.

situational attributions

(external) explanations for behavior that focus on the context or environment influencing an individual's actions, rather than their personal characteristics.

optimistic explanatory style vs pessimistic

Refers to how individuals explain events; an optimistic style attributes positive outcomes to internal factors and negative outcomes to external factors, while a pessimistic style does the opposite.

actor/observer bias

the tendency to attribute one's own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to dispositional factors, often leading to a misunderstanding of behavior.

upward vs downward social comparison

Refers to the process of evaluating oneself in relation to others; upward comparison involves comparing to those perceived as better, while downward comparison involves comparing to those perceived as worse.

relative deprivation

the perception of being worse off compared to others, leading to feelings of dissatisfaction and resentment.

elaboration likelihood model

a theory that explains how people are persuaded through two routes: the central route, which involves careful consideration of arguments, and the peripheral route, which relies on superficial cues.

central route to persuasion

A method of persuasion that focuses on the facts and content of someone's argument.

peripheral route to persuasion

A method of persuasion that focuses on the facts and content of someone's argument.

halo effect

a cognitive bias where the perception of one positive trait leads to the assumption of other positive traits, affecting overall judgment.

superordinate goals

Shared objectives that require cooperation between groups, promoting unity and reducing conflict.

burnout

a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress or frustration.

prosocial behavior

Actions intended to benefit others, often characterized by altruism and empathy.

social debt

The obligation to repay help or support received from others, often influencing social interactions and relationships. (offenders criminal history should be considered in sentencing)

social reciprocity norm

an expectation that people will help, not hurt those who helped them

social responsibility

an expectation that people will help those dependant on them

Mary Ainsworth

devised the strange situation classification (S.S.C) to investigate how attachment varies in children

Secure Attachment

A strong emotional bond characterized by trust, comfort, and the ability to explore the environment, usually developed in early childhood when caregivers are responsive and supportive.

Insecure-Avoidant Attachment

A type of insecure attachment characterized by a child that avoids or ignores the caregiver, showing little emotional response during separation and reunion, often due to a lack of consistent comfort from the caregiver.

Insecure-Anxious/Ambivalent Attachment

A type of insecure attachment where a child is heavily dependent on the caregiver, displaying extreme distress during separation and ambivalence upon reunion, often stemming from inconsistent caregiving.

Insecure-Disorganized Attachment

A type of insecure attachment marked by a lack of a clear attachment behavior, with children displaying confusion or contradictory behaviors towards the caregiver, often resulting from trauma or unpredictability in the caregiving environment.