Social Psychology: Influence, Attitudes, and Group Behavior Concepts

Door-in-the-Face Effect

Approaching someone with an unreasonable request and when it is denied, follow up with a more reasonable one.

Role

A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

When we actively process a message - when we mentally elaborate on it - we more often retain it.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attraction.

Central Route Persuasion

Occurs when interested people's thinking is influenced by considering evidence and arguments.

Norms

A society's understood rules for accepted and expected behavior; they describe 'proper' behavior in individual and social situations.

Conformity

Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with 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.

Obedience

Complying with an order or a command.

Social Facilitation

In the presence of others, improved performance on simple or well-learned tasks, and worsened performance on difficult tasks.

Social Loafing

Tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Belief that leads to its own fulfillment.

Superordinate Goals

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

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Application of psychological concepts/methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces.

Burnout

Physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion, brought on by an overburdening workload, which may negatively impact motivation, performance, and attitude.

Deindividuation

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

Group Polarization

Enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group.

Groupthink

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

Multiculturalism

Diverse cultural and ethnic groups.

Mere Exposure Effect

Tendency for repeated exposure to novel stimuli to increase our liking of them.

Altruism

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.

Diffusion of Responsibility

When many people share responsibility to help, they are less likely to help.

Bystander Effect

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

Social Exchange Theory

Theory that our social behavior is an exchange process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.

Reciprocity Norm

Expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them.

Social-Responsibility Norm

Expectation that people will help those needing their help.

Social Trap

A situation in which two parties, by each pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior.

Attribution Theory

The theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting the situation or the person's stable enduring traits.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency for observers, when analyzing others' behaviors, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition.

Actor-Observer Bias

Tendency for those acting in a situation to attribute their behavior to external causes, but for observers to attribute others' behaviors to internal causes.

Stereotype

Generalized (sometimes accurate) belief about a group of people.

Cognitive Load

The effort that it takes to make decisions or judgments.

Prejudice

Unjustifiable and usually negative attitude towards a group and its members; generally involves negative emotions, stereotyped beliefs, and a predisposition to discriminatory action.

Discrimination

Unjustifiable negative behavior towards a group or its members.

Implicit Prejudice

Unaware of how our attitudes influence behavior.

Just-World Phenomenon

Tendency for people to believe that the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.

Ingroup Bias

Tendency to favor our own group.

Ethnocentrism

Belief your own culture/ethnic group is superior to others.

Outgroup Homogeneity

Individuals perceive members of their own group as diverse/unique, while viewing members of other groups as 'all the same'.

Attitudes

Feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.

Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon

Tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request.