COMPS Study Guide

actor-observer effect

attributes own actions to external causes and others actions to internal causes

attributional bias

Aggression: biological

genetics, medical conditions, neurotransmitters, hormones, SUD, medication

aggression: cultural influences

socioeconomic influences (interpersonal, social, neighborhood, cultural, group)

environment that demands aggression leads to increased risk of aggression

altruism

selfless

egoistic

selfish

attitudes

emotions, beliefs, behaviors

result of up bringing and experiences + biological factors

theory of attraction

people like people they find rewarding (behaviors or events)

people like similar people

theories of attraction: factors

proximity, familiarity, attractiveness, similarity, intimacy, hard-to-get effect

attribution theory

how people use information to arrive at an explanation

how info is gathered and combined to form judgement

attribution theory: dispositional

internal characteristics

attribution theory: situational

situation, event outside of control

attribution theory is based on…

consistency, distinctiveness, consensus

belief in a just world

people get what they deserve and deserve what they get

bystander effect

influences of the presence of others on helping

less likely to help when in the presence of others

cognitive dissonance

inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes

confirmation bias

interpret new evidence as confirming existing beliefs

central route / systemic processing

understand information through intense attention, thinking, and reasoning

peripheral route / heuristic processing

focus on salient and easy to comprehend information

well-learned short cuts

cognitive bias

strong preconceived notions based on info/lack of

mental shortcut to quicken processing

cognitive bias: cold

cognitive bias → mental noise

cognitive bias: hot

motivational bias → wishful thinking

door-in-the-face technique

large ask → small ask

foot-in-the-door technique

small ask → bigger ask

that’s not all technique

hype up and then add more info to increase desirability

lowball technique

low commitment, then increase the terms

group norms

informal guidelines, code of conduct

group roles

parts people play in social groups

change behaviors to fit expectations

deindividuation

decreased awareness or restraint in groups

decreased self-evaluation, anti-normative, and disinhibited behaviors

diffusion of responsibility

less likely to take action when in a group

equity theory

perception of how equitable treatment is in the workplace

motivation based on ratio of input to output received compared to others

framing effect

decide on options based on ± connotation

framing effect: positive

avoid risk

framing effect: negative

seek risk

framing effect: example

90% fat free (+) vs 10% fat (-)

fundamental attribution error

behavior due to person, even when situational factors are present

conformity

change in belief/behavior to fit into group '

4 types of conformity

compliance

internalization

identification

ingratiation

compliance

accept influence for favorable reaction from the group

Asch Line Study

internalization

accepting influence because you’re okay with induced behavior

Sherif’s autokinetic effect

identification

accepting influence to establish/maintain a relationship

Stanford Prison Experiment

ingratiational

accept influence to impress or gain favor

driven by need for social rewards

Sherif’s autokinetic effect

ambiguous situation → look to group for guidance → want to do the right thing but lack information → observing others provides this information

2 reasons for conformity

normative

informative

normative reason for conformity

group pressure

scared of rejection

compliance (public acceptance and private rejection)

informational reason for compliance

lacks knowledge

looks for guidance

ambiguous situation

group think

group reaches consensus without critical reasoning

halo effect

ones impression of a person impacts how they feel about their character

types of heuristics

representativeness

availability

representativeness heuristic

likelihood of an event is found by comparing it to an existing prototype in our minds

availability heuristic

mental shortcut

immediate example of something that comes to mind

intrinsic motivation

from within

personal satisfaction

extrinsic motivation

from outside

gaining a reward

negativity bias

giving more weight to negative experiences than positive

negotiation

two parties trying to reach an agreement

mediation

two parties with a neutral party who assists in conflict management

arbitration

when the neutral party makes the decision

norm of reciprocity

feeling obligated to return a favor

milgrams obedience study

people comply with authority due to decreased perception of responsibility

personal identity

self categories

individual differences from others

routes of persuasion

central route

peripheral route

central route of persuasion

message → motivated, analytical audience → high effort, evaluating the message → lasting change in attitude

peripheral route of persuasion

message → low motivation, unanalytical→ low effort, outside cues → temporary change in attitude

pluralistic ignorance

the majority reject the norm but go along with it because they assume others accept it

stereotype

widely adopted thought about a specific group of people

types of discrimination

interpersonal

institutional

interpersonal discrimination

discriminating when interacting personally

institutional discrimination

systems of power discriminate against groups

primacy effect

info presented earlier has more of an impact

self-fulfilling prophecy

false expectations lead to their own confirmation

self-perception

how people present themselves to control how others view them

impression management

self-serving bias

attributed good to self and bad to external circumstances

self-verification theory

people want others to see them as they see themselves and take steps to ensure it

self-categorization theory

circumstances of perceiving people as group and the consequences of such

social comparison

coming to know self by evaluating attitudes, abilities, and traits in comparison with others (peers/similar people)

self verification and self enhancement

self enhancement

maintaining unrealistic positive self views

social exchange theory

social behavior is the result of exchange process

increase benefits and decrease costs

weight benefits and costs

social facilitation

the presence of others improves ones performance

social inhibition

conscious or subconscious avoidance of a situation

social influence

beliefs, thoughts, attitudes that are modified by others

4 areas of social influence

conformity, compliance, obedience, minority influence

minority influence

influence of exposure to minority position in a group

social loafing

exerting less effort in a group than alone

social norms

acceptable group/individual conduct

change over time

stereotype threat

psychological threat when one is doing something which has a negative stereotype

augmenting

greater weight to behavior if another outcome is normally present

discounting

reduced weight to behavior if other causes may have produced it

illusory correlation

phenomenon of perceiving relationship between variables that are not there

leads to cognitive distortions (maladaptive functioning of correlation)

internal attributions

cause of behavior is within an individual

race, gender, lack of effort, individual dispositions

external attributions

causes of behavior are outside of an individual

social structure, weather, luck, discrimination

over justification hypothesis

being rewarded for an action decreases the intrinsic value of the action

partner enhancing bias

perceiving partner in the best way leads to satisfying relationships

makes partners feel better and self-fulfilling prophecy

social dominance orientation

measure individuals support for group-based hierarchies

high SDO

society should be structured in terms of inequality

some groups on top and some on bottom

low SDO

society should be structured in terms of equality

no single dominating group

culture

social behavior and norms in human societies

knowledge, beliefs, art, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits

cumulative culture

process of culture changing over episodes of social transmission to become more beneficial and effective

dimensions of cultural value

individualism/collectivism

uncertainty avoidance

power distance

masculinity/femininity

individualism

need of individual > needs of group

collectivism

group > self

emphasize cohesion

uncertainty avoidance (UAI)

cultural differences on amount of tolerance for unpredictability and ambiguity