Psych: Emotion and Social

emotion

a psychological experience involving 3 components (1) subjective thoughts and experiences (2) accompanying patterns of physical arousal and (3) characteristic behavioral expressions

sympathetic nervous system

increased energy and alertness to dangerous/scary situations (Fight or flight)

parasympathetic nervous system

calming effects after sympathetic nervous systems, brings HR down and focus on non-emergency tasks

amygdala

involved in assessing and interpreting situations to determine appropriate emotions, also connects perception/interpretation of these situations to brain regions that stimulate the physiological responses required

James-Lange theory of emotion

theory that our physioloigcal reactions to stimuli precede and give rise to emotional experience

Cannon-Bard theory of emotion

theory that emotions such as fear or happiness occur simultaneously with there physiological components

facial feedback hypothesis

prediction that if emotional expressions influence subjective emotional experiences, than the act of forming a facial expression should elicit the specific corresponding emotions

two-facor theory of emotion

prediction that patterns of physical arousal and the cognitive labels we attach to them form the basis of our emotional experiences

emotional dialects

variations across cultures in how core emotions are expressed

display rules

unwritten expectations people have regarding when it is appropriate to show a certain emotion

social cognition

study of cognitions (Perceptions, thoughts and beliefs) an individual may have about social contexts (other people, groups, or situations)

person perception

refers to processes by which individuals form judgements and categorize other people

schemas

clusters of knowledge and expectations about individuals and groups

thin slices

research technicque in which a researcher presents a very short video tape or still photo of an individual, which participants use to make judgements of personal qualities

self-fulfilling prophecy

the situation in which a first impression affecs the observors behavior, and as a result, the first impressions comes true

attributions

explantations we make about the causes of behavior start automatic/intuitive

internal attribution

the observors explanation of the actors behaviors as same intrinsic quality of the individual

external attribution

the situation in which the observor explains the actors behavior as a result of the social context

fundamental attribution error

tendency to make internal attractions for others while ignoring external attributions

self-serving bias

using internal attributions to take credit for success, while using external attributions to avoid responsibility for failures or mistakes

prejudice

an attitude that relies on the beliefs found in stereotypes, including emotions and value judgement

stereotype

set of beliefs about a group of people

outgroup

social groups to which we dont belong

ingroup bias

attribution of positive qualities to the social groups we belong to

scapegoating

the tendency to misplace and exaggerate blame based on stereotypes

explicit prejudice

the situation in which an individual confesses to or openly demonstrates his or her stereotypes

implicit prejudice

forms of stereotyping and prejudice that are kept silent either intentionally or becuase the individual is unaware of their own prejudice

empathy

the emotional concern that one individual has for anothers well-being

social-exchange theory

an approach that treats helping like a financial arrangement between individuals and society; before an individual acts, she will considder the bosts and benefits of helping

altruism

behavior that places the helper at significant risk or certain harm for benefit of another

social-responsibility norm

the idea that the value of helping goes beyond the benefits an individual might recieve, and that indivuduals who cannot help themselves require special help

mirror neuron

respond to actions and expressions of others and are correlated with the ability to understand anothers intentions and emotions

emotional contagion

spreading of emotion from one member of a group to others

kin selection

the explanation that altruistic behavior is most likely to occur when it confers a genetic benefit to the individual

reciprical altruism

helping behavior that is extended to nongenetic relatives, with the possibility that the favor may later be returned

bystander effect

situation in which as an individual looks around at other bystanders and notices that no one else is helping, bystander freezes

aggression

any behavior that is intended to hurt/harm and individual

trait aggression

individuals naturally prone to aggression in just about any situation, whether provoked or not

reactive-aggresive

aggressive, but only when feeling threatened/provoked

frustration-aggression hypothesis

prediction that aggression will occur when an individual is prevented from acheiving the goal and experiences frustration as a result

culture of honor

social groups that expect indiiduals to protect themselves and their property by whatever means necessary, including violence