AP Psych Vocab

GRIT

Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension Reduction; a strategy to decrease international or group conflict through small, conciliatory steps.

Equity

The principle that people receive outcomes in proportion to their contributions in relationships or society.

Conflict

A perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas between individuals or groups.

Stereotype

A generalized belief or assumption about a group of people.

Ingroup bias

The tendency to favor one’s own group over others.

Passionate love

An intense, emotional, and often sexual form of love characterized by arousal and longing.

Social script

Culturally modeled guide for how to act in social situations.

Outgroup

Any group that one does not identify with or belong to.

Groupthink

The tendency of group members to conform to group decisions to maintain harmony, often leading to poor decisions.

Social trap

A situation where individuals or groups act in their own short-term self-interest, leading to negative long-term consequences for the entire group or society

Companionate love

Deep, affectionate attachment characterized by trust, intimacy, and commitment.

Superordinate goals

Shared goals that require cooperation between groups to achieve, reducing conflict.

Altruism

Unselfish concern for the welfare of others.

Scapegoat

A person or group blamed for the problems or misfortunes of others.

Norm

A socially accepted rule or standard of behavior.

Mere exposure effect

The tendency to develop a preference for things or people that are familiar.

Aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally.

Social exchange theory

The theory that human interactions are transactions that aim to maximize rewards and minimize costs.

Bystander effect

The tendency for people to be less likely to help someone in need when other bystanders are present.

Discrimination

Unjustified negative behavior toward a group or its members.

Culture

The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a group of people.

Reciprocity norm

The expectation that people will help those who have helped them.

Just world phenomenon

A cognitive bias where people believe that actions always lead to morally fair consequences, meaning good people are rewarded and bad people are punished

Stanley Milgram

Psychologist famous for obedience experiments, showing people will follow authority even against their morals.

Philip Zimbardo

Psychologist known for the Stanford Prison Experiment, illustrating the power of situational forces and social roles.

Solomon Asch

Psychologist known for conformity experiments demonstrating the influence of group pressure on individual judgment.

Leon Festinger

Psychologist who developed Cognitive Dissonance Theory, showing that people experience discomfort when their beliefs and behaviors conflict.

Social psychology

The scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Attitude

A learned predisposition to respond positively or negatively toward a particular object, person, or situation.

Central route persuasion

A method of persuasion that uses logical arguments and evidence to influence attitudes.

Social facilitation

The tendency for people to perform better on simple tasks when in the presence of others.

Group polarization

The tendency of group discussion to strengthen the dominant positions held by group members.

Prejudice

A preconceived, often negative judgment toward a group and its members.

Scapegoat theory

The theory that prejudice provides an outlet for anger by blaming someone else.

Attribution theory

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

Peripheral route persuasion

A method of persuasion that relies on superficial cues, such as attractiveness or emotional appeals.

Social loafing

The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward a common goal.

Role

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

Frustration aggression principle

Frustration leads to aggression toward the source of frustration or a displaced target.

Fundamental attribution error

The tendency to overestimate the impact of personal disposition and underestimate the impact of the situation when explaining others’ behavior.

Informational social influence

Influence resulting from willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality.

Deindividuation

The loss of self

Conformity

Adjusting one’s 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 from others.