AP Psychology Unit 4: Social Psychology and Personality

Attribution Theory

Studies how people explain behavior and mental processes.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overemphasize dispositional factors and underestimate situational factors in explaining behavior.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute positive outcomes to oneself and negative outcomes to external factors.

Dispositional Attributions

Attributions that assign the cause of behavior to internal characteristics.

Situational Attributions

Attributions that assign the cause of behavior to external circumstances.

Explanatory Style

A person's habitual way of explaining events, typically categorized as optimistic or pessimistic.

Actor-Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute one's own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to dispositional factors.

Locus of Control

The degree to which individuals believe they can control events affecting them, categorized as internal or external.

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon where people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief or expectation that influences a person's behavior in a way that causes the belief to come true.

Social Comparison

The process of comparing oneself to others to evaluate one's own abilities and opinions.

Stereotypes

Oversimplified and generalized beliefs about a group of people.

Implicit Attitudes

Attitudes that are automatic and unconscious, influencing behavior without awareness.

Ingroup

A social group to which a person identifies as being a member.

Outgroup

A social group with which an individual does not identify.

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group.

Cognitive Dissonance

The mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs or values.

Belief Perseverance

The tendency to maintain a belief despite new evidence that contradicts it.

Social Norms

Expected standards of conduct within a group.

Normative Social Influence

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

Central Route Persuasion

A method of persuasion that uses logical arguments and factual evidence.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

A method of persuasion that relies on superficial cues rather than logical arguments.

Conformity

The act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group norms.

Obedience

The act of following direct commands, usually from an authority figure.

Cultural Phenomena

The various aspects and influences of culture on behavior and social interactions.

Influence of Group Membership

The impact that belonging to a group has on an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Performing in Front of Groups

The act of presenting or performing before an audience, which can affect individual performance.

False Consensus

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

Tight Culture

A culture characterized by strong norms and low tolerance for deviance.

Loose Culture

A culture with weak norms and high tolerance for deviance.

Individualism

A social framework that emphasizes personal independence and the rights of the individual.

Collectivism

A social framework that emphasizes group goals over individual goals.

Multiculturalism

The coexistence of diverse cultures within a society.

Group Polarization

The tendency for group discussion to enhance the group's prevailing attitudes.

Groupthink

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

Diffusion of Responsibility

The phenomenon where individuals feel less responsible to act when others are present.

Social Loafing

The tendency for individuals to put forth less effort when working in a group than when working alone.

Deindividuation

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

Social Facilitation

The tendency for people to perform differently when in the presence of others than when alone.

Social Trap

A situation in which individuals or groups act in their own self-interest, leading to a collective disaster.

Superordinate Goals

Goals that require the cooperation of two or more people or groups to achieve.

Prosocial Behavior

Voluntary behavior intended to benefit another individual or group.

Altruism

Selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Social Responsibility Norm

The expectation that people will help those dependent upon them.

The Bystander Effect

The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present.

Social Exchange Theory

The theory that human interactions are transactions that aim to maximize one's rewards and minimize costs.

Reciprocity Norm

The expectation that people will respond favorably to each other by returning benefits for benefits.

Personality

An individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Psychodynamic Theory

A theory of personality that emphasizes unconscious motives and conflicts.

Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic approach that focuses on bringing unconscious thoughts and feelings to consciousness.

Free Association

A psychoanalytic technique in which the patient speaks freely about memories, thoughts, and feelings.

Defense Mechanisms

Psychological strategies used to cope with reality and maintain self-image.