Unit 4: Social Psychology and Study Guide

Attribution Theory

A theory that explains how individuals pinpoint the causes of their own and others’ behavior.

Dispositional Attribution

Attributing behavior to internal factors such as personality traits or motives.

Situational Attribution

Attributing behavior to external factors such as the environment or social context.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to overemphasize internal characteristics and underestimate situational factors in explaining someone else's behavior.

Actor/Observer Bias

The tendency to attribute one’s own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to their character.

Stereotypes

Oversimplified generalizations about a group of people that can lead to prejudice and discrimination.

Implicit Attitudes

Unconscious beliefs or feelings that can influence behavior towards a person or group.

Cognitive Dissonance

The mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or ideas.

Belief Perseverance

The tendency to hold on to one's beliefs even when presented with contradictory evidence.

Locus of Control

The degree to which individuals believe they have control over the outcomes of events in their lives.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment; expectations can influence behavior and outcomes.

Social Norms

Accepted behaviors within a group or society that are expected to be followed.

Social Influence

The effect that other people have on an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Conformity

Changing one’s behavior or beliefs to match those of others, often due to social pressure.

Obedience

Following the directives of an authority figure.

Groupthink

A mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Prosocial Behavior

Voluntary behavior intended to benefit others, often associated with altruism.

Bystander Effect

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

Eustress

Positive form of stress that can motivate and improve performance.

Distress

Negative stress that can lead to anxiety and decreased performance.

Self-Actualization

The realization or fulfillment of one’s talents and potential, representing the growth of an individual.

Reciprocal Determinism

A social-cognitive concept where personal factors, behavior, and the environment influence each other.

Trait Theories

Theories that focus on identifying, describing, and measuring individual differences in personality traits.

Big Five Personality Traits

A theory that identifies five core traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN).

Learned Helplessness

A condition in which a person feels powerless to change their situation due to repeated failure.

Cognitive Load

The total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory.

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the superiority of one’s own culture or ethnic group.

Discrimination

Unjust treatment of different categories of people or things, often based on race, age, or sex.

Halo Effect

The tendency to let an overall impression of a person influence views on their specific traits.

Social Loafing

The tendency for individuals to put in less effort when working in a group than when working alone.