PSYC 1F90 - MULTIPLE CHOICE

What is social psychology?

The study of how individuals think and behave in social situations.

What does culture refer to in psychology?

An ongoing pattern of life, characterizing a society at a given point in history.

Define ingroup.

A group with which a person identifies.

Define outgroup.

A group with which a person does not identify.

What is group structure?

The network of roles, communication pathways, and power in a group.

What is group cohesiveness?

The degree of attraction among group members or their commitment to remaining in the group.

What is a norm in social psychology?

A widely accepted (but often unspoken) standard of conduct for appropriate behavior.

What are social roles?

Expected behavior patterns associated with particular social positions (such as daughter, worker, or student).

What is role conflict?

Trying to occupy two or more roles that make conflicting demands on behavior.

What is social status?

The degree of prestige, admiration, and respect accorded to a member of a group.

What is social power?

The degree to which a group member can control, alter, or influence the behavior of another group member.

What is social cognition?

The process of thinking about ourselves and others in a social context.

What is social comparison?

Making judgments about ourselves through comparisons with others.

What is downward comparison?

Comparing yourself with a person who ranks lower than you on some dimension.

What is upward comparison?

Comparing yourself with a person who ranks higher than you on some dimension.

What is attribution?

The act of assigning cause to behavior.

What are situational demands?

Unstated expectations that define desirable or appropriate behavior in various settings and social situations.

What is the fundamental attribution error?

Tendency to attribute behavior to internal causes without regard to situational influences.

What is actor-observer bias?

The tendency to attribute the behavior of others to internal causes while attributing one's own behavior to external causes.

What is self-handicapping?

Arranging to perform under conditions that usually impair performance, to have an excuse for a poor showing.

What is an attitude?

A positive or negative perception of people, objects, or issues.

What is an open-ended interview?

An interview in which persons are allowed to freely state their views.

What is a social distance scale?

A rating of the degree to which a person would be willing to have contact with a member of another group.

What is an attitude scale?

A collection of attitudinal statements with which respondents indicate agreement or disagreement.

What is a reference group?

Any group that an individual uses as a standard for social comparison.

What is cognitive dissonance?

Psychological state of having related ideas or perceptions that are inconsistent.

What is social influence?

Changes in a person's behavior induced by the presence or actions of others.

What is social facilitation?

Tendency to perform better when in the presence of others.

What is social interference?

Tendency to perform more poorly when in the presence of others.

What is mere presence?

The tendency for people to change their behavior just because of the presence of other people.

What is social loafing?

Exerting less effort when performing a specific task with a group than when alone.

What is conformity?

Matching behavior and appearance to perceived social norms.

What are group sanctions?

Rewards and punishments administered by groups to enforce conformity among members.

What is groupthink?

Flawed decision-making in which a collection of individuals favors conformity over critical analysis.

What is compliance?

Bending to the requests of a person who has little or no authority or other form of social power.

What is persuasion?

A deliberate attempt to change beliefs or behavior with information and arguments.

What is the foot-in-the-door effect?

The tendency for a person who has first complied with a small request to be more likely later to fulfill a larger request.

door-in-the-face effect

The tendency for a person who has refused a major request to subsequently be more likely to comply with a minor request.

lowball technique

A strategy in which commitment is gained first to reasonable or desirable terms, which are then made less reasonable or desirable.

coercion

Being forced to change your beliefs or your behavior against your will.

brainwashing

Engineered or forced attitude change involving a captive audience.

cult

A group that professes great devotion to some person and follows that person almost without question.

self-assertion

A direct, honest expression of feelings and desires.

affiliation

The desire to associate with other people.

interpersonal attraction

Social attraction to another person.

reciprocity

A mutual exchange of feelings, thoughts, or things between people.

self-disclosure

The process of revealing private thoughts and feelings to others.

social exchange

Any exchange of attention, information, affection, or favors between two people.

social exchange theory

The theory that states that rewards must exceed costs for relationships to endure.

comparison level

The personal standard used to evaluate rewards and costs in social exchanges.

intimacy

Feelings of connectedness and affection for another person.

passion

Deep emotional and/or sexual feelings for another person.

commitment

The determination to stay in a long-term relationship with another person.

romantic love

Type of love associated with high levels of interpersonal attraction and sexual desire.

companionate love

Form of love characterized by intimacy and commitment, but not passion.

fatuous love

Love characterized by passion and commitment, but not intimacy.

consummate love

Form of love characterized by intimacy, passion, and commitment.

evolutionary psychology

The study of the evolutionary origins of human behavior patterns.

prosocial behavior

Any behavior that has a positive impact on other people.

altruism

Type of prosocial behavior motivated primarily by improving the circumstances of others.

empathy

State that occurs when people experience a feeling that parallels that of someone suffering.

bystander effect

The unwillingness of bystanders to offer help during emergencies.

diffusion of responsibility

Phenomenon that spreads responsibility to act among several people, reducing the likelihood of help.

antisocial behavior

Any behavior that has a negative impact on other people.

aggression

Action carried out with the intention of harming another person.

bullying

The deliberate and repeated use of aggression as a tactic for dealing with situations.

instinct

An innate impulse that directs or motivates behavior.

frustration-aggression hypothesis

Hypothesis that states frustration tends to lead to aggression.

social learning theory

Theory that combines learning principles with cognitive processes to explain behavior.

prejudice

A positive or negative attitude toward an entire group of people.

social stereotypes

Oversimplified images of traits for individuals in a particular social group.

discrimination

Unfair actions based on stereotyping and prejudice.

microaggressions

Subtle acts of discrimination that may not intend to hurt the victim.

racism

Discrimination directed against someone based solely on their race.

sexism

Discrimination directed against someone based solely on their gender.

ageism

Discrimination against someone based solely on their age.

heterosexism

Discrimination based on the belief that heterosexuality is superior.

ethnocentrism

The tendency to place one's own group at the center, rejecting others.

Explicit prejudice

A type of prejudice that is conscious and publicly expressed.

Implicit prejudice

A type of prejudice that involves unconscious thoughts and feelings.

Scapegoating

When a person or group is blamed for actions of others.

Displaced aggression

To redirect aggression toward a target other than the actual source.

Status inequalities

Differences in power or privileges among people or groups.

Authoritarian personality

A personality pattern characterized by rigidity, prejudice, and a concern with authority.

Dogmatism

Unwarranted positiveness in beliefs or opinions.

Dehumanization

Beliefs that outgroups are less human and deserving of discrimination.

Self-stereotyping

The tendency to apply social stereotypes to oneself.

Stereotype threat

The anxiety caused by the fear of being judged in terms of a stereotype.

Equal-status contact

Social interaction that occurs on equal footing.

Superordinate goal

A goal that exceeds or overrides all others.

Individuating information

Information that helps define a person as an individual rather than as a group member.

Just-world beliefs

Beliefs that people generally get what they deserve.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

An expectation that prompts people to act in ways that make it come true.

Social competition

Rivalry among groups who regard themselves as superior.

Motivation

A process that arouses, maintains, and guides behavior toward a goal.

Need

An internal deficiency that may energize behavior.

Drive

A state of bodily tension, such as hunger or thirst, that arises from an unmet need.

Response

Any action, glandular activity, or other identifiable behavior.

Goal

The target or objective of motivated behavior.

Incentive

A reward or other stimulus that motivates behavior.