AP Psychology - Mods 74-80

attribution theory

the theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition

fundamental attribution error

the 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 influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events

peripheral route persuasion

occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness

central route persuasion

occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts

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 we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent

norms

understood rules for accepted and expected behavior

conformity

Adjusting one's 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 one's willingness to accept others' opinions about reality

social facilitation

improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks in the presence of others

social loafing

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

deindividualization

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

group polarization

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

groupthink

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

culture

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

prejudice (belief)

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

stereotype

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

discrimination (behavior)

unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and 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

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

aggression

physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

frustration-aggression principle

the principle that the blocking of an attempt to achieve some goal creates anger which can generate hostility

social script

culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations

mere exposure effect

the phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them

passionate love

an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another, usually present at the beginning of a love relationship

companionate love

the deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined

equity

a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it

self-disclosure

the act of revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

bystander effect

the tendency for any given onlooker to be less likely to give aid if other onlookers are present

social exhange theory

the theory that our social behavior is an trade process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs

reciprocity norm

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

social-responsibility norm

an expectation that people will help those needing their help

conflict

a perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas

social trap

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

mirror-image perceptions

mutual views often held by conflicting people, as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive

self-fulfilling prophecy

beliefs that confirm themselves by influencing the other country to react in ways that seem to justify them

superordinate goals

shared objective that override differences among people and require their cooperation

GRIT

Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension-Reduction - a strategy designed to decrease international tensions

social psychology

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

attribution

the process of explaining one's own behavior and the behavior of others

dispositional attribution

assuming that another's behavior is due to personality factors

situational attribution

the assumption that another person is doing something because of factors in the environment

false consensus effect

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

door-in-the-face phenomenon

tendency for people who won't agree to a large task, but then agree when a smaller request is made

social contagion

imitative behavior involving the spread of behavior, emotions, and ideas

chameleon effect

Natural (unconscious) tendency to imitate other peoples speech, inflections & physical movements

social impairment

the tendency for the presence of other people to have a negative impact on the performance of a difficult task

pluralistic ignorance

error of assuming that no one in a group perceives things as we do (first thinking it's dangerous but no one else seems to so we then start to think it's not dangerous)

ethnocentrism

Belief in the superiority of one's nation or ethnic group.

outgroup homogeneity effect

Perception of outgroup members as more similar to one another than are ingroup members. Thus "they are alike; we are diverse."

reward theory of attraction

the theory that we like those whose behavior is rewarding to us or whom we associate with rewarding events

diffusion of responsibility

the tendency for individuals to feel diminished duty for their actions when they are surrounded by others who are acting the same way