Key Concepts in Social and Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Discrimination

Negative actions toward a group.

Social Psychology

Study of how people think, feel, and act in social situations.

Fundamental Attribution Error

Blaming behavior on personality, not the situation.

Actor-Observer Bias

We blame our actions on situations, others' actions on personality.

Self-Serving Bias

Credit yourself for success; blame failure on outside factors.

Just-World Hypothesis

Belief that people get what they deserve.

Social Role

Expected behavior in a group setting.

Social Norm

Group rules on how to behave.

Script

Expected actions in a situation (e.g., at a restaurant).

Stanford Prison Experiment

Guards and prisoners in a fake prison adopted abusive/submissive roles; showed power of social roles.

Asch Conformity Experiment

People conformed to wrong answers just to fit in with the group.

Milgram Obedience Experiment

65% gave harmful shocks to obey authority; shows strong obedience.

Attitude

How we feel, think, and act toward something.

Cognitive Dissonance

Mental discomfort from having conflicting thoughts or actions.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

Agreeing to a small request increases chance of agreeing to a bigger one.

Normative Social Influence

Going along to fit in.

Informational Social Influence

Conforming because we think others know better.

Groupthink

Group members agree just to avoid conflict.

Group Polarization

Group discussion strengthens original beliefs.

Social Facilitation

Doing better at tasks when others watch (if it's an easy task).

Social Loafing

Doing less in a group when individual effort isn't measured.

Prejudice

Negative attitude about a group.

Stereotype

General belief about a group.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Belief causes behavior that makes the belief come true.

In-Group Bias

Favoring your own group over others.

Scapegoating

Blaming others for problems.

Aggression

Harming others (can be hostile or goal-based).

Frustration-Aggression Theory

Blocked goals lead to aggression.

Bystander Effect

People don't help when others are around.

Diffusion of Responsibility

In a group, people feel less responsible to act.

Prosocial Behavior

Voluntarily helping others.

Altruism

Helping without expecting anything back.

Matching Hypothesis

We choose partners with similar attractiveness.

Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love

Love = Intimacy + Passion + Commitment.

Social Exchange Theory

We stay in relationships when benefits outweigh costs.

I-O Psychology

Study of how work affects people and vice versa.

Industrial Psychology

Focus on hiring, training, and evaluating workers.

Organizational Psychology

Focus on motivation, leadership, teamwork.

Human Factors (Ergonomics)

Designing work tools/environments for safety and productivity.

Hawthorne Effect

People perform better when observed.

Frederick Taylor

Studied work efficiency and management (Scientific Management).

Lilian Gilbreth

Focused on reducing motion to improve work and reduce fatigue.

Job Analysis

Describes job tasks and required traits.

Structured Interview

Same questions for all candidates—more reliable.

Mentoring

Experienced employee supports a new one.

Performance Appraisal

Review of employee's job performance.

360-Degree Feedback

Feedback from multiple sources (peers, boss, self).

EEOC

Enforces laws against discrimination in hiring.

Job Satisfaction

How people feel about their job.

Job Stress

Stress caused by work pressure, overload, lack of control.

Work-Family Balance

Managing demands from both work and home.

Theory X Management

Assumes workers are lazy and need control.

Theory Y Management

Assumes workers are motivated and responsible.

Transactional Leadership

Uses rewards and punishment.

Transformational Leadership

Inspires workers to grow and change.

Stress

Response to events seen as threatening or challenging.

Stressor

The thing causing stress.

Primary Appraisal

Judging if a situation is a threat or challenge.

Secondary Appraisal

Assessing if you can cope with the situation.

Eustress

Positive stress that boosts performance.

Distress

Negative stress that hurts health.

General Adaptation Syndrome

Three stress stages: Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion.

Fight-or-Flight Response

Body's reaction to danger (adrenaline, fast heart rate).

HPA Axis

Releases cortisol in response to stress.

Psychophysiological Disorder

Physical illness caused or worsened by stress.

Immunosuppression

Weakened immune system from stress.

Cohen Cold Study

People with long-term stress more likely to get sick.

Learned Helplessness

Believing you can't control a situation, so you stop trying.

Problem-Focused Coping

Solving the stress-causing problem.

Emotion-Focused Coping

Handling the emotions from stress.

Perceived Control

Belief that you have power over your outcomes.

Social Support

Help from others that improves health and coping.

Biofeedback

Learning to control body functions using machines.

Psychological Disorder

Patterns of thoughts or behaviors causing distress or dysfunction.

DSM-5

Manual used to diagnose mental disorders.

Comorbidity

Having more than one disorder at once.

Anxiety

Fear or worry about possible danger.

Specific Phobia

Fear of specific things (heights, spiders).

Social Anxiety Disorder

Fear of social judgment or embarrassment.

Panic Disorder

Sudden, intense panic attacks and fear of more attacks.

GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Constant, excessive worry about many things.

OCD

Obsessions = unwanted thoughts; Compulsions = repeated behaviors to ease them.

Hoarding Disorder

Trouble getting rid of items, even if useless.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Obsession with imagined physical flaws.

PTSD

Ongoing stress response after trauma (flashbacks, avoidance).

Major Depressive Disorder

Extreme sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest.

Bipolar Disorder

Mood swings between depression and mania.

Mania

Extreme energy, talkativeness, impulsivity.

Diathesis-Stress Model

Disorder = genetic vulnerability + stress.

Rumination

Dwelling on negative thoughts and feelings.

Hopelessness Theory

Belief that nothing good will happen and nothing can help.

Suicide Risk Factors

Mental illness, substance abuse, access to weapons, social isolation.

Psychoanalysis

Freud's talk therapy to uncover unconscious thoughts.

Free Association

Saying whatever comes to mind to reveal hidden thoughts.

Transference

Transferring feelings about others onto the therapist.

Play Therapy

Using toys and play to help children express emotions.

Behavior Therapy

Using learning techniques to change behavior.

Aversive Conditioning

Pairing bad behavior with an unpleasant stimulus.

Exposure Therapy

Facing fears gradually to reduce them.

Systematic Desensitization

Pairing relaxation with feared stimuli step-by-step.