AP Psych Unit 9

Social psychology

social psychology

scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

attribution theory

suggests how we explain someone’s behavior – by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition

fundamental attribution error

tendency for observers, when analyzing another’s behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

attitude

feelings, often based on our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request

Philip Zimbardo

Known for research in social influence, cognitive dissonance, and heroism. Conducted notable role-playing study: Stanford Prison Experiment

Stanford Prison Experiment

1972 prison experiment in which one group was assigned to be guards and another to be prisoners. Guards developed disparaging attitudes, prisoners broke down, rebelled, or passively resigned

cognitive dissonance

theory that we act to reduce discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent

conformity

adjusting one’s behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard

social influence theory

individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by the presence or actions of others and the demands of a social environment

obedience

changing one's behavior at the command of an authority figure, often leading to actions they might not otherwise take

Milgram experiment

Participants were instructed to administer electric shocks under the guidance of an authority figure. Found people may act against their values to obey

Asch experiment

Participants judged line lengths with confederates who answered incorrectly. Found people conform to group judgment even when it is clearly incorrect

social facilitation

stronger response on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others

social loafing

tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling efforts toward a common goal than when individually accountable

deindividuation

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

group polarization

enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group

groupthink

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

prejudice

unjustifiable (and usually negative) attitude toward a group and its members; involves stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and predisposition to discriminatory action

stereotype

generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people

ingroup bias

tendency to favor one’s own group

just-world phenomenon

belief that good is rewarded and evil is punished; people get what they deserve

aggression

any physical or verbal behavior meant to hurt or destroy

social traps

situation in which conflicting parties, by each pursuing self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

bystander effect

tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present

social reciprocity norm

expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them

superordinate goals

shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation

social norms

unwritten rules and expectations that dictate how individuals should behave in a particular social group or society

mere exposure effect

phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them

central route persuasion

engaging with deep, strong arguments leading to lasting attitude changes; strengthened by emotional appeals with logic

peripheral route persuasion

superficial and surface-level persuasion, leading to short-term attitude changes; influenced by feelings rather than logic

individualism

prioritizes personal autonomy, self-expression, and independence

collectivism

emphasizes group goals, community, and interdependence

multiculturalism

recognition and valuing of diverse cultural groups within a society, emphasizing cultural influence on worldview and behavior

social comparison

idea that individuals determine their social and personal worth based on how their opinions, abilities, and attributes compare to others

implicit attitudes

unconscious or involuntary beliefs or feelings about a social group or person, shaped by past experiences

diffusion of responsibility

people are less likely to take action when large groups are present

false consensus effect

cognitive bias where individuals overestimate the extent to which their opinions and values are typical of others

attraction

positive feelings or attitudes we have toward other individuals, objects, or ideas