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person perception
how we form impressions of ourselves and others, including attributions of behavior.
attribution theory
the theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation (a situational attribution) or the person’s stable, enduring traits (a dispositional attribution).
fundamental attribution error
the tendency for observers, when analyzing others’ behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition.
actor-observer bias
the tendency for those acting in a situation to attribute their behavior to external causes, but for observers to attribute others’ behavior to internal causes. This contributes to the fundamental attribution error (which focuses on our explanations for others’ behavior).
prejudice
an unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members. Prejudice generally involves negative emotions, stereotyped beliefs, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.
stereotype
a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people.
discrimination
unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members.
just-world phenomenon
the tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.
social identity
the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “Who am I?” that comes from our group memberships.
ingroup
“us”—people with whom we share a common identity.
outgroup
“them”—those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup.
ingroup bias
the tendency to favor our own group.
scapegoat theory
the theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.
other-race effect
the tendency to recall faces of one’s own race more accurately than faces of other races. Also called the cross-race effect and the own-race bias.
attitudes
feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.
foot-in-the-door phenomenon
the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.
role
a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.
cognitive dissonance theory
the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes.
persuasion
changing people’s attitudes, potentially influencing their actions.
peripheral route persuasion
occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness.
central route persuasion
occurs when interested people’s thinking is influenced by considering evidence and arguments.
norms
a society’s understood rules for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe “proper” behavior in individual and social situations.
conformity
adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.
normative social influence
influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval.
informational social influence
influence resulting from a person’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality.
