PSYC 104 Chapter 11- Social Psychology

Social Thinking

Involves analyzing why people behave the way they do, especially in unexpected situations.

Attribution Theory

Explains how we determine the causes behind people's actions, either by dispositional or situational attribution.

Dispositional Attribution

Attributing behavior to personality traits.

Situational Attribution

Attributing behavior to external factors.

Fundamental Attribution Error

Tendency to overestimate personal traits and underestimate situational factors in others' behavior.

Cognitive Dissonance

Conflict between actions and beliefs, leading to attitude change, as proposed by Festinger in 1957.

Social Facilitation

Improved performance on tasks in the presence of others.

Social Loafing

Tendency to put in less effort when working in a group.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in groups, often leading to impulsive actions.

Conformity

Changing behavior to align with a group standard.

Obedience

Compliance with authority.

Normative Social Influence

Desire for approval or avoidance of rejection.

Informational Social Influence

Accepting others' opinions as valid.