Ap Pysch Unit 4 Vocab (4.1-4.3)

Dispositional attribution

the tendency to explain someone's behavior by attributing it to their inherent characteristics (like personality, beliefs, or abilities)

situational attribution

when an individual's behavior is attributed to factors in the environment.

explanatory style

how people explain to themselves why they experience a particular event,

(positive or negative)

actor/observer bias

a cognitive bias where people tend to attribute their own actions to situational factors (pressure/ circumstances), while attributing others' actions to internal factor (characteristic).

fundamental attribution error

the tendency people have to overemphasize personal characteristics and ignore situational factors in judging others' behavior

self-serving bias

the tendency to attribute our successes to internal, personal factors, and our failures to external, situational factors

internal locus of control

the belief that individuals have control over their own actions and outcomes in life, meaning they believe their choices and efforts directly influence the results they experience.

external locus of control

the belief that external factors, such as fate, luck, or other people, are primarily responsible for life's outcomes

mere exposure effect

the belief that a repeated exposure to a stimulus, whether a person, object, or idea, leads to an increased liking or preference for it.

self-fulfilling prophency

the belief that something happens because we expect it to happen

downward social comparison

the tendency to compare oneself to individuals or groups who are perceived as less fortunate or worse off, often to enhance one's own self-esteem or self-image.

upward social comparison

we compare ourselves with those who we believe are better than or superior to us

stereotype

a fixed, oversimplified, and often biased belief about a group of people

just-world phenomenon

 The tendency to believe that the world is fair and that people get what they deserve leading to a tendency to blame victims for their misfortune

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 for people to give preferential treatment to others who belong to the same group that they do.

ethnocentrism

the tendency to view own’s culture as superior

confirmation bias

the tendency to search, interpret, and recall information in a way that aligns with our pre-existing values, opinions, or beliefs

belief perseverance

the tendency to maintain one’s beliefs even when confronted with evidence that contradicts them.

cognitive dissonance

occurs when a person's behavior and beliefs do not complement each other or when they hold two contradictory beliefs. It causes a feeling of discomfort that can motivate people to try to feel better.

social influence theory

the idea that people are heavily influenced by the thoughts and actions of others.

peripheral route of persuasion

method of influencing attitudes and beliefs by appealing to superficial cues and emotions rather than logical arguments or deep processing. It relies on factors such as attractiveness, credibility, and emotional appeals.

central route of 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.

foot-in-the-door technique

persuasion tactic where someone is more likely to agree to a larger request after first agreeing to a smaller related request

door-in-the-face technique

a persuasive tactic of making a large request that a person will likely refuse in order to get the person to subsequently agree to a smaller request.