AP Psych Unit 4 Vocab

Attributions

Explanations for behavior (why people act the way they do)

Dispositional attribution

Explaining behavior using internal traits or personality

Situational attribution

Explaining behavior using external or environmental factors

Optimistic explanatory style

Viewing negative events as temporary, specific, and external

Pessimistic explanatory style

Viewing negative events as permanent, global, and internal

Fundamental attribution error (FAE)

Overestimating personality and underestimating situational factors in others

Actor-observer bias

Attributing our behavior to situations but others’ behavior to traits

Self-serving bias

Attributing successes to internal factors and failures to external factors

Internal locus of control

Belief that you control your own outcomes

External locus of control

Belief that outside forces control your outcomes

Mere exposure effect

Increased liking due to repeated exposure

Self-fulfilling prophecy

A belief that leads to actions that make the belief come true

Social comparison

Comparing yourself to others

Relative deprivation

Feeling worse off compared to others

Attitude

Beliefs and feelings that influence behavior

Prejudice

Unjustified negative attitude toward a group

Stereotype

Generalized belief about a group

Discrimination

Unjustified behavior toward a group

Implicit attitudes

Unconscious beliefs about groups

Just-world phenomenon

Belief that people get what they deserve

Outgroup homogeneity

Seeing members of an outgroup as more similar than they are

Ingroup bias

Favoring your own group

Ethnocentrism

Belief that your culture is superior

Belief perseverance

Holding onto beliefs despite contradictory evidence

Cognitive dissonance theory

Discomfort from conflicting thoughts leading to change in beliefs or behavior

Social norms

Expected behaviors within a group

Normative social influence

Conforming to be liked or accepted

Informational social influence

Conforming to be correct or gain information

Persuasion

The process of changing attitudes through communication

Peripheral route to persuasion

Using cues like attractiveness or emotion instead of logic

Central route to persuasion

Using logic, facts, and evidence to persuade

Halo effect

One positive trait influences overall impression

Foot-in-the-door phenomenon

Getting a small commitment first to gain a larger one

Door-in-the-face phenomenon

Making a large request first so a smaller one is accepted

Conformity

Adjusting behavior to match a group

Conditions that strengthen conformity

Group size, unanimity, cohesion, and status increase conformity

Obedience

Following orders from authority

Conditions that strengthen obedience

Close authority, legitimacy, and distance from victim increase obedience

Individualism

Prioritizing personal goals over group goals

Collectivism

Prioritizing group goals over personal goals

Multiculturalism

Respect and appreciation for cultural diversity

Group polarization

Group discussion strengthens existing opinions

Groupthink

Desire for harmony leads to poor decision-making

Diffusion of responsibility

Responsibility is spread across group members

Social loafing

Exerting less effort when working in a group

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in group situations

Social facilitation

Improved performance in presence of others

False consensus effect

Overestimating how much others agree with you

Superordinate goal

Shared goal that reduces conflict between groups

Social trap

A situation where short-term gain leads to long-term negative consequences

Industrial-Organizational (I/O) psychology

Study of behavior in workplace settings

Burnout

Emotional and physical exhaustion from prolonged stress

Altruism

Selfless concern for others without expecting reward

Prosocial behavior

Any behavior intended to help others

Social reciprocity norm

Expectation to help those who have helped you

Social-responsibility norm

Expectation to help those in need

Bystander effect

Less likely to help when others are present

Factors that increase helping behavior

Noticing, interpreting as emergency, taking responsibility, knowing how to help, good mood

Psychodynamic theory

Behavior influenced by unconscious conflicts

Unconscious

Thoughts and desires outside awareness

Preconscious

Memories that can be easily brought to mind

Consciousness

Awareness of thoughts and environment

Id

Pleasure principle; seeks immediate gratification

Ego

Reality principle; mediates between id and superego

Superego

Moral compass; judges right and wrong

Defense mechanisms

Unconscious strategies to reduce anxiety

Repression

Pushing distressing memories out of awareness

Regression

Reverting to earlier developmental behaviors

Reaction formation

Acting opposite to true feelings

Projection

Attributing your own feelings to others

Denial

Refusing to accept reality

Rationalization

Creating logical explanations for behavior

Displacement

Redirecting emotions to a safer target

Sublimation

Channeling impulses into socially acceptable actions

Projective test

Personality test using ambiguous stimuli

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Creating stories about images to reveal personality

Rorschach Inkblot Test

Interpreting inkblots to reveal personality

Humanistic theories

Focus on personal growth and potential

Self-actualizing tendency

Innate drive to reach full potential

Unconditional positive regard

Accepting someone without conditions

Trait psychology

Study of stable personality traits

Factor analysis

Statistical method to identify personality traits

Conscientiousness

Organized and responsible

Agreeableness

Kind and cooperative

Neuroticism

Emotionally unstable and anxious

Openness

Creative and open to new experiences

Extraversion

Outgoing and social

Social-cognitive perspective

Interaction of thoughts, behavior, and environment

Reciprocal determinism

Mutual influence of behavior, cognition, and environment

Self-concept

Beliefs about oneself

Self-efficacy

Belief in one's ability to succeed

Self-esteem

Overall sense of self-worth

Personality inventory

Self-report personality test

MMPI

Clinical personality assessment test

Drive-reduction theory

Motivation to reduce physical discomfort

Arousal theory

Motivation to maintain optimal level of alertness

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Optimal performance occurs at moderate arousal

Intrinsic motivation

Doing something for internal satisfaction

Extrinsic motivation

Doing something for external rewards

Incentive theory

Motivation driven by rewards and punishments