AP Social Psychology

Frustration-Aggression

A theory that suggests that frustration leads to aggressive behavior.

Just-world phenomenon

The belief that the world is fundamentally just, leading people to think that victims must have done something to deserve their fate.

Mirror image

A situation where two sides in a conflict see each other as identical in their negative stereotypes.

Mere Exposure Effect

The psychological phenomenon where people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them.

Culture

The shared beliefs, values, and practices of a group.

Ingroup Bias

The tendency to favor one's own group over others.

Foot-in-the-door

A compliance tactic where a small request is followed by a larger request.

Companionate love

A deep, affectionate attachment characterized by feelings of intimacy and commitment.

Discrimination

Unjust treatment of different categories of people, often based on race or gender.

Conflict

A perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.

Equity

The perception of fairness in relationships, where rewards and costs are balanced.

Central Route Persuasion

A method of persuasion that involves presenting logical arguments and factual evidence.

Groupthink

A phenomenon where the desire for harmony in a decision-making group leads to irrational or dysfunctional outcomes.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

A method of persuasion that relies on superficial cues rather than logical arguments.

Social Trap

A situation in which individuals or groups act in their own self-interest, leading to a mutually detrimental outcome.

Ingroup

A group with which an individual identifies.

Social-Responsibility Norm

The expectation that people will help those dependent on them.

Outgroup

A group with which an individual does not identify.

Social Psychology

The scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts.

Social Loafing

The tendency for individuals to put forth less effort when they are in a group.

Norms

The rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members.

Social Exchange

A theory that social behavior is the result of an exchange process, aiming to maximize benefits and minimize costs.

Grit

Perseverance and passion for long-term goals.

Bystander Effect

The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present.

Reciprocity Norm

The expectation that people will respond favorably to each other by returning benefits for benefits.

Attitude

A settled way of thinking or feeling about something, typically reflected in a person's behavior.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

The theory that we act to reduce discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent.

Group Polarization

The tendency for group discussion to shift members' opinions to a more extreme position.

Self-Disclosure

The act of revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others.

Superordinate goal

A goal that requires the cooperation of two or more people or groups to achieve.

Aggression

Behavior intended to harm another individual.

Informational Social Influence

Change in behavior based on the desire to be correct.

Fundamental Attribution Theory

The tendency to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional factors in explaining others' behaviors.

Normative Social Influence

Change in behavior to meet the demands of a social environment.

Scapegoat Theory

The theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame.

Stereotype

A generalized belief about a group of people.

Passionate Love

An intense emotion characterized by feelings of ecstasy, sexual attraction, and longing.

Altruism

Selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Social Facilitation

The tendency for people to perform better on simple tasks in the presence of others.

Attribution Theory

The theory that examines how individuals explain the causes of behavior and events.

Conformity

The adjustment of one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Prejudice

A preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.

Self-Fulfilling prophecy

A belief or expectation that influences the outcome of a situation.

Social Script

Culturally provided mental instructions for how to act in various situations.

Other-Race Effect

The tendency to recognize faces of one's own race more accurately than faces of other races.

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness in groups.

Role

A set of expectations about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.