social psych exam 4

Persuasion

Changing someone’s opinions, attitudes, or behavior through communication.

Opinion

A belief someone thinks is true; easy to change.

Attitude

An opinion with emotional meaning; harder to change.

Central Route to Persuasion

Thinking carefully about facts and arguments.

Peripheral Route to Persuasion

Responding to simple cues (attractiveness, confidence) instead of thinking deeply.

Propaganda

Biased or misleading information meant to influence opinions and actions.

Mere Exposure Effect

Liking something more just because it’s familiar.

Emotional Contagion

Catching someone else’s emotions by observing them.

Reactance

Doing the opposite when you feel your freedom is threatened.

Inoculation Effect

A weak argument helps people resist stronger persuasion later.

Prejudice

A negative attitude toward a group based only on group membership.

Stereotype

Assuming one trait of a person applies to the whole group.

Schema Theory

The brain uses mental templates to understand new information.

Hostile Sexism

Openly negative beliefs about women who don’t follow traditional roles.

Benevolent Sexism

“Nice‑sounding” sexism that treats women as weak or needing protection.

Moral Disgust

Feeling disgust when someone violates your moral values.

Discrimination

Unfair treatment based on prejudice.

Microaggression

A small, subtle insult that still hurts.

Emotional Labor

Managing your emotions to stay calm, friendly, or supportive.

In‑Group Bias

Favoring your own group over others.

Scapegoating

Blaming someone for a problem they didn’t cause.

Attributional Ambiguity

Not knowing if someone’s behavior toward you is personal or based on your group.

Self‑Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief that causes behavior that makes the belief come true.

Confirmation Bias

Focusing on information that supports what you already believe.

Negativity Bias

Paying more attention to negative things than positive ones.

Hostile Attribution Bias

Assuming others have bad intentions even when unclear.

Stereotype Threat

Fear of confirming a stereotype about your group, which hurts performance.

Victim Blaming

Blaming victims for their own suffering.

Contact Hypothesis

Positive contact between groups reduces prejudice.

Jigsaw Classroom

A cooperative classroom method that reduces prejudice and boosts self‑esteem.

Paradox of Choice

Too many options make decisions harder and less satisfying.

Maximizer

Someone who tries to find the absolute best option.

Satisfice

Someone who chooses a “good enough” option.

Excitation Transfer Theory

Arousal from one situation intensifies emotions in a later situation.

Pratfall Effect

Liking someone more when they’re competent but make a small mistake.

Tainted Altruism

Judging someone’s good deed as selfish even if the help is real.

Gain‑Loss Theory

We like people more when their opinion of us improves over time.

Negging

A put‑down disguised as a compliment to lower confidence.

Intimacy (Love)

Emotional closeness, trust, and connectedness.

Passion (Love)

Intense emotion, desire, and preoccupation with someone.

Affective Forecasting

Predicting future feelings but usually being wrong.

Limerence

Obsessive, involuntary longing and idealization of someone.

Michelangelo Effect

Partners help each other become their best selves.

Exchange Relationships

Keeping score—giving and receiving equally.

Communal Relationships

Not keeping score; giving freely.

Criticism

Blaming someone with “you always/never” statements.

Contempt

Mocking, insulting, or showing disgust toward someone.

Defensiveness

Responding to criticism with counter‑attacks.

Stonewalling

Shutting down and refusing to engage.

Straight Talking

Clear, honest communication without blaming.

Emotional Intelligence

Understanding and communicating your feelings to prevent conflict escalation.