4.1, 4.2, 4.3

Attribution (Theory)

the theory that we explain someone’s behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition

Dispositional Attributions

the tendency to assign responsibility for others’ behaviors due to their inherent characteristics, such as personality or motivation

Situational Attributions

the process of assigning the cause of behavior to some situation or event outside a person’s control

Explanatory Style

our tendency to offer similar explanations for different events

Actor-Observer Bias

the tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal causes, while attributing our own behavior to external causes

Fundamental Attribution Error

the tendency for observers, when analyzing others’ behavior, to overestimate the impact of personal disposition

Self-Serving Bias

a readiness to perceive oneself favorably

Internal Locus of Control

the belief that individuals have control over their own actions and outcomes

External Locus of Control

the belief that external factors, such as fate, luck or other people, are responsible for one’s own actions

Mere Exposure Effect

individuals show an increased preference for a stimulus as a consequence of repeated exposure to that stimulus

Social Comparison

theory which suggests that people value their personal and social worth by assessing how they compare to others

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

the process through which an originally false expectation leads to its own confirmation

Relative Deprivation

the belief that a person will feel deprived or entitled to something based on comparison to someone else

Stereotype

widely held beliefs or generalizations about a particular group of people, often based on limited knowledge or biased assumptions

Cognitive Load

the amount of mental activity required to process information in the working memory

Prejudice

a preconceived opinion or bias against someone or something, often not based on reason or actual experience

Discrimination

unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members

Implicit Attitudes

evaluations or feelings about a person, object, or concept that occur automatically and unconsciously

Just-World Phenomenon

the tendency to believe that the world is just and that people get what they deserve

Belief Perseverance

the tendency to maintain one’s beliefs even after they have been discredited by factual informa

Confirmation Bias

the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one’s preexisting beliefs or hypotheses

Out-Group Homogeneity Bias

the tendency to assume that the members of other groups are very similar to each other

In-Group Bias

the tendency of individuals to favor members of their own group over other groups

Ethnocentrism

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

Cognitive Dissonance

the discomfort that occurs when your beliefs and actions don’t align

Social Influence Theory

the way in which individuals change their behavior to meet the demands of a social environment

Normative Social Influence

a situation where an individual conforms to the norms of a group so that they do not become an outcast

Informational Social Influence

when one turns to others for guidance about how to behave in ambiguous situations because they believe others may have more knowledge about what is going on

Persuasion

how attitudes and beliefs are influenced and changed through various methods of communication

Central Route Persuasion

a method of convincing others to take an action or make a decision based on facts and evidence of the merits of the outcome

Individualism

the ways in which people identify themselves and focus their goals

Collectivism

the tendency to view oneself as a member of a larger group, rather than an isolated, independent being

Multiculturalism

the idea that people from different cultures can coexist in a society while maintaining their own identities

Group Polarization

the idea that groups tend to make decisions that are more extreme compared to the original thoughts of individual group members

Peripheral Route Persuasion

persuasion which does not rely on the intrinsic merits of an argument; concerned with cues around trustworthiness, emotions, and group identity rather than facts and logic

Halo Effect

a type of cognitive bias in which the overall impression of a person influences how other feel and think about a person’s specific traits

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

a psychological compliance strategy that utilizes asking another person for small requests first, to make them comply with larger requests eventually

Door-in-the-Face Technique

a persuasive technique that begins with an outrageous request in order to increase the likelihood that a second, more reasonable request is granted

Conformity

the act of changing your behaviors to fit in or go along with the people around you

Social Norms

the perceived informal, mostly unwritten, rules that define acceptable and appropriate actions within a group

Obedience

a person being socially influenced by an authority figure giving direct orders

Groupthink

a phenomenon in which members of a group will confirm to majority opinion to maintain group harmony rather than stating their own opinions

Diffusion of Responsibility

predicts that the presence of others in a situation that needs attention causes a person to feel less responsible

Social Loafing

individuals exert less effort when working on a task in a group compared to when they work alone

Deindividuation

when people lose their sense of identity and act differently when they are part of a group

Social Facilitation

the phenomenon where individuals performs differently when in the presence of others than when alone

Prosocial Behavior

actions that benefit other people or society as a whole, such as helping, sharing, donating, co-operating and volunteering

Altruism

selfless concern for the well-being of others

Social Responsibility Norm

an expectation that people will help those dependent upon them or those who need assistance even if doing so may not offer any visible reward

The Bystander Effect

a phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present