Exam 3 Notes

Social Facilitation

The tendency for people to perform differently when in the presence of a group versus alone; arousal enhances the dominant response.

Arousal

A state of heightened physiological activity that can enhance or impair performance depending on skill level.

Maze Study

Research finding that individuals perform better on easy tasks in front of a group but worse on difficult tasks.

Anagrams Study

Similar to the Maze Study, it found individuals complete easy anagrams faster in a group and struggle with difficult ones.

Choking

Underperforming under pressure, often observed in sports when performance deteriorates due to stress.

Social Impact Theory

A formula that describes how arousal is influenced by the strength, immediacy, and number of people in the audience.

Yerkes-Dodson Model

A theory suggesting an optimal level of arousal for performance; too much or too little arousal can impair performance.

Social Loafing

The tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group compared to working alone.

Deindividuation

A psychological state characterized by diminished self-awareness and reduced concern for social evaluation, often resulting in atypical behavior.

Diffusion of Responsibility

The reduction of personal accountability when individuals are in a group, leading to less effort and responsibility for outcomes.

Groupthink

A psychological phenomenon where the desire for harmony in a group leads to poor decision-making and a deterioration of mental efficiency.

Minority Influence

The process by which a smaller faction within a group can influence the beliefs or behaviors of the majority.

Contingency Model

A theory that distinguishes between task leaders and socioemotional leaders, suggesting their effectiveness varies with group morale.

Social Dilemmas

Situations in which individual interests conflict with group interests, often requiring self-restraint to benefit the larger community.

Commons Dilemma

A situation where individuals share a common resource and must manage its use to avoid depletion.

Public Goods Dilemma

A situation where individuals must contribute to a resource to maintain it for the group, but may be tempted to free-ride.

Intergroup Competition

The tendency for groups to engage in competition against one another, often fueled by ingroup bias and stereotypes.

Discontinuity Effect

The tendency for intergroup interactions to be more competitive compared to interactions between individuals.

Ingroup-Outgroup Bias

The tendency to favor members of one's own group (ingroup) over those in others (outgroup), often leading to discrimination.

Social Identity Theory

The theory suggesting that a person's self-esteem is closely tied to the groups they belong to and their perceived status within those groups.

Simple Contact Effects

The idea that mere exposure to members of an outgroup can reduce prejudice and foster better intergroup relations.

Robber’s Cave Study

A study demonstrating how intergroup competition can lead to hostility, but cooperation on shared goals can reduce prejudice.

Crowd Behavior

The psychological phenomena that describe how people behave in groups, especially during panics or destructive events.

Panic

A sudden, uncontrollable fear that can cause detrimental crowd behavior during emergencies.

Social Rage Approach

A theory explaining how collective frustration over systemic issues can lead to destructive behavior during protests.

Contagion Theory

The idea that individuals in a crowd can be swept up in the emotions or behaviors of others, leading to behaviors that would be unlikely alone.

Interpersonal Attraction

The positive feelings toward another person that can lead to the formation of social bonds.

Primacy Effect

The tendency for the first information we receive about a person to have a greater impact on our impression of them.

Misattribution of Arousal

A psychological phenomenon where individuals misinterpret their physiological arousal as attraction to a person.

Operant Conditioning

A form of learning where behaviors are modified through rewards or punishments.

Reciprocity Effects

The tendency to like someone who shows they like you back, reinforcing positive social interactions.

Gain-Loss Hypothesis

The notion that we feel bad when someone's feelings toward us decrease, but good when they increase.

Mere Exposure Effect

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

Matching Hypothesis

The concept suggesting that individuals are more likely to form romantic relationships with those who are similarly attractive.

Evolutionary Approaches

Theories that examine interpersonal attraction through the lens of evolutionary psychology and survival.

Attachment Theory

A psychological model describing how early relationships with caregivers shape expectations in adult relationships.