Unit 4 Social Psychology Terms

Attribution

The reason or explanation for a behavior.

Dispositional Attribution

Attributing a behavior to the characteristics or traits of the person.

Situational Attribution

Attributing a behavior to the external situation.

Explanatory Style

The way a person creates a narrative about an event, categorized as positive or negative.

Actor/Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute others' behavior to internal causes while attributing our own behavior to external or situational causes

Fundamental Attribution Error

Tendency to attribute others' actions to internal factors while attributing our own to external factors.

Self-Serving Bias

Holding ourselves responsible for good outcomes and blaming circumstances for negative ones.

Internal Locus of Control

The perception that we control our own fate and destiny.

External Locus of Control

The perception that our fate is controlled by forces outside our control.

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases our liking of them.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

The idea that our thoughts and beliefs can lead to the very outcome we were thinking about.

Social Comparison

Determining social and personal worth based on how we compare to others.

Stereotype

A generalized, often overgeneralized belief about a group of people.

Just-World Phenomenon

The idea that the world is just and people get what they deserve.

Out-Group Homogeneity Bias

Overgeneralizing that members of the out-group are all the same.

In-Group Bias

The tendency to favor our own group, its people, ideas, and values.

Ethnocentrism

Prejudicial belief that one's own culture is superior to all others.

Cognitive Dissonance

Tension that emerges when thoughts and behaviors are inconsistent, prompting us to eliminate discomfort.

Social Norms

Unwritten rules and expectations dictating how individuals should behave in a group.

Social Influence Theory

Adopting a behavior or belief because we see someone else do it and assume justification.

Persuasion

The way people are influenced toward a certain outcome or belief.

Central Route Persuasion

Being influenced by the content of a message, such as facts and details.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

Being influenced by incidental cues such as physical attractiveness.

Foot-in-the-Door

Complying with a small request first makes people more likely to agree to a larger request later.

Door-in-the-Face

Refusing a large outrageous request makes people more likely to comply with a smaller request later.

Conformity

Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Obedience

Compliance that occurs when following direct commands from an authority figure.

Individualism

Giving priority to one's own goals over group goals and defining identity through personal attributes.

Collectivism

Giving priority to group goals and defining identity based on group membership and harmony.

Multiculturalism

A society where different ethnic and cultural groups have equal status while maintaining their own identity.

Group Polarization

The enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through group discussions.

Groupthink

Thinking mode where desire for group harmony overrides realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Diffusion of Responsibility

The phenomenon where multiple people present make each individual feel less personal responsibility.

Social Loafing

The tendency for people to exert less effort when working in a group.

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations that foster anonymity.

Social Facilitation

The phenomenon where the presence of others enhances an individual's performance on a task.

False Consensus Effect

The tendency to assume our own opinions and behaviors are more widely shared than they are.

Superordinate Goals

Goals that can be attained only if two or more groups work together.

Social Trap

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

Altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.

Social Reciprocity Norm

The social expectation that we should return help to those who have helped us.

Bystander Effect

The more people who witness someone in distress, the less likely anyone is to intervene.