AP Psychology Modules 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 to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences on others' behavior.

Attitudes

Feelings influenced by beliefs that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects

Foot-In-The-Door Technique

A persuasion strategy involving getting a person to agree to a small request to increase the chances they’ll agree to a larger request later.

Door-In-The-Face Technique

A persuasion strategy where a large request is made knowing it will be refused so that a smaller request will be accepted.

Lowball Technique

A strategy where a person agrees to a deal but then the terms are made less favorable after the agreement.

Role

A set of expectations about a social position

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when our thoughts and actions are inconsistent.

Chameleon Effect

The unconscious mimicking of others’ behaviors

Mood Linkage

The tendency to absorb and participate in the emotional states of others.

Conformity

Adjusting our behavior or thinking to match 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 a person’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality.

Asch Conformity Experiment

An experiment that showed people will conform to a group even when they know the group is wrong.

Milgram Experiment

A study on obedience that showed people are likely to follow orders from an authority figure even to the extent of harming others.

Social Facilitation

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

Social Inhibition

Worse performance on complex or unfamiliar tasks when others are watching.

Social Loafing

The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward a common goal.

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity.

Group Polarization

The enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group.

Groupthink

When the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Prejudice

An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and its members.

Stereotype

A generalized belief about a group of people.

Discrimination

Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members.

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 those of other races.

Own-Age Bias

The tendency to better recognize and remember faces from one's own age group.

Just-World Phenomenon

The tendency for people to believe the world is just and people therefore get what they deserve.

Aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy.

Frustration-Aggression Principle

The principle that frustration—the blocking of an attempt to achieve a goal—creates anger

Conflict

A perceived incompatibility of actions

Social Traps

A situation in which the conflicting parties

Mere Exposure Effect

The phenomenon that repeated exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them.

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

Revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others.

Altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.

Bystander effect

The tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.

Social Exchange Theory

The theory that our social behavior is an exchange process

Reciprocity Norm

An expectation that people will help

Social-Responsibility Norm

An expectation that people will help those needing their help.

Mirror-Image Perceptions

Mutual views often held by conflicting people

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment.

Superordinate Goals

Shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation.

GRIT

A strategy for reducing international tensions through graduated and reciprocated initiatives in tension reduction.