Psych 241- Second Midterm

What is an Attitude?

A positive or negative reaction towards someone or something. These reactions can be seen in one’s behaviour, beliefs, or feelings

What are the ABC’s of Attitude?

Affect (how you feel), Behavioural Tendency (what you do ), Cognitions (what you think)

How are Explicit Attitudes measured?

They are measured using self-report studies; questionnaires, surveys, interviews. Newer attitudes can be predicted with this method

How are Implicit Attitudes measured?

They use inference-based tests, which focus on reaction time. This method can predict previously formed behaviour

How do Attitudes predict behaviour?

People want to fit in, the amount of social pressure impacts whether someone will maintain their attitude or conform to the people around them. Non-social factors can influence people too

What are Norms?

The accepted rules and behaviour in society

What are Roles?

Sets of norms that influence how people should behave

What is Cognitive Dissonance?

People sometime hold two opposing viewpoints either knowingly or unknowingly

What is Self-presentation Theory?

People portray themselves in the most favourable way to leave a good impression

What is Self-perception Theory?

Observing our own behaviour to understand our attitudes and the circumstances which lead to this behaviour

What is Persuasion?

The process in which a message can change beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour

What is the Central Route to Persuasion?

Focuses on arguments, logic, and rational reasoning. This route can impact behaviour changes. Works with explicit attitudes

What is the Peripheral Route to Persuasion?

Focuses on cues, surface features, and quick thinking. Takes advantage of quick thinking, often seen in eye catching advertisements. Associated with implicit attitudes

What is a Key Element to Persuasion?

Positive feelings enhance being persuaded. When people are in a good mood, they are easier to convince or be impulsive with decision-making

What is the Primacy Effect?

The tendency to remember the first piece of information told rather than the rest of it

What is the Recency Effect?

Information shared last can sometimes be remembered best (less common than the other effect)

What is Selective Exposure?

The extent someone’s bias impacts their attitude and they listen to only one perspective. Never encountering opposing viewpoints

What is Selective Attention?

How someone’s attitude can lead to bias. Focusing on parts of information that confirms our beliefs and ignoring the rest

What is Reactance?

When someone wants us to do something so we decide to do the opposite

What is Attitude Inoculation?

Weak attacks against a persons beliefs so they can learn to defend themselves against stronger criticisms

What is the Foot-in-the-door Technique?

Making a smaller request before a bigger one

What is Door-in-the-face Technique?

Making an unreasonably large request and then a smaller one

What is the But-you-are-free Technique?

Persuading someone to do something by telling them they don’t have to do the favour asked of them

What is Conformity?

Changing behaviour or beliefs to fit in with others

What is Compliance?

Maintaining a certain belief in public but thinking differently in private

What is Acceptance?

Both acting and believing due to social pressure, connected to compliance

What is Mood Linkage?

Being around people in a type of mood can lead us to feeling the same way

What is Obedience?

Following a direct order

What Predicts Conformity?

Group size, the amount of people who already agree, and how well people know each other in the group

What is Cohesion?

How well the group members are bonded together

What is Informational Influence?

Conformity by listening to others and accepting what they said as reality

What is Normative Influence?

People conforming due to the desire to fit in

What is Reactance?

The need to protect or regain our sense of freedom

What is Social Facilitation?

We tend to do better at certain tasks when other people are watching us.

What is Social Loafing?

People tend to put in less effort when they are working as a group (everyone does an equal amount of work rather than trying to do more)

What is Free Riding?

Benefitting from group work while do little to contribute

What is Deindividuation?

People do not act like themselves and lose a sense of social norms in a large group due to anonymity

What is Group Polarization?

Peoples beliefs/tendencies are strengthened when in a group with like minded people. The need to conform has been created by informational and normative influences

What is Groupthink?

During the process of decision making, the group is trying to maintain harmony and ignores any opposing thoughts